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National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute welcomed many new animals in 2019, including this endangered red panda cub. (Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute).

2019's Conservation Stories Worth Celebrating

Black-footed ferrets are well-suited for their prairie environment, where their colors help them blend in with grassland soils and plants.

What Sound Does a Black-footed Ferret Make? And Other Ferret Facts

A Savannah sparrow stands on a patch of melting snow in a warm-season grass field in Virginia. (Amy Johnson, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute)

Not All Birds Fly South for the Winter

Forty years ago, the distinctive call of the bobwhite quail could be heard throughout Virginia’s grasslands. Today, their calls are fading.

Answering the Call for Bobwhite Quail

Long-billed curlews are the largest shorebirds in North America, but they are only found along coasts during the winter. They spend their summers breeding in the grasslands of Montana.

Hiding in Plain Sight: Tracking the Long-billed Curlew

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientist Mike Henley dives at a coral nursery where brown rice coral and blue rice coral grow.

Testing the Waters: Coral Nurseries and Climate Change

As far as predators go, coyotes are one of the most resourceful and resilient.

Connecting with Coyotes on the Prowl

It's easy to spot the difference between Karl and Karoline (even without Karl’s beak). Karoline is smaller and has a blue and black throat sack. Like other male Abyssinian ground hornbills, Karl has a red and blue throat sack.

When Karl Met Karoline

Scimitar Horned Oryx

Goats and Gazelles and Oryx, Oh My! How Wildlife Veterinarians Treat (Almost) All Species

As two orangutan infants tussled in the trees, curator of primates Meredith Bastian and primate keeper Alex Reddy looked on in awe. Over the summer, they traveled to Central Kalimantan in Indonesian Borneo to follow these great apes in their native habitat.

Primate Diary: Observing Orangutans in the Wild

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