Ashley Goetz

Ashley Goetz is a web content writer at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, where she translates animal care research and conservation science into compelling stories.

Stories from this author

Black tree monitor (lizard) with dark coloration, an elongated body and a long, slender tail rests on a branch

Meet the Black Tree Monitor

Get the scoop on these intelligent, elusive reptiles

An aerial photo of two horseshoe crabs on the sand in shallow tidal waters

10 Incredible Horseshoe Crab Facts

Celebrate World Ocean Day on June 8 by learning about these ancient arthropods

tamandua with its long tongue sticking out

How Long Is a Tamandua's Tongue? And More Fun Facts

Get to know this remarkable member of the anteater family

Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji upside-down in a hammock

Watch: 10 Animal Videos That Topped Our List in 2021

Look back on a year of animal antics and conservation stories

Caribbean flamingos

10 Things You Didn't Know About Flamingos

Flamingos are unusual in more ways than one

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

Reptile keepers are warming up to a new monitor lizard this winter, a young Komodo dragon named Onyx.

Caring for Komodo Dragons, the World's Largest Lizards

The Smithsonian's National Zoo is warming up to a new monitor lizard this winter, a young Komodo dragon named Onyx. Reptile keepers have been working with these lizards for decades, including raising and training the Zoo's 22-year-old Komodo dragon Murphy.

A cheetah cub at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia.

8 Aww-Inspiring Videos of the Year's Best Animal and Conservation Stories

From a litter of chirping cheetahs and the birth of a lovable giant panda cub to groundbreaking coral reef research and new strides in animal care, there were many milestones to celebrate this year.

Spindly legs and thick, red fur have earned them the nickname “foxes on stilts,” but maned wolves are neither fox nor wolf.

What the Rhythm of a Maned Wolf's Heart Reveals

Spindly legs and thick, red fur have earned them the nickname “foxes on stilts,” but maned wolves are neither fox nor wolf. Today, researchers are monitoring maned wolves' heart rates to learn more about these unique, charismatic canids.

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.

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

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

Saving species is what we strive to do every day at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. As the year winds down, we’re reflecting on some of our biggest conservation success stories of 2019.

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

We’ve ferreted out the answers to some of the most-searched questions about North America’s only native ferret species.

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

Researchers in Virginia wanted to learn how common field management practices — like mowing, burning or animal grazing — affect birds that stay for the winter. They turned to local farmers and landowners for help.

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

Meet Karl. He’s an Abyssinian ground hornbill, a bird native to the grasslands of north-central Africa and listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.