National Zoological Park
Celebrate Australia Day at the Zoo
If your Aussie friends seem to have a little bounce in their step it's because today is Australia Day! Every January 26, all the states and territories of Australia commemorate the first arrival of British settlers. The holiday has evolved into a celebration of Australia's independence from Britain...
January 26, 2011 |
By Ryan Reed
Tian Tian and Mei Xiang Get to Stay; Zoo Gets an Extended Lease on the Pandas
When it snows, we ooh and aah over a frolicking Tian Tian. When Mei Xiang is artificially inseminated, we wait with bated breath. When it is Tai Shan's birthday, we post pictures of him devouring his beet juice-stained birthday cake. (With Tai Shan, it was love at first sight.) And when we got word...
January 20, 2011 |
By Megan Gambino
A Snow Day, the National Zoo Way
Winter is in full effect and so far, the D.C. area has only gotten a few inches of snow. While that was enough to drive most of us indoors, buttoned up and hunkered down, hoping for snow days and school delays, the animals at the National Zoo were showing us how it really should be done. Eating sno...
January 13, 2011 |
By Arcynta Ali Childs
Wednesday Roundup: Cuddling an Anteater, Archival Weight Lifting, Toys and the World Expo
Nurturing An Anteater—On December 7, the night the new baby anteater was born at the Zoo, Maripi the mother, experienced in caring for her young, had tucked her baby warmly beside her for the night. Watchful keepers left late that evening after assuring themselves that mother and infant were safely...
January 05, 2011 |
By Arcynta Ali Childs
Events: FONZ Photo Club, Music of the Civil Rights Movement, Gallery Talks and More
Monday, January 3: Spark!LabThe Lemelson Center's Spark!Lab offers visitors a number of hands-on experiments that teach about science, the invention process, and the role of technology in American history. Activities are organized around the invention process and will rotate on a regular basis to p...
January 03, 2011 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Baby Cheetahs Bring Fruitful Year to a Close at the Zoo
The National Zoo has had a banner year for babies this year. Beginning with the birth of Andean bear cubs in January, we also saw the birth of strawberry tree frogs, kiwis, clouded leopards, a snake-necked turtle, white naped cranes, red pandas (who tragically died weeks later), veiled chameleons, ...
December 30, 2010 |
By Brian Wolly
Wednesday Roundup: Aviator Lions, Rockwell Models and Baby Anteaters
Air and Space Lions—Understandably, folks over at the AirSpace blog have been feeling a bit envious of all the attention the National Zoo has been getting on account of their seven new lion cubs (ATM has covered their birth, swim tests, physical exams and outdoor exploration in recent months). To s...
December 29, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
Events: Kwanzaa, Crochet, ZooLights and More
Monday, December 27: ZooLightsZooLights, the National Zoo’s festive electric light display, is back once again—and this year it’s absolutely free! For children of all ages, a menagerie of LED light sculptures modeled after critters at the Zoo will be on display. Tickets are NOT required. ZooLights ...
December 27, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
The Lions in Winter: Cubs Get Their Names and Debut in Public
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_TIzTvS2U0From the moment the National Zoo's seven lion cubs were born this fall, we've been waiting with great anticipation for the chance to meet them in person. We've seen them through their first physical exams and a swim test to make sure they can get across the...
December 20, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
Events: ZooLights, Book Signings and the Rhythm of the Drum
Monday, December 20: ZooLightsZooLights, the National Zoo’s festive electric light display, is back once again—and this year it’s absolutely free! For children of all ages, a menagerie of LED light sculptures modeled after critters at the Zoo will be on display. Tickets are NOT required. This event...
December 20, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Weekend Events: Rollicking Dance, Christmas Stories and ZooLights
Friday, December 17: ZooLightsZooLights, the National Zoo’s festive electric light display, is back once again—and this year it’s absolutely free! For children of all ages, a menagerie of LED light sculptures modeled after critters at the Zoo will be on display. Tickets are NOT required. This event...
December 17, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Weekend Events: Zoo Lights, Recycled Gifts and Origami Flowers
Friday, December 10: Zoo LightsZooLights, the National Zoo’s festive electric light display, is back once again—and this year it’s absolutely free! For children of all ages, a menagerie of LED light sculptures modeled after critters at the Zoo will be on display. Tickets are NOT required. This ev...
December 10, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Weekend Events: Holiday Fun at the National Zoo, Natural History Museum and the Freer
Friday, December 3: ZooLights, the National Zoo's festive electric light display, is back once again—and this year it's absolutely free! For children of all ages, a menagerie of LED light sculptures modeled after critters at the zoo will be on display. Tickets are NOT required. (Yay!) for visitors ...
December 03, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Wednesday Roundup: Flamingos, Planes and XKCD
First Aircraft Moved to New Hangar: This week, AirSpace reports that the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was the first aircraft to move into the Udvar-Hazy Center's new Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar. Designed in 1938 and manufactured in 1942, the scout bomber flew in World War II. The Air and Space Mu...
December 01, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
A Trio of Cheetahs Returns to the National Zoo
While many of you were taking planes, trains and automobiles to journey home this past holiday weekend, three National Zoo cheetahs did likewise. Over the Thanksgiving weekend, brothers Draco, Granger and Zabini—brothers all named after characters in the Harry Potter books—returned from the Smithso...
November 30, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Enter A Video Contest to Name Two of the Zoo's Lion Cubs
The seven lion cubs born at the National Zoo this past summer are in need of names—and the Zoo wants you to polish up your video-making skills and help with the naming of two of them. If you're feeling game, create a video no longer than 90 seconds wherein you suggest a name for both of the cubs—th...
November 16, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Events: Day of the Dead, National Zoo Photo Club, an Andy Warhol Superstar and More
Monday, November 1: Smithsonian Dia de los Muertos Festival: A Second Life Experience!To celebrate the Day of the Dead, the Smithsonian Latino Center presents a Dia de los Muertos 3D online experience illustrating Latino customs and beliefs dating from ancient Mesoamerica to those practiced today. ...
November 01, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
Zoo's Lion Cubs Pass Swim Test
In order for the National Zoo's seven new lion cubs to go on view by the target date of mid-December, the cubs have to be able to paddle and paw their way across the moat that surrounds the lion habitat. On Tuesday, the four eight-week old cubs, the first of two recently-born litters, took their sw...
October 28, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
Wednesday Roundup: Phantoms, Costumes and Halloween Galore
Halloween Costumes of the Past: Not sure what to be for Halloween? The Archives of American Art blog has dug up some photos from Halloweens gone by to spark the imagination. Beginning with an old invitation to a Crazy Costume Dance held by 20th century architect Spencer Fullerton Weaver, a series o...
October 27, 2010 |
By Jess Righthand
Weekend Events: Celebrate Halloween at the Smithsonian and a Printmaking Workshop
Friday, October 22: Boo at the ZooPerfect for persons ages two to 12, the 11th annual Boo at the Zoo provides families with a safe, fun and educational way to celebrate Halloween. Dress up and step on out to haunt the National Zoo where there will be 40 treat stations featuring an assortment of can...
October 22, 2010 |
By Jesse Rhodes
