The National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute leads the Smithsonian’s global efforts to save species, better understand ecosystems and train future generations of conservationists.
heart of Washington, D.C., is a popular tourist destination, welcoming nearly 2 million
Sea lions are noisy — but how many sounds can they make? Quench your curiosity in this virtual keeper talk with American Trail keeper Sydney Lenz!
Each year, up to 12 million metric tons of plastic pollution end up in the ocean.
Our elephant herd is growing again—this time with three female elephants from Calgary Zoo in Alberta, Canada! Next spring, Kamala, Swarna, and Maharani, will arrive here on loan from the Calgary Zoo, expanding our existing herd to seven.
Rubenstein donated $2 million to enable us to bring the elephants to Washington.
Crash into May with black rhinos! Dr. Francesca Vitali is a wildlife veterinarian and Morris Animal Foundation postdoctoral fellow with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Global Health Program. She is currently working with our Smithsonian partners in Kenya to help conserve Eastern black rhino populations.
Having the opportunity help preserve an animal that has been on Earth for about 60 million
The alpaca is a small relative of the camel domesticated by Andean people for its wool. They are slender-bodied animals with long legs and necks, small heads and large, pointed ears. Alpacas are covered in a soft fleece and have soft, padded feet.
This family of animals originated on the plains of North America about 10 million
The Smithsonian has about one million samples from 18,000 species, with thousands
The only standardized camera trap survey with data from all 50 states, Snapshot USA tracks long-term trends in mammal populations.
project partners have deployed camera arrays at 337 unique sites and collected over 1 million
Bird Friendly does more than any other certification to conserve habitat for birds.
through the hard work of 5,100 Bird Friendly farmers in 11 countries growing 34 million
Explore a detailed history and timeline of giant pandas at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
government stipulated the pair would live at the Zoo for 10 years in exchange for $10 million
Giant pandas are native to central China and have come to symbolize vulnerable species. As few as 1,864 giant pandas live in their native habitat, while another 600 pandas live in zoos and breeding centers around the world.
The giant panda has lived in bamboo forests for several million years.
