National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

A 41-day-old Guam kingfisher chick at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. With fewer than 140 Guam kingfishers left in the world, all living in human care, every chick is precious.

Growing Up Guam Kingfisher

Breeding season is the most demanding time of year for the bird team at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, but it can also be the most rewarding. With fewer than 140 Guam kingfishers left in the world, every egg laid and chick hatched is a step closer to saving this species.

Tigers are the largest cat species in the world. Amur tigers (sometimes called Siberian tigers) are the biggest tigers, with males weighing up to 660 pounds and measuring up to 10 feet long from nose to tip of the tail.

What Does Tiger Poop Look Like? And More Tiger Facts

Do tigers purr? How far can they jump? And what does tiger poop look like? Sink your teeth into these fun facts about big cats.

Lemur leaf frogs, best known for their big, striking eyes, are critically endangered.

Meet the Lemur Leaf Frog

Meet the lemur leaf frog! These attractive amphibians — best known for their big, beautiful eyes — are critically endangered. The good news? Reptile Discovery Center keepers at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are working to save them from extinction. Get the scoop on how they cracked the code on breeding this species from assistant curator Matt Evans.

A black-tailed prairie dog stands near its burrow.

Ecologists Dig Prairie Dogs, And You Should Too

Are prairie dogs pests or ecosystem engineers? It all depends on your point of view

researcher Tremie Gregory climbs high up a tree in Peruvian Amazon rainforest to set up a camera trap

How Scientists Are Uncovering the Secrets of Life in the Rainforest Canopy

Camera trap photos show arboreal animals living hundreds of feet above the ground

Animu and Giha’s male Guam kingfisher chick at 23 days old.

Winging It: A Parenting Test for Guam Kingfishers

In April, the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute celebrated the birth of two extinct-in-the-wild Guam kingfisher chicks. Find out more about the new chicks in this update from animal keeper Erica Royer.

Bozie (left) and Shanthi (right) may be from different family groups, but they have built a lasting friendship.

How Do You Encourage Elephants to Build Positive Relationships?

The Zoo cares for five female Asian elephants from a few different family groups. Luckily, there are a few things that keepers can do to encourage them to build positive relationships. Learn more in this update from keeper Kayleigh Sullivan.

Clouded leopard cubs Jilian and Paitoon made their debut at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in September 2019.

School is in Session for Clouded Leopard Cubs

Get a sneak peek into one very important aspect of clouded leopard cubs' daily care at the Zoo: training.

One of the common species Bird House keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo are working to better understand is the wood thrush — the official bird of Washington, D.C.

Continuing the Legacy of Bird Conservation

Raising awareness about the plight of migratory birds is key to their survival. The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute is in the midst of completely transforming its beloved Bird House from its humble foundation (circa 1928) into a celebration of birds and their amazing annual journeys. Since the Bird House closed to visitors in 2018, animal keepers, nutritionists and scientists have been working behind the scenes to better understand the husbandry of native songbirds and shorebirds.

Head of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center Scott Sillett.

Birds Connect Our World

As the sounds of traffic and crowds have hushed, you may have noticed more birdsong than usual. Stay-at-home measures keeping most of us indoors are likely emboldening our feathered friends, and many more humans are stopping to listen.

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