We rounded up the animal antics and species conservation stories that made us laugh, smile and cheer in 2021. Take a look back at some of our favorite moments caught on video.
Screaming hairy armadillo Sherman goes wild for enrichment Sherman the screaming
Fishing cats are native to southern Asia. Very little is known about the behavior, habitat, population and habits of these elusive, nocturnal felines.
The western reaches of its range extend into Pakistan, cutting east to Cambodia.
This sweet-singing forest bird travels across the Americas each year to reach its northern breeding grounds. It is known for its ascending, flute-like song.
range extends across the United States during migration, stretching from Alaska and western
Over the past few months, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute welcomed some adorable new members to the Zoo family. Say hello to our newest (and cutest) baby animals!
But for animals like the western lowland gorilla, births are even more significant
The Global Health Program works with International Animal Rescue Indonesia to ensure that disease risk does not pose a threat to rescued orangutans.
Care in Borneo Anthrax Epidemiology and Vultures Gorilla Health in the Wild
The Gaboon viper is the largest viper in Africa. Its coloration and broad head, which mimics a fallen leaf, camouflages it among leaf litter on the forest floor. Though venomous, this snake has a calm nature and rarely bites humans.
Habitat These vipers live in rainforests and wet areas in parts of Central, East and West
The silver arowana (or arawana) is a freshwater fish native to the floodplains of the Amazon. It has a long body covered in large, pearly-silver scales. Large dorsal and anal fins extend down its body to the tail, and two barbels extend from the tip of its lower jaw.
Native Habitat Arowanas are native to the Amazon drainage system and the western
These dark colored, slender reptiles are endemic to the Aru Islands. They spend most of their lives in the treetops and are extremely agile, curious, and intelligent. Many species of monitor will use their tails as weapons to defend themselves, but black tree monitors are more careful with their tails because they can use them to grasp things like branches to help them climb.
Lifespan Up to 15 years in the wild, but potentially longer in human care.
Timor pythons are large, extremely active snakes native to the southeastern islands of Indonesia though, interestingly, not the island of Timor.
In the wild, they eat small reptiles, birds, mice and rats.
A critically endangered forest bird, the blue-billed curassow’s range has shrunk to include only a few small forest remnants in Colombia.
Today, the entire wild population occurs in just a few small remnant areas of tropical
