Scientists at SCBI study and breed 20 nimal species, including some that were once extinct in the wild, such as black-footed ferrets and scimitar-horned oryx. Animals thrive in specialized barns and building complexes spread over more than 1,000 acres.
Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s legacy of conservation work extends beyond the public Zoo in Washington
„We saw this huge line and thought there was a concert. Instead, everyone was waiting to see a panda…“
with Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, Xiao Qi Ji and the rest of the pandas that have called Washington
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is dedicated to saving species. Every day, its scientists and partners undertake important conservation efforts to protect species and their habitats.
Every day, its scientists and partners — here in Washington, D.C., at Smithsonian
Paige Byerly is a postdoctoral researcher at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for Conservation Genomics. Her research focuses on avian evolution, population dynamics, and conservation. Her primary areas of expertise include museum genomics, population genomics, and Caribbean seabird ecology. Her current research at SCBI is a joint project with Dr. Philip Lavretsky’s lab at the University of Texas El Paso, investigating the genomic consequences of domestic and wild mallard interbreeding on wild mallards. She is also partnering with U.S.
Byerly Postdoctoral Researcher B.A., University of Washington; B.S.
We are sad to share that 4-year-old North American beaver Birch died suddenly June 3.
Birch came to Washington, D.C. several years ago from the Minnesota Zoo per a breeding
From scorching deserts to freezing oceans, birds have developed incredible methods for regulating their body temperatures.
that live in the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington
To celebrate 50 years of giant panda care, collaboration and conservation, we’ve curated a collection of cute Giant Panda Cam moments from the past decade that connected viewers with nature, sparked pure panda joy and broke the internet.
Video Jan. 31, 2021 | Panda Parents Sled in the Snow As snow blanketed the Washington
Learn about the program to teach schoolchildren about birds while connecting them with students from across the hemisphere.
Migratory Birds for Grades 2 to 4” which was introduced in 2016 for teachers in Washington
Fernando G. Lopez is a conservation ecologist at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. He is interested in breeding ecology, migration behavior, and citizen science using raptors as study modelers. Lopez collaborates closely with his colleagues at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
He lives in Washington D.C., and in his free time, he likes to spend time with his
Olga Amelkina is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for Species Survival. Amelkina’s research employs transcriptomic technologies to investigate the gonadal tissue response to various preservation protocols. She uses the functional networks created from transcriptomic data to better understand the complex response of tissue to non-physiological stresses and to provide directions for studies and improvements of biobanking techniques that can be used in conservation efforts of endangered species.
Pierre Comizzoli’s laboratory at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C
