A ring-tailed lemur exploring an Easter-themed enrichment bag.

Coming Soon: Easter Monday

Join us for a wild and egg-citing celebration at the Smithsonian National Zoo's Easter Monday event on April 1st! 

New at the Zoo: VR Safari

Come face-to-face with wildlife in a stunning live-action virtual reality safari! Enter the world of the wild and see elephants, leopards and gorillas in their native habitats from the safety of your VR Transporter. 

Learn More

LATEST NEWS

March 26, 2024

Focus on the Future: Sean Lyons

For graduate fellow Sean Lyons, "getting to the root of it all" was always his focus. So, it comes as no surprise that he wound up working with the root...

March 25, 2024

Ducks of Our Lives

Breeding season at the Bird House can create some spectacular behavior among the Zoo’s raucous flock of ducks.

March 18, 2024

I'll Have What Mom's Having

At 10 months old, western lowland gorilla Zahra is healthy, feisty and eager to try new things. Get the latest update from Primates keeper Lynne McMahan.

March 07, 2024

The Hidden Life of Vernal Pools

Spring has arrived, and vernal pools are surging with life. Learn what makes these temporary wetlands ideal for wood frogs, spotted salamanders and other woodland species.

February 29, 2024

Meet Our Addax Calf

Three’s company, too! The morning of Jan. 26, Africa Trail staff reported for duty and discovered a female addax calf.

February 28, 2024

Focus on the Future: James Mouton

For ornithologist James Mouton, his "clear-cut" scientific career took a detour when he chose to join the military. But his non-traditional path shows there's more than one way to conserve...

February 21, 2024

Restoring Scimitar-horned Oryx

Twenty-three years after being declared “extinct in the wild”, the scimitar-horned oryx has made a remarkable comeback. Smithsonian ecologist Katherine Mertes shares how the species reached the turning point.

February 18, 2024

Meet Our Ruddy Quail Dove Squab

Our Bird House team is celebrating the arrival of a ruddy quail dove squab—the first of its species to hatch at the Zoo!

Live Streaming Webcams

See cheetahs, elephants, lions and naked mole-rats on animal cams streaming live, 24/7 from the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.