Celebrate giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji’s birthday—and Zoo Guardians’ first anniversary—with giant panda keeper and real-life Zoo Guardian, Nicole MacCorkle!
I grew up in the Washington, D.C., area, and my family visited the Zoo’s first pair
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
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.
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
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
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
„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
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
