Zoology

Dill, Jalapeño and Gherkin, the three newly hatched radiated tortoises at the Houston Zoo.

90-Year-Old Tortoise Fathers His First Offspring at Houston Zoo

Critically endangered radiated tortoises don’t reproduce often, so this is a win for the species

Pure Structural Color is made of several extremely thin sheets of non-conductive material. These layers are stacked together and imprinted, or stamped, with a nano-scale pattern of rods with curved ends. This pattern scatters light into colors that are visible from all directions, and different hues can be produced by changing the dimensions of the pattern.

Art Meets Science

This British Zoologist Wants to Reinvent Color

Andrew Parker has produced some of the brightest hues in the world. So, what’s his secret?

The last surviving thylacine's skull

Remains of Last Surviving Tasmanian Tiger Discovered in Museum Cabinet

Researchers found the lost body of the female thylacine after 85 years

Captive gorillas make a novel sound that's a cross between a sneeze and a cough when zookeepers are nearby with food.

Gorillas Make a New ‘Snough’ Noise to Grab Their Keepers’ Attention

Researchers have never observed gorillas making the unusual sound in the wild, suggesting that captive gorillas can learn to make new noises

The Cascade red fox (which isn't always red) does not hibernate. Along with pocket gophers, voles, birds and snowshoe hares, it eats fruits and insects. 

Planet Positive

Where Fox News Is Hard to Come By

A mountain range in the Pacific Northwest is a last bastion for a unique canine

The flamingo in Cox Bay near Port Lavaca, Texas. 

Good News

Flamingo That Escaped From a Zoo in Kansas Is Spotted Once Again in Texas 17 Years Later

The zoo hasn’t made any plans to catch the bird, saying any attempts might harm the flamingo and other wildlife

Linda is observant, social, and aware of new sights and sounds.

Meet Linda the Ostrich, the National Zoo's Newest Animal Ambassador

The large feathery friend is four years old and arrived at the Zoo in November 2021

Though current variants don't appear to jump from deer to humans, monitoring how the virus spreads through deer populations could be critical for public health.

Discovery of Omicron in New York Deer Raises Concern Over Possible New Variants

White-tailed deer could become a reservoir for Covid-19, putting people and animals at risk

This is the first chick fostered by same-sex penguin parents at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, New York.

Meet Elmer and Lima, a Same-Sex Penguin Couple Fostering a Chick at a Syracuse Zoo

The two male birds are 'exemplary' parents, says the zoo’s director

The elite used the highly-prized, donkey-like creatures for travel and warfare.

This Ancient Wild Ass Was the Earliest Known Animal Hybrid Bred by Humans

Called a kunga, the donkey-like creature may have been considered a status symbol about 4,500 years ago

Betty White poses with a parrot at the Los Angeles Zoo in 2014.

Good News

Animal Shelters See an Influx of Donations in Honor of Betty White

Fans donated thousands of dollars to local animal shelters on what would have been her 100th birthday

Danish scientist Kristine Bohmann collects air samples in the Copenhagen Zoo’s tropical rainforest house.

Planet Positive

Scientists Pull Animal DNA Out of Thin Air

The new method, tested at two zoos, could revolutionize the study of biodiversity in the wild

One reader wonders what graffiti was like before spray paint.

Ask Smithsonian

What Did Graffiti Look Like Before Spray Paint and More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts.

In captivity under human care, a polar bear's life expectancy is about 23 years, per AP. Polar bears rarely live past 30 years old in the wild, with most adult bears dying before they reach 25.

North America's Oldest Polar Bear Living in Captivity Dies at 36 Years Old

Snow Lilly, who died at age 36, resided at the Milwaukee County Zoo for almost 16 years after arriving there in 2005

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for captive apes.

Ask Smithsonian

How Do Gorillas Get Heart Disease? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions. We've got experts

Only two of 18 eggs have hatched so far. Congrats to the gator parents, Snowflake and Blizzard!

Rare Albino Alligators Hatch at Florida Zoo

The pair of white and pink hatchlings lack their species' usual dark coloration

From the air samples, the research team was able to identify 17 species of animals that lived within the zoo enclosures or roamed around it, such as deer and hedgehogs. Pictured here is a binturong (Arctictis binturong) and was one of the mammals detected using this method.

Researchers Vacuum DNA From the Air to See What Animals Are Near

The method may help scientists survey animals in various ecosystems to inform conservation efforts

Coral reef health is an important indicator of the ocean’s well-being. Scientists can study corals to learn more about how climate change is affecting the oceans.

Smithsonian Voices

DNA Makes Waves in the Fight to Save Coral Reefs

This emerging technique could help scientists understand and anticipate the threats coral reefs face

Panamanian golden frogs—such as F1, seen here—are native to the rainforests and cloud forests of Panama but haven't been seen in the wild since 2009. Each creature's bright coloration warns predators of its deadly skin, which contains enough toxins to kill 1,200 mice.

Panama

A Small Band of Panamanian Golden Frogs Is Saving Their Species From Oblivion

Victims of a deadly fungus, the amphibians are now being selectively bred through a program at the Smithsonian's National Zoo

In planning to re-open, Zoo staff have spent several weeks consulting scientific experts and preparing rigorous healthcare guidelines.

The National Zoo Will Reopen to the Public on July 24

Two bison, an Andean bear and a baby wallaby are among the new animals ready to welcome visitors back

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