Zoology

Izzy photographed with the two infants on her back on Friday, June 30.

National Zoo Reports Death of Infant Golden Lion Tamarin

The golden lion tamarin and its sibling were born on Friday, marking the first births of tamarins for the Zoo in a decade

Don't be fooled by this roly-poly furball. These mischevious creatures need constant attention and round-the-clock care.

Why Photographing Pandas Is More Challenging Than You Might Think

Photojournalist Ami Vitale describes her years of work capturing the lovable furballs

Curasub commissioner/owner Adriaan Schrier and lead DROP scientist Carole Baldwin aboard the custom-built submersible.

How a Team of Submersible-Bound Scientists Redefined Reef Ecosystems

In tropical Curaçao, Smithsonian researchers are constantly confronting the unknown

Ali the Aardvark gets cozy as baby Winsol nurses at the Cincinnati Zoo. Ali is one of hundreds of animals whose milk samples are sent to the Smithsonian National Zoo’s milk repository for scientific research.

What Aardvark Milk Reveals about the Evolution of Lactation

Samples from the Smithsonian National Zoo’s Exotic Animal Milk Repository help scientists study the unifying trait of all mammals

An African lion enjoying an afternoon snack in the falling snow of 2012 at the National Zoo.

How Zoo Animals Stay Safe and Warm in the Arctic Blast

From flamingo 'hot tubs' to heated termite mounds, zoos have plenty of tricks to keep creatures safe when the forecast freezes over

A European bison, also referred to as a wisent

A Wild Bison Was Spotted in Germany for the First Time in Two Centuries. Then It Was Shot

As conservationists work to restore the once mighty European bison, they must face misunderstandings from concerned citizens

Taken in 1938, this image captures one of the once abundant Javan tigers. Hunting drove the big cats to extinction.

Long Thought Extinct, Javan Tiger May Have Been Spotted in Indonesia

Last sighted in 1976, many are hopeful that the Javan tiger still lives

Using their elongated necks just right, giraffes can stay cool on the steamy savannah

How Do Giraffes Stay So Cool? Perhaps the Secret Is a Long Neck

Those long, thin necks may be used to shade their skin from the hot African Sun

It's too early to know the sexes of the baby armadillos, but one thing is clear: they're darling.

Once You See These Brand New "Screaming Armadillo" Pups, You'll Be Screaming Too

No armor is impervious to this cuteness now at the National Zoo

The fossil was found to actually comprise bones of three living penguin species, including the Snares crested penguin.

This 'Extinct' Penguin Likely Never Existed in the First Place

DNA analysis helps untangle the species behind a jumble of bone fragments

Jenks' mice, preserved at Harvard in alcohol in a 12-inch tall glass jar, are each tagged with critical information.

A Scholar Follows a Trail of Dead Mice and Discovers a Lesson in Why Museum Collections Matter

A former Smithsonian curator authors a new book, <i>Inside the Lost Museum</i>

The cheetah population almost halved since 1975 with only an estimated 7,100 left in the wild today.

How to Help Cheetahs Live Longer in Captivity

The key is in what we feed them, researchers surmise

Adorable New Tiger Cub Born at the Zoo Yips at Its Mom on Video

The new Sumatran tiger cub signals a success in efforts to save the critically endangered species

A painting depicting a tribute giraffe and a handler sent to China in the 15th century.

The Peculiar Story of Giraffes in 1400s China

During China's short-lived golden age of exploration, two giraffes came to the imperial court

I can haz a sense of inequity?

Wolves and Dogs Both Have a Sense of Fairness

But wolves seem to take inequity much more seriously than dogs

The newly born red wolf pups

Endangered Red Wolf Pups Born in Durham

The six puppies are the first born at Museum of Life and Science in 15 years, part of a program to save the wolves which only number about 300

The goldfish in question, decked out in his customized wheelchair.

Don’t Get Too Excited About That Viral Goldfish “Wheelchair”

The contraption, though surely built with the best intentions, may do more harm than good.

Researchers Find the First Naturally Fluorescent Frog Species

The polka-dot tree frog emits a blue-green glow under UV light, which is an unusual feature for land-dwelling critters

Think human dating is hard? Try being a panda.

Why Panda Sex Isn't Black and White

Reproductive experts weigh in on panda porn, panda Viagra and other biological myths

Like most innovations in science, the study of whale earwax—a.k.a. earplugs—as oceanic core samples came about by asking a question no one had thought to ask.

For Scientists, Chunks of Whale Earwax Can Be Biological Treasure Troves

Biologists are waxing poetic about these unusual oceanic core samples found in the ears of cetaceans

Page 5 of 10