La Plata three-banded armadillos, also known as southern three-banded armadillos, are the only armadillo that can curl up into a complete ball. Native to South America, they are also one of the only armadillos that are not good diggers.
all the way until their armor forms a trap that snaps closed on their predator’s hand
As the days get shorter and the weather gets cooler, the pandas are spending more time in their yards. Panda keepers sometimes get asked by the visitors why we place the bamboo and enrichment items in the places that we do when we set up the yards.
dough,” nutritionists chill the mixture, shape the dough into small biscuits by hand
There are two new (adorable) kids on the block at American Trail! The team welcomed California sea lion pup Charger and North American beaver Poplar to their new homes at Smithsonian’s National Zoo this past summer.
her keepers, though the team is making great progress and have even successfully hand-fed
Put your senses to the test at the Claws and Paws Pathway! Follow your nose to the binturongs, who smell like buttered popcorn, and keep your eyes peeled for petite Pallas’s cats hiding in plain sight. Get the scoop on the Zoo’s newest residents from curator Craig Saffoe.
Ceba, on the other hand, is a hider among hiders!
A new #GorillaStory has begun! Get the latest update on our 4-week-old western lowland gorilla, Zahra, from primate keeper Valerie Schultz.
Sometimes, she will bark softly or push Moke’s hand away.
A 4-year-old Henkel’s leaf-tailed gecko recently underwent treatment for skin cancer at the Zoo’s veterinary hospital.
(Smithsonian/Matt Evans) On the other hand, going straight into palliative care
A team of scientists and keepers is traveling all over the eastern United States this year to study a unique and amazing animal: the hellbender.
didn’t have an iron but thought he could help us fix it with some tools he had on hand
We’ve answered some of the most-searched questions about ostriches to get you better acquainted with these big, flightless birds.
A keeper has placed a ruler and their hand beside the egg for scale.
Wood turtles are one of the most endangered freshwater turtles in North America. To ensure a future for these reptiles, scientists first need to understand where wood turtles remain and how many are left.
Discovery Center: „These Teeny, Tiny Turtle Hatchlings Fit in the Palm of Your Hand
The verdict is in on our 14-week-old cheetah cubs’ first snow experience! Plus, get the latest dish on Rosalie’s cubs‘ newest enrichment and husbandry training experiences. Read on for a full cubdate from cheetah biologist Adrienne Crosier.
Rosalie, on the other hand, seems unphased by the snow and cold.
