Slow down with Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s three southern two-toed sloths. Keeper Kara Ingraham works with Athena and Vlad in the Small Mammal House, and keeper Denny Charlton tends to Howie in Amazonia. Find out what it takes to care for these unique animals!
Kara: I have always loved animals and grew up dreaming of saving the rainforest.
Keepers can learn a lot about an animal’s needs just by monitoring its weight. But how do you weigh a wiggly ferret or get a full-grown elephant onto a scale? Find out in this update from primate keeper Erin Stromberg.
The scale is built into the base of a protective elephant chute, which keepers have
The shaggy-coated sloth bear is native to India, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Sloth bears primarily eat termites and ants, and unlike other bear species, they routinely carry their cubs on their backs.
Fact Sheet Conservation Meet the Animals Physical Description Sloth bears have
Eastern screech-owls are commonly found in evergreen and deciduous forests near water. They are short, stocky owls with gray or reddish-brown feathers and yellow eyes.
They are short, stocky and have large heads with almost no neck.
Emperor tamarins are small monkeys native to the southwest Amazon Basin. They are easily identified by their long, white whiskers that look like a mustache.
They have dark fur on their faces and ears, and their bodies are primarily gray with
The new gal in town is inquisitive, a foodie and has a knack for shredding paper. Meet Acadia, a 2-year-old female bald eagle in this Q+A with American trail keepers Ashley Graham and Sam Milne!
At around age five, she will have a white head and tail, as adult eagles have.
The results have been extremely valuable in caring for lions both at the National
True to their name, screaming hairy armadillos are a hirsute armadillo species that emit a loud squeal when threatened. They are native to the Monte Desert in South America.
As their name suggests, armadillos in this genus have more hair than other armadillos
Instantly recognizable, striped skunks are known for their signature coloration and for their ability to emit a strong and pungent odor when upset. They are native to the United States and Canada.
Fact Sheet Conservation Physical Description Striped skunks have an easily
Sand cats are a small, solitary cat native to deserts in Africa and Asia. Superbly adapted to life in the desert, they can live without water, run on shifting sand and detect prey underground.
Fact Sheet Conservation Meet the Animals Physical Description Sand cats have
