Asian elephants Kamala (39), Swarna (39) and Maharani (23) arrived safely at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on May 23, 2014.
together seamlessly to make the elephants as comfortable as possible and get them to Washington
Bernadette Rigley is a doctoral research fellow at Smithsonian’s Virginia Working Landscapes. Her dissertation focuses on behavioral ecology and conservation of grassland birds, one of the most imperiled taxonomic group of birds in North America. Rigley collaborates closely with the American Farmland Trust and colleagues at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and Smithsonian Movement of Life.
She currently resides in Washington, D.C.
On March 30, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Zoo Neighborhood Council (ZNC) held its first meeting of 2023.
For much of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zoo in Washington, D.C. remained closed to
„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 first time I saw pandas was back in 2004 when I was 11 years old and then I got to see them in 2022 at 29 at the Smithsonian…“
with Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, Xiao Qi Ji and the rest of the pandas that have called Washington
Tammy Wilbert is a research associate at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s Center for Conservation Genomics. Wilbert is interested in addressing basic and applied questions regarding wild threatened and endangered species. She is broadly enthusiastic about the use of data to understand species biology, behavior, and evolutionary histories, as well as inform habitat management and policy decisions. Wilbert has also shared her passion for conservation science through teaching and outreach activities to people of all ages and backgrounds.
She then moved to the Washington, D.C. area and started exploring the world of conservation
Want to tell the Asian elephants apart? This introductory guide will help you spot each of the six residents of the herd.
the elephant herd: Spike Image: Spike was born July 2, 1981, and arrived in Washington
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.
s National Zoo’s legacy of conservation work extends beyond the public Zoo in Washington
As the associate director of business, innovation and technology, Nikki Mounts oversees all business and financial activities, information technology, and human resources at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. Additionally, she acts as a senior advisor to the director and deputy director on all items related to the business operations and the financial health of the organization. She directly manages a staff of 15 employees and provides administrative support for more than 450 employees and 1,800 animals.
In 2016, she moved to the Washington, D.C., area and worked as a hospital administrator
Ziad Ojakli served as Executive Vice President of Government Operations at The Boeing Company from 2021-2025. Ojakli reported to Boeing’s President & CEO and was responsible for advancing the company’s public policy priorities, including all U.S. federal, state and local government operations, as well as Boeing Global Engagement, the company’s global philanthropic organization. He served as Boeing’s chief lobbyist and was a member of the company’s Executive Council.
Jackie Robinson Foundation, the National Archives Foundation, the Economic Club of Washington
