Representatives from the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute helped lead a Giant Panda Laboratory Diagnostic International Exchange Training workshop with staff from the China Conservation & Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in November.
These workshops have trained veterinary staff from zoos and wild animal parks all
Specialized to live in deserts, the addax is a shy, cautious antelope notable for its long, twisted horns. This species was once abundant throughout Northern Africa, and now inhabits just a tiny fraction of its former range.
Lifespan The life span of the addax is unknown in the wild.
The black pacu is a large, nonaggressive, fruit-eating species of fish found in the upper Amazon River basin.
prefer to eat fruits, decaying plant matter, snails and grains as they would in the wild
A small primate species native only to Madagascar, red ruffed lemurs live in just one protected area and are critically endangered.
Lifespan Red ruffed lemurs have a life span of 15 to 20 years in the wild, sometimes
The Brazilian rainbow boa is a medium-sized terrestrial boa native to the Amazon River basin. It is named for its iridescent skin which refracts light and creates a rainbow-colored effect.
Food/Eating Habits In the wild, their diet consists of rodents, birds and possibly
Celebrate and look back at some of the groundbreaking achievements made by Smithsonian scientists this year.
Once Extinct, Guam Sihek Released to the Wild Image: Photo credit: Thomas
Built for speed, the cheetah can accelerate from zero to 45 in just 2.5 seconds and reach top speeds of 60 to 70 mph, making it the fastest land mammal! The cheetah’s spotted coat helps it camouflage among the dry grasses of the African savanna where it lives.
Lifespan The average lifespan of wild cheetahs is 8 to 10 years.
Golden lion tamarins are small, social primates with reddish-gold coats and long, backswept manes. They live in the Atlantic coastal regions of southeastern Brazil, where their populations once dwindled to just 200 individuals. Thanks to intensive conservation efforts, this endangered species is recovering.
In the wild, they live in groups of two to eight family members.
Brush-tailed bettongs, also called brush-tailed rat kangaroos and woylies, are small, critically endangered, bipedal marsupials native to Australia. They have prehensile tails and are impressive diggers.
Lifespan Average lifespan for brush-tailed bettongs in the wild is 4 to 6 years.
Porcupines are native to the forests of North America and instantly recognizable by their coats of nearly 30,000 quills. While these hollow quills can’t be shot, they are loosely attached and will dislodge in the skin of predators.
native to the coniferous and mixed-forest habitats of Canada, the northeastern and western
