Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute We are a leader in animal care, science, education, & sustainability. Welcome to our page!

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er users with respect. The Smithsonian also monitors and may remove posts consistent with its terms of use, as described at http://si.edu/Termsofuse -gen. The Smithsonian may archive materials posted on this website pursuant to its document retention policies. By posting content, you are giving the Smithsonian and those authorized by the Smithsonian permission to use or modify it for any educational, promotional, or other standard museum purpose, in media of all kinds whether now known or later developed.

Sweet support for giant pandas! The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute teamed up with M&M'S U...
01/24/2025

Sweet support for giant pandas! The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute teamed up with M&M'S USA, proudly part of Mars, to bring you limited edition giant panda M&M’S to celebrate the public debut of Qing Bao and Bao Li.

The 10 oz. sharing size bags can be purchased in the Zoo’s gift shops and online at https://s.si.edu/4grFqD7.

All proceeds from the limited-edition panda packs sold by the Smithsonian benefit the Zoo’s giant panda conservation program. For every limited-edition panda pack sold on https://s.si.edu/3EkPakQ, Mars will donate $5 to the Zoo’s giant panda conservation program.

01/24/2025

Take a 🐾 paws 🐾 from scrolling and say hello to the Zoo’s giant pandas! Tune in to the Giant Panda Cam to view Bao Li and Qing Bao between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST. Overnight, the cam will replay the broadcast from the day, so viewers around the world can watch the bears at their most active times. The Giant Panda Cam is made possible by the support of The Boeing Company. Tune in https://s.si.edu/40eBJIY

The wait is OVER: the giant pandas have officially made their public debut at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conserv...
01/24/2025

The wait is OVER: the giant pandas have officially made their public debut at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute in Washington, D.C.!

Ready to see Bao Li and Qing Bao in person? Reserve your free entry pass online at https://s.si.edu/3Fb8rTy. No additional passes are required to see the pandas!

We are sad to share that Kyle, a Bornean orangutan and beloved ambassador for his critically endangered species, passed ...
01/22/2025

We are sad to share that Kyle, a Bornean orangutan and beloved ambassador for his critically endangered species, passed away Jan. 10 from chronic respiratory disease. He was 28 years old. Although male orangutans do not take on parental duties, Kyle was one of his son Redd’s best playmates and served as a great adult male role model. LEARN MORE: https://s.si.edu/4g6iUiJ. . .
The primate team fondly remembers Kyle as a kind and gentle individual. While he has been in the Zoo’s care over the past 21 years, they watched him mature from a gangly juvenile to an adult with impressive cheek pads and boisterous displays and calls that echoed throughout the Great Ape House and Think Tank habitats. . .
Kyle contributed greatly to the community of orangutan caretakers’ knowledge of Bornean orangutans by voluntarily participating in the Zoo’s positive reinforcement training program. From the behaviors Kyle was trained to do, keepers were able to collect blood pressure readings, ECG readings and awake radiographs. Our Zoo community misses him dearly.

🐼 Take a ride on the wild side! 🚇 As Washington, D.C. gets ready to meet the city’s newest cele-bear-ities, Metro Forwar...
01/22/2025

🐼 Take a ride on the wild side! 🚇 As Washington, D.C. gets ready to meet the city’s newest cele-bear-ities, Metro Forward launched a limited-edition giant panda farecard. Get your paws 🐾 on this collectible card at the Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, Metro Center and L’Enfant Plaza stations. Learn more: https://wmata.com/. . .
Getting to the Zoo via public transportation is easy! Visitors can ride the metro to either the Woodley Park or Cleveland Park metro stops, or ride Metro Bus L2. . .

🌎🫶 While it’s true that waterfowl and wetland habitats face threats, the good news is we can take action to help our fea...
01/17/2025

🌎🫶 While it’s true that waterfowl and wetland habitats face threats, the good news is we can take action to help our feathered friends thrive! Flock this way 🦆🦆🦆 and follow these tips to live bird-friendly! . .
🚮🎣 Help preserve the wetland habitats where waterfowl live and raise their chicks. Keep wetlands clean by properly disposing of trash and fishing line. . .
🦟 🍎 Be mindful of the chemicals you use around your home, including pesticides, insecticides and fertilizers. These chemicals can runoff into local waterways and inadvertently make waterfowl and the animals they eat ill. You can also help by buying organic foods, which are grown without artificial chemicals. . .
❤️🦆 Even small changes can make your home and lifestyle better for birds—and our planet! Learn more about what you can do to help birds here: https://s.si.edu/48K9MNl. . .
. .
Photo description: The Zoo's Bird House is home to many species of ducks, including redheads, wood ducks, northern pintails, canvasbacks, gadwalls, blue-winged teals, ruddy ducks, hooded mergansers and more!

💧🌾 Looking for ducks in the Bird House? The Prairie Pothole aviary is the place to be! This immersive exhibit mimics wet...
01/17/2025

💧🌾 Looking for ducks in the Bird House? The Prairie Pothole aviary is the place to be! This immersive exhibit mimics wetlands in the upper Midwest, where snowmelt and seasonal rains create habitat that is abundant with food and grasses that safely conceal nests. Although this habitat is among North America’s most threatened ecosystems, waterfowl populations have rebounded thanks to dedicated conservation efforts. . .
🦆🐣Our animal care team is giving waterfowl a boost by breeding them. Last summer, they welcomed darling ducklings, including canvasbacks, American wigeons, redheads, wood ducks, ruddy ducks, northern pintails and white-cheeked pintails! Meet some of them in this update from the Bird House team. ✏️STORY: https://s.si.edu/4fRBlsA. . .
🐼 The Bird House is currently closed while our new giant panda pair acclimates to their habitat on Asia Trail. We will quack 🦆 open the doors once Bao Li and Qing Bao have make their public debut Jan. 24. . .

💚🦆 Duck, duck, hooray—it’s the *first ever* World Waterfowl Day! 🥳 Why celebrate waterfowl? Well, apart from being downr...
01/17/2025

💚🦆 Duck, duck, hooray—it’s the *first ever* World Waterfowl Day! 🥳 Why celebrate waterfowl? Well, apart from being downright adorable, ducks play an essential role in our environment. From eating invasive plants and insects to fertilizing farmers’ crops with their nutrient-rich f***s 💩, ducks help keep our wetlands healthy. . .
🥬🫛 Want to feed wild ducks? Give them greens—like lettuce, peas and green beans—or specially formulated pellets to ensure a nutritious meal. And, stay away from processed foods like bread ❌🍞, which has little-to-no nutritional value and is difficult for ducks to digest. . .
🌊💦 Once the Bird House reopens Jan. 24 (post-panda debut 🐼🐼), fly into the Prairie Pothole aviary for a feeding demo with our dabbling and diving ducks! Kindly note that our ducks enjoy a daily diet, and only keepers are permitted to feed them. Thanks in advance for helping us keep our animals healthy! . .
. .
Photo description: At the Zoo's Bird House, visitors can see buffleheads, black-bellied whistling ducks, redheads, canvasbacks, ruddy ducks and many more!

01/15/2025

📽️🐼 From births and first steps to munching bamboo and playtime in the snow, the Giant Panda Cam has given panda fans around the world a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the bears that call the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute home. . .
In this week’s episode of “Prepping for Pandas,” Zoo Director Brandie Smith reflects on Giant Panda Cam moments that sparked pure panda joy, broke the internet and connected virtual viewers with nature. The Cam returns Jan. 24, just in time for Bao Li and Qing Bao’s public debut. Whether you’re planning to visit them in person or watch them online, we’re so excited for you to meet the ! . .
🐾 PLAN YOUR VISIT: nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas.

01/10/2025

If they fit, they sit! Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao recently tested out tubs in their indoor habitats. 🐼🟢 Bao Li sat in the panda-sized space with his favorite green ball before he rolled onto his back and balanced it on his paws. 🐼🟠 Qing Bao climbed in and out of the tub, then took her orange ball for a short stroll. The Giant Panda Cam captured these 🐾paw-sitively adorable moments. It returns Jan. 24, just in time for Bao Li and Qing Bao’s public debut! . .
Follow for updates. 🎟️ FREE ENTRY PASSES: nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas.

🌨️ Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! 🌨️ Thank you to our keepers and photographers at the National Zoo and the Fron...
01/07/2025

🌨️ Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! 🌨️ Thank you to our keepers and photographers at the National Zoo and the Front Royal, Virginia campus who snapped many wonderful photos of animals out and about in the snow.

01/07/2025

☃️ Monday's wintry weather brought snow much fun to the Zoo!❄️

While Amur tiger Metis, scimitar-horned oryxes and red panda Asa chilled out in the snow, other animals like Asian elephant Maharani, giant panda Bao Li and North American otters Emmett and Potomac played and wrestled among the drifts.

Creative keepers even provided cool enrichment opportunities for indoor animals like Virginia opossum Basil, the guinea pigs, dwarf mongoose Lilo, the meerkat mob, skunk Sauerkraut, bettong Truffle and prehensile-tailed porcupine Quillbur.

Due to the inclement weather, Smithsonian museums in the Washington, DC, area and the National Zoo are closed on Tuesday...
01/07/2025

Due to the inclement weather, Smithsonian museums in the Washington, DC, area and the National Zoo are closed on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Stay safe!

❄️ Photo: Giant panda Bao Li eats bamboo in his snow-covered outdoor habitat on Jan. 6, 2025.

01/06/2025

❄️🐼 Tumbling in a winter wonderland! This morning, about 5 inches of snow blanketed the Washington, D.C., area, including giant panda Bao Li and Qing Bao's outdoor habitats. Flakes stuck to their fur as the bears frolicked and somersaulted. It was 🐾paws-itively the panda *snowment* of our dreams! . .
The bear pair will make their public debut at the Smithsonian on Friday, Jan. 24. Follow for updates. ✏️LEARN MORE: nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas.

Due to the inclement weather, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is closed Monday, Jan. 6. ❄️ Photo: Bao Li in his outdoor y...
01/06/2025

Due to the inclement weather, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is closed Monday, Jan. 6. ❄️ Photo: Bao Li in his outdoor yard munching a carrot during the Nov. 22 snowfall. Paws-crossed for panda snowments Jan. 6. Follow . Smithsonian

01/03/2025

🐼🌳 Qing Bao is putting her climbing skills to the test in the treetop! From trees and wooden structures to rockwork and hammocks, there’s no shortage of interesting places for our giant pandas to explore. Providing Qing Bao and Bao Li with an outlet to exercise their natural climbing behaviors is one way our team helps the bear pair settle into their new home. . .
🐾 Follow for updates, and meet Qing Bao and Bao Li when they make their giant debut Jan. 24, 2025. nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas.

01/01/2025

🎉🐼 New year, new pandas! In just 24 days, Bao Li and Qing Bao will make their GIANT debut at the Smithsonian, and we’re thrilled for you to meet them. Can you guess which panda has a sassy side, and which enjoys head scritches? Let us know if you guessed correctly in the comments! 👇 . .
In this week’s episode of “Prepping for Pandas,” head into the bears’ habitat with assistant curator Laurie Thompson and keeper Mariel Lally. Get to know the pandas’ personalities and watch them learn behaviors that enable them to voluntarily participate in their own healthcare. . .
🐾 PLAN YOUR VISIT: nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas. Smithsonian

12/30/2024

✨🐘✨ Let it glow, let it glow, let it glow—join us for ZooLights! More than a million colorful lights and larger-than-life animal lanterns transform the Zoo into a *wild* winter wonderland. Take a spin on the conservation carousel, revel in yuletide carols, and enjoy a tasty treat (or two)! ZooLights is the purr-fect 🦁 way to make your holidays merry and bright! Open select nights Nov. 22 – Jan. 4; tickets are $6 for all ages 2 and up.🎄🎟️ GET TIX: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/events/zoolights. is generously sponsored by PepcoConnect

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Videos

Take a 🐾 paws 🐾 from scrolling and say hello to the Zoo’s giant pandas! Tune in to the Giant Panda Cam to view Bao Li and Qing Bao between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. EST. Overnight, the cam will replay the broadcast from the day, so viewers around the world can watch the bears at their most active times. The Giant Panda Cam is made possible by the support of The Boeing Company. Tune in https://s.si.edu/40eBJIY #DCPandas

Prepping for Pandas: The Panda Connection
Prepping for Pandas: The Panda Connection

📽️🐼 From births and first steps to munching bamboo and playtime in the snow, the Giant Panda Cam has given panda fans around the world a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the bears that call the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute home. . . . In this week’s episode of “Prepping for Pandas,” Zoo Director Brandie Smith reflects on Giant Panda Cam moments that sparked pure panda joy, broke the internet and connected virtual viewers with nature. The Cam returns Jan. 24, just in time for Bao Li and Qing Bao’s public debut. Whether you’re planning to visit them in person or watch them online, we’re so excited for you to meet the #DCPandas! . . . 🐾 PLAN YOUR VISIT: nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas.

#DCPandas: Bao Li and Qing Bao in a Tub
#DCPandas: Bao Li and Qing Bao in a Tub

If they fit, they sit! Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao recently tested out tubs in their indoor habitats. 🐼🟢 Bao Li sat in the panda-sized space with his favorite green ball before he rolled onto his back and balanced it on his paws. 🐼🟠 Qing Bao climbed in and out of the tub, then took her orange ball for a short stroll. The Giant Panda Cam captured these 🐾paw-sitively adorable moments. It returns Jan. 24, just in time for Bao Li and Qing Bao’s public debut! . . . Follow #DCPandas for updates. 🎟️ FREE ENTRY PASSES: nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas.

☃️ Monday's wintry weather brought snow much fun to the Zoo!❄️ While Amur tiger Metis, scimitar-horned oryxes and red panda Asa chilled out in the snow, other animals like Asian elephant Maharani, giant panda Bao Li and North American otters Emmett and Potomac played and wrestled among the drifts. Creative keepers even provided cool enrichment opportunities for indoor animals like Virginia opossum Basil, the guinea pigs, dwarf mongoose Lilo, the meerkat mob, skunk Sauerkraut, bettong Truffle and prehensile-tailed porcupine Quillbur.

Jan. 6, 2025: Giant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao Play In The Snow
Jan. 6, 2025: Giant Pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao Play In The Snow

❄️🐼 Tumbling in a winter wonderland! This morning, about 5 inches of snow blanketed the Washington, D.C., area, including giant panda Bao Li and Qing Bao's outdoor habitats. Flakes stuck to their fur as the bears frolicked and somersaulted. It was 🐾paws-itively the panda *snowment* of our dreams! . . . The bear pair will make their public debut at the Smithsonian on Friday, Jan. 24. Follow #DCPandas for updates. ✏️LEARN MORE: nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas.

#DCPandas: Qing Bao Climbs A Tree
#DCPandas: Qing Bao Climbs A Tree

🐼🌳 Qing Bao is putting her climbing skills to the test in the treetop! From trees and wooden structures to rockwork and hammocks, there’s no shortage of interesting places for our giant pandas to explore. Providing Qing Bao and Bao Li with an outlet to exercise their natural climbing behaviors is one way our team helps the bear pair settle into their new home. . . . 🐾 Follow #DCPandas for updates, and meet Qing Bao and Bao Li when they make their giant debut Jan. 24, 2025. nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas.

Prepping for Pandas: Bear Pair Care
Prepping for Pandas: Bear Pair Care

🎉🐼 New year, new pandas! In just 24 days, #DCPandas Bao Li and Qing Bao will make their GIANT debut at the Smithsonian, and we’re thrilled for you to meet them. Can you guess which panda has a sassy side, and which enjoys head scritches? Let us know if you guessed correctly in the comments! 👇 . . . In this week’s episode of “Prepping for Pandas,” head into the bears’ habitat with assistant curator Laurie Thompson and keeper Mariel Lally. Get to know the pandas’ personalities and watch them learn behaviors that enable them to voluntarily participate in their own healthcare. . . . 🐾 PLAN YOUR VISIT: nationalzoo.si.edu/dcpandas. Smithsonian

ZooLights
ZooLights

✨🐘✨ Let it glow, let it glow, let it glow—join us for ZooLights! More than a million colorful lights and larger-than-life animal lanterns transform the Zoo into a *wild* winter wonderland. Take a spin on the conservation carousel, revel in yuletide carols, and enjoy a tasty treat (or two)! ZooLights is the purr-fect 🦁 way to make your holidays merry and bright! Open select nights Nov. 22 – Jan. 4; tickets are $6 for all ages 2 and up.🎄🎟️ GET TIX: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/events/zoolights. #DCZooLights is generously sponsored by PepcoConnect

ZooLights
ZooLights

✨🦩✨ Flock to ZooLights for an evening of enchantment and entertainment! See nature in a whole new light as you marvel at larger-than-life animal lanterns, walk among a million colorful lights and bop to cheerful carols that are sure to get you in the holiday spirit. Open select nights now through Jan. 4; tickets are $6 for all ages 2 and up. 🎄🎟️ GET TIX: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/events/zoolights. #DCZooLights is generously sponsored by PepcoConnect

#DCPandas: A Merry Moment With Bao Li and Qing Bao
#DCPandas: A Merry Moment With Bao Li and Qing Bao

🐼🎁🐼 Our gift to you: have yourself a merry little moment with giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao. Happy holidays from our wild family to yours! . . . 🐾 Follow #DCPandas for updates, and meet our pandas when they make their giant debut Jan. 24, 2025. LEARN MORE: https://s.si.edu/3OT0lU4.

#DCPandas: Enrichment with Giant Panda Bao Li
#DCPandas: Enrichment with Giant Panda Bao Li

🐼 💕 What alluring aroma has Bao Li so excited? Decaying wood! Giant pandas enjoy playing in felled logs, and this one in Bao Li’s outdoor habitat gives him an opportunity to exercise this natural behavior. If giant pandas really like a scent, they will rub it all over themselves—a behavior called “scent-anointing.” . . . 🐾 Follow #DCPandas for updates, and meet our pandas when they make their giant debut Jan. 24, 2025. LEARN MORE: https://s.si.edu/3OT0lU4.

✨🐘✨ Let it glow, let it glow, let it glow—join us for ZooLights! More than a million colorful lights and larger-than-life animal lanterns transform the Zoo into a *wild* winter wonderland. Take a spin on the conservation carousel, revel in yuletide carols, and enjoy a tasty treat (or two)! ZooLights is the purr-fect 🦁 way to make your holidays merry and bright! Open select nights Nov. 22 – Jan. 4; tickets are $6 for all ages 2 and up.🎄🎟️ GET TIX: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/events/zoolights. #DCZooLights is generously sponsored by PepcoConnect.

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