Let’s play a game…for science! With a tap of the touch-screen computer, orangutans at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo try their memories at matching pictures. These games help scientists study the apes’ metacognition.
For example, orangutans have to try to remember where food is located.
The timber rattlesnake — also called the American viper, black rattlesnake, eastern rattlesnake, timber rattler and canebrake — is a large pit viper with a wide distribution across the eastern half of the U.S.
They are gray, sometimes with a pinkish hue and have a stripe down their back.
Japanese giant salamanders are the second-largest salamander species in the world. These long-lived amphibians lurk in Japan’s rocky, fast-flowing streams.
Some appear quite dark, while others have lighter patches of browns.
Enjoy these 50 facts about giant pandas in honor of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Giant Panda 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Scientists and conservationists have worked to restore the giant panda’s habitat
Can sloth swim? What do they eat? And why are they so slow? Impress your friends and ace your next online quiz with these fun facts about sloths to celebrate International Sloth Day on Oct. 20.
But these social media darlings have been around far longer than the internet.
After more than 30 years of studying clouded leopards, Zoo scientists have solved
At almost 11 months old, our cheetah cubs‘ personalities are shining! See Jabari, Hasani, Erindi and Amabala in the snow, and get an update on their training.
cheetahs at Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia, have
On Father’s Day weekend, Shera’s four cubs made their big debut at the Great Cats exhibit! Now, visitors can see the whole pride every day between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. weather permitting. Animal keeper Rebecca Stites gives us the latest update on the cubs.
What’s the next big ‚event‘ they have to look forward to?
When animal keepers introduced Andean bears Billie Jean and Quito earlier this spring, it seemed that love was in the air. Or, was it hormones? To discover how hormones can affect a bear’s behavior during breeding season, keeper Sara Colandrea has teamed up with Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute research fellow Natalia Prado. Together, they hope to crack the code of Andean bear reproduction and help other zoos produce bouncing baby bears.
Since 2005, only nine cubs have been born and survived to adulthood in the North
In fact, we don’t have any relocation recommendations for the youngsters just yet
