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National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Close-up of a Kirtland's warbler songbird

A Day in the Life of a Conservation Biologist in Search of a Rare Songbird’s Nest

In Michigan’s jack pine forests, researchers spend hours on the lookout for Kirtland's warblers

Panamanian golden frog standing among dirt and leaves

Is a 'Living Pharmacy' the Key to Curing Chytrid in Frogs?

Scientists test a new approach to protecting frogs from the deadly fungal pathogen

Ring-tailed lemur standing on wooden platform with a flower

Stink Fights and Two Tongues? 5 Surprising Facts About Lemurs

Get the lowdown on lemurs from a primate keeper

Bobcat caught on camera trap walking through brush and scrub on Montana's grasslands

How I Study Elusive Prairie Bobcats

Camera traps reveal how bobcats navigate the Northern Great Plains

Swift fox pups huddled together at dusk on Montana's grasslands

Why Researchers Are Scouring Montana's Grasslands for Swift Fox Scat

Scientists can learn a lot from what an animal leaves behind

Long-billed curlew in flight

GPS Tracking Technology Allows Scientists to Fly With Curlews on Their Epic Migrations

Researchers are unraveling the mystery of how migratory birds achieve their amazing flights

In the eastern part of North America, purple martins rarely use natural nest cavities. Instead, they rely on artificial “condominiums” and groups of plastic gourds hung by bird enthusiasts.

Purple Martin ‘Landlords’ Manage a Different Kind of Tenant

Every year, bird enthusiasts hang groups of plastic gourds for purple martins to nest in

As we prepare to celebrate giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji’s first birthday Aug. 21, take a look back at his top 12 milestones that left panda fans around the world in awe and

Watch Our Favorite Videos from Giant Panda Cub Xiao Qi Ji's First Year

Celebrate Xiao Qi Ji's Birthday With a Look Back at His First Year

Bald eagles are native to the United States, but caring for them is a unique and rare opportunity. Every bald eagle in human care, including Annie pictured here, is a rescue.

Meet Rescued Bald Eagles Tioga and Annie

Every bald eagle in human care is a rescue

Caribbean flamingos

10 Things You Didn't Know About Flamingos

Flamingos are unusual in more ways than one

In late April, scientists and the public noticed a surprising number of birds in the mid-Atlantic region were exhibiting strange symptoms, often sick or dying. Smithsonian scientists need your help to figure out why.

Mysterious Bird Deaths in the Mid-Atlantic Region

A call for citizen scientists to help figure out the cause of mysterious bird deaths in the mid-Atlantic region

Western lowland gorilla Moke eating a snack

The Science Behind Animal Snacks

Meals to please the palates of giant pandas, flamingos and fishing cats

The coast on the island of Curaçao

Connecting Ocean Conservation from Sea to Sky

From deep trenches to shallow shores, water circulates in one world ocean

The cassowary's helmet-like casque is made of keratin, the same material that makes up our hair and fingernails.

Meet Cassowary Brothers Irwin and Dundee, Descendants of Dinosaurs

Cassowaries are considered to be the dinosaurs’ closest living relative

A 17-year Brood X cicada.

Will 17-year Cicadas Be a Buffet or Big Disturbance for Birds?

Brood X is here. Will birds get a bug buffet or struggle to sing over the chorus of cicadas?

Common yellowthroats, like the one pictured here, spend their winters in coffee growing regions in Latin America.

Birders Want You to Rethink Your Morning Roast

Your coffee is stronger than you think

This 17-year Brood X cicada nymph is one step away from adulthood. After emerging from the dirt, cicadas typically crawl up the base of a tree to complete their final molt, expand their wings and fly away.

Cicada Snacks: The Wild (and Tasty) Side of Brood X at the Zoo

What will animals think of the impending bug buffet?

A sea lion at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

5 Free Programs Streaming for Earth Week

Celebrate Earth Optimism with live webinars April 21 and 22

This leaf-tailed gecko hatchling receives his medication from a syringe, which he laps up with his impressive tongue.

How Do You Give Medicine to Zoo Animals?

Learn how zookeepers give medicine to animals, from salamanders to siamangs and everything in between.

Western lowland gorilla Baraka forages in the outdoor gorilla habitat at the Smithsonian's National Zoo. The silverback takes mealtime seriously, say his keepers.

How Do You Help a Gorilla With a Toothache?

Western lowland gorilla Baraka is serious about food. When keepers noticed he wasn't eating, they wondered if his change in appetite masked something more serious.

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