Zoo-Lover-1-2-3
Well-Known Member
Has this been mentioned yet that a new Amur tiger named Vostok (or something similar) has joined the zoos big cat collection. Pretty sure hes around two years old.
Smithsonian National Zoo Smithsonian National Zoo News 2025
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Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
Zoo-Lover-1-2-3
Well-Known Member
oh, sorry!
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
1.0 Gray Seal "Gunther" died January 18th aged 33 years.
Elderly Gray Seal Dies at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Elderly Gray Seal Dies at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Death of male Komodo dragon:
Elderly Komodo Dragon Dies at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Reptile Discovery Center staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s (NZCBI) campus in Washington, D.C., are mourning the loss of Murphy, a 26-year-old male Komodo dragon who died Dec. 23, 2024.
Murphy hatched at Zoo Miami in Florida in October 1998 and came to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in July 1999 when he was around 9 months old.
Because Murphy’s parents and siblings’ genes were well-represented in the North American population, he did not participate in the breeding program.
Elderly Komodo Dragon Dies at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Reptile Discovery Center staff at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute’s (NZCBI) campus in Washington, D.C., are mourning the loss of Murphy, a 26-year-old male Komodo dragon who died Dec. 23, 2024.
Murphy hatched at Zoo Miami in Florida in October 1998 and came to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in July 1999 when he was around 9 months old.
Because Murphy’s parents and siblings’ genes were well-represented in the North American population, he did not participate in the breeding program.
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
Five maned wolf pups were born at the Conservation Biology Institute in December in three litters, though only three total pups survived.
Maned Wolf Program at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Celebrates Birth of Three Pups
Maned Wolf Program at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute Celebrates Birth of Three Pups
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
Sorry I meant to include that all three surviving pups are female and there were two litters, not three.
The other day I was able to go to the zoo and I was lucky because not only did I go specifically to see and film the pandas I got to see so many other species active. I got there right after they opened the panda habitat at 9am. The day I went they were scanning tickets inside the visitor's center.
First I went to the new panda habitat. I was able to see both Qing Bao and Bao Li. I got super lucky to be there when I did because Qing Bao put on a show running in the snow, rolling around, playing with her bamboo, climbing and sliding down the slope of her exhibit. As an added plus she climbed the trees in her exhibit twice and I captured it all in 4K! Bao Li was in the yard on the right side. He was pacing around but then the keeprs came by where he did a checkup and later I saw them both in the Panda House. I'm not a Panda fan although I know others that are really into them. Still I now understand the "Pandamonium" and can see why so many people like them so much. I like the sloth Bears a lot more but thats just me.
Next I saw the elephants and I finally got to see Spike indoors! He was just pacing around and he has so many habits like Dalip used to have! I was able to chat with one of his keepers and he said that Spike's measures an inch or two below 10 feet and weighs 13,000 lbs. The keeper said that they are freezing his sperm to preserve it for future AI if they choose. I really hope he does have offspring because of his genetic line's unique prehistoric appearing phenotype.
Later once the weather warmed up they opened up the doors and let them outside and Spike was let out to the bull yard where Happy the hippo's exhibit used to be. He was fed some grain and the keeper answered Q&A's. Spike is at the top in terms of best behaved bulls. The keeper said that Indy at Dickerson Park Zoo is at the bottom with him having been known to manipulate settings around the elephant exhibit to try to hurt keepers and staff. It was so cool that I was having such great luck getting great footage but the day wasn't over yet!
I noticed that the renovations to the Africa Trail have really come along and now the area looks just like a empty hill with no vegetation with just the old barns being seen. I really hope that they go all out with the new version and pay homage to the zoo's history like perhaps theming it to animals Theodore Roosevelt brought back from his African collecting Safari. You could have species like African Buffalo, Grevy's Zebra, Nile Hippos or Black Rhinos with other species such as some of the originals like Grevy's Zebras, Dama Gazelles, Scimitar Horned Oryx, Cheetahs and more. Birds that could be integrated could be Ruppel's Vultures, Marabou Storks, Crowned Cranes, Blue Bellied Rollers etc. I hope when finished it will be worth the wait.
Then I went down to Great Cats where I was lucky to see the two male lions active and pacing around. Both of them were roaring and the acoustics their roars produced were amazing!!!
My last surprise was seeing the zoo's newest Amur Tiger Vostok (originally from Minnesota Zoo) swimming in his moat. I was surprised that tigers enjoy swimming in the cold. The keepers said the temperature of the water was about 50 degrees. They also said he has the potential to become a really big tiger. He's now 375 lbs and has a lot more growing to do. I look forward to seeing him grow up and be paired up with a female for the SSP.
Lastly I checked out amazonia to see if the Spoonbills were feeling active. They weren't but I did get to see that their taxidermy Jaguar was ready for Valentine's Day!
First I went to the new panda habitat. I was able to see both Qing Bao and Bao Li. I got super lucky to be there when I did because Qing Bao put on a show running in the snow, rolling around, playing with her bamboo, climbing and sliding down the slope of her exhibit. As an added plus she climbed the trees in her exhibit twice and I captured it all in 4K! Bao Li was in the yard on the right side. He was pacing around but then the keeprs came by where he did a checkup and later I saw them both in the Panda House. I'm not a Panda fan although I know others that are really into them. Still I now understand the "Pandamonium" and can see why so many people like them so much. I like the sloth Bears a lot more but thats just me.
Next I saw the elephants and I finally got to see Spike indoors! He was just pacing around and he has so many habits like Dalip used to have! I was able to chat with one of his keepers and he said that Spike's measures an inch or two below 10 feet and weighs 13,000 lbs. The keeper said that they are freezing his sperm to preserve it for future AI if they choose. I really hope he does have offspring because of his genetic line's unique prehistoric appearing phenotype.
Later once the weather warmed up they opened up the doors and let them outside and Spike was let out to the bull yard where Happy the hippo's exhibit used to be. He was fed some grain and the keeper answered Q&A's. Spike is at the top in terms of best behaved bulls. The keeper said that Indy at Dickerson Park Zoo is at the bottom with him having been known to manipulate settings around the elephant exhibit to try to hurt keepers and staff. It was so cool that I was having such great luck getting great footage but the day wasn't over yet!
I noticed that the renovations to the Africa Trail have really come along and now the area looks just like a empty hill with no vegetation with just the old barns being seen. I really hope that they go all out with the new version and pay homage to the zoo's history like perhaps theming it to animals Theodore Roosevelt brought back from his African collecting Safari. You could have species like African Buffalo, Grevy's Zebra, Nile Hippos or Black Rhinos with other species such as some of the originals like Grevy's Zebras, Dama Gazelles, Scimitar Horned Oryx, Cheetahs and more. Birds that could be integrated could be Ruppel's Vultures, Marabou Storks, Crowned Cranes, Blue Bellied Rollers etc. I hope when finished it will be worth the wait.
Then I went down to Great Cats where I was lucky to see the two male lions active and pacing around. Both of them were roaring and the acoustics their roars produced were amazing!!!
My last surprise was seeing the zoo's newest Amur Tiger Vostok (originally from Minnesota Zoo) swimming in his moat. I was surprised that tigers enjoy swimming in the cold. The keepers said the temperature of the water was about 50 degrees. They also said he has the potential to become a really big tiger. He's now 375 lbs and has a lot more growing to do. I look forward to seeing him grow up and be paired up with a female for the SSP.
Lastly I checked out amazonia to see if the Spoonbills were feeling active. They weren't but I did get to see that their taxidermy Jaguar was ready for Valentine's Day!
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TheGytrash
Well-Known Member
I love this! I'm curious about what's unique/prehistoric about Spike's appearance. He is my default mental image for a bull Asian elephant because National Zoo and Maryland Zoo are my home zoos and Maryland only has African elephants.
Did you happen to see the Andean bears on your visit, or were they inside? I have to admit that Andean bears are my favorite bears at the National Zoo, though I think they might be the least popular since their exhibit is so tucked away. (I'm almost surprised the zoo didn't do anything with them to promote the new Paddington in Peru movie, since Paddington is an Andean bear.)
Did you happen to see the Andean bears on your visit, or were they inside? I have to admit that Andean bears are my favorite bears at the National Zoo, though I think they might be the least popular since their exhibit is so tucked away. (I'm almost surprised the zoo didn't do anything with them to promote the new Paddington in Peru movie, since Paddington is an Andean bear.)
[QUOTE="TheGytrash, post: 1607791, member: 20034"I'm curious about what's unique/prehistoric about Spike's appearance. [/QUOTE]
Both Spike and his late dad Dalip have/had a more mammoth like appearance with their long front legs and shorter back legs. Perhaps its just a strong genetic dominance for long front legs or short back legs in the family line, but its definitely a unique characteristic thats not often seen in other bulls especially in the US.
Dalip & Columbian Mammoth comparisons:
Both Spike and his late dad Dalip have/had a more mammoth like appearance with their long front legs and shorter back legs. Perhaps its just a strong genetic dominance for long front legs or short back legs in the family line, but its definitely a unique characteristic thats not often seen in other bulls especially in the US.
Dalip & Columbian Mammoth comparisons:
Chess
Member
Raptor
New Member
Well, I remember there's an exhibit next to Lemur Island that housed a giant anteater and later some maras afterwards. Does that count?
Chess
Member
omg thanks, I only have a very foggy memory of it
TheGytrash
Well-Known Member
Maras are still there by lemur island, but their exhibit used to have giant anteaters.
the new carnivore exhibits are right by the lions/tigers and think tank.
the new carnivore exhibits are right by the lions/tigers and think tank.
March 2025 Updates:
- Two bat eared foxes are on exhibit.
- Canada lynx exhibit is viewable, but no inhabitant yet.
- There was a juvenile bald eagle in the former raven exhibit. The original bald eagle exhibit pathway is blocked off.
- I added photos of the bat eared fox and Canada lynx exhibits in this zoo's media page.
Antimony96
Well-Known Member
Trump executive order on Smithsonian targets funding for programs with 'improper ideology'
Unfortunately the National Zoo will be in the crosshairs of current government goings-on. My assumption is that the "improper ideology" within the context of the zoo will be its acknowledgement of climate change as a threat to ecosystems.
Unfortunately the National Zoo will be in the crosshairs of current government goings-on. My assumption is that the "improper ideology" within the context of the zoo will be its acknowledgement of climate change as a threat to ecosystems.
Where's their patriotism? The zoo should have trumpeters and trumpeter swans