In June, we’re celebrating World Ocean Month! Learn about some of the amazing aspects of corals and how they shape our world.
Like other species within Cnidaria, individual coral polyps don’t have a brain.
Reaching up to 10 feet (3 meters) long, arapaima are the largest freshwater fish in South America. Learn what else makes these animals unique.
These massive fish have a distinctive feeding strategy—they “vacuum” their meals
If you are in the eastern United States and encounter a bird that looks like a little brown check-mark with a loud voice, it’s probably a Carolina wren. These charismatic little birds are frequent visitors to backyards and bird feeders.
They have bright creamy eye bands and white steaks on their wings.
American wigeons are small ducks that are equally at home on land and in the water. Loud, gregarious and distinctive, more than 2.5 million wigeons live in North America.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Compact ducks, male wigeons have
Researchers at the Zoo found higher fiber and lower sugar diets had a range of health benefits for primates in human care.
It turns out monkeys have to, too!
Elephant Trails is more than an exhibit; it is also an extensive conservation program built on decades of science. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s rich history of caring for and studying Asian elephants spans more than a century.
the Elephant Community Center and the surrounding outdoor yards, the elephants have
Beavers are the largest rodents in North America and one of the few species that significantly change their environment. By building dams, which form slow-moving ponds and reduce erosion, they provide habitat and resources for dozens of other species.
They have webbed rear feet and digitated front paws.
This small songbird is a common sight among the leafy woodlands of North America during the spring and summer months. It is noteworthy for its ruby-red irises and persistent singing.
Juveniles have brown irises, while adults have red irises.
The American alligator is a large crocodilian with an armored body, short legs, a muscular tail and a long, rounded snout. This reptile nearly went extinct but is now considered a conservation success story.
They have four short legs; the front legs have five toes while the back legs have
September 26 marks 40 years since black-footed ferrets were re-discovered in the wild, kick-starting today’s breeding and reintroduction program. Find out what it takes to care for Zoo Guardians‘ September Animal of the Month and Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute’s black-footed ferrets from animal keeper Vicki Lake!
I have black-footed ferret socks, shirts and ornaments.
