Smithsonian National Zoo Smithsonian National Zoo News 2025

DavidBrown said:
What is the status of the Arabian leopard project? Is that still planned to happen?

Can we assume that a new giraffe exhibit is never going to happen?
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As mentioned a few times in the past, curators have been quoted in regards to any giraffes as, "not a realistic goal within our lifetimes." Which seems hyperbolic, but goes to show the heavy lift involved to make use of Parking Lot A as a reasonable giraffe exhibit.
 
Was at the zoo the other day and have great news!
I talked with one of the keepers who happened to know what the master plan for the new Africa Trail will be and revealed that the original lineup is returning in 2027:

Ruppell’s Griffon Vultures
Abyssinian Ground Hornbills
Red River Hogs
Cheetahs
Scimitar Horned Oryx’s
Lesser Kudus
Sitatungas
Grevy’s Zebras

The keeper said that the habitats will be transformed with mesh lined enclosures so viewers will be able to view them closer at ground level. I’m excited!!!
 
Sarus Crane said:
Was at the zoo the other day and have great news!
I talked with one of the keepers who happened to know what the master plan for the new Africa Trail will be and revealed that the original lineup is returning in 2027:

Ruppell’s Griffon Vultures
Abyssinian Ground Hornbills
Red River Hogs
Cheetahs
Scimitar Horned Oryx’s
Lesser Kudus
Sitatungas
Grevy’s Zebras

The keeper said that the habitats will be transformed with mesh lined enclosures so viewers will be able to view them closer at ground level. I’m excited!!!
Click to expand...

I posted the site plan a few months back - will certainly be an improvement!
 
Sarus Crane said:
Was at the zoo the other day and have great news!
I talked with one of the keepers who happened to know what the master plan for the new Africa Trail will be and revealed that the original lineup is returning in 2027:

Ruppell’s Griffon Vultures
Abyssinian Ground Hornbills
Red River Hogs
Cheetahs
Scimitar Horned Oryx’s
Lesser Kudus
Sitatungas
Grevy’s Zebras

The keeper said that the habitats will be transformed with mesh lined enclosures so viewers will be able to view them closer at ground level. I’m excited!!!
Click to expand...
I'm so grateful for the return of the OG roster, especially one in particular.
 
NAIB Volunteer said:
Nhi Linh, a young cow from Rotterdam Zoo, is pregnant. She's expected to give birth in late January through early March.

Trong Nhi was pregnant, but zoo officials do not believe the pregnancy is viable anymore.

Asian Elephant Is Pregnant at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
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That is absolutely great news for the US/Canada Asiatic elephant ex situ program!

I do wonder from the confusing text on Throng Nhi whether she is still considered a viable prospect in the future...??? What makes me particularly concerned is the fact that she seems not to have had an abortion or aborted the foetus at a later stage (the zoo husbandry / curatorial management comments remain in bit vague on this...)!
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I do wonder from the confusing text on Throng Nhi whether she is still considered a viable prospect in the future...??? What makes me particularly concerned is the fact that she seems not to have had an abortion or aborted the foetus at a later stage (the zoo husbandry / curatorial management comments remain in bit vague on this...)!
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It's been ascertained that her fetus isn't viable. She will be due around the same time as Nhi Linh it seems, so it's just a wait and see in regards to her delivering a stillborn calf.

Considering the keepers only discovered this a few weeks ago (around eighteen months into pregnancy), the fetus is too big to be aborted and she'll have to deliver it; or carry it and absorb it over time, but that would be the worst case as it would likely render her non reproductive.
 
Jambo said:
It's been ascertained that her fetus isn't viable. She will be due around the same time as Nhi Linh it seems, so it's just a wait and see in regards to her delivering a stillborn calf.

Considering the keepers only discovered this a few weeks ago (around eighteen months into pregnancy), the fetus is too big to be aborted and she'll have to deliver it; or carry it and absorb it over time, but that would be the worst case as it would likely render her non reproductive.
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@Jambo, thanks for elaborating on the pregnancy and status of the foetus in Throng Nhi.

I do fear ... the latter scenario and - at this time - treat Throng Nhi as no longer a viable option for a breeding female. She is already at the older range of her reproductive timeframe.
 
Jambo said:
It's been ascertained that her fetus isn't viable. She will be due around the same time as Nhi Linh it seems, so it's just a wait and see in regards to her delivering a stillborn calf.

Considering the keepers only discovered this a few weeks ago (around eighteen months into pregnancy), the fetus is too big to be aborted and she'll have to deliver it; or carry it and absorb it over time, but that would be the worst case as it would likely render her non reproductive.
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Hormone levels can be misleading sometimes, but with her symptoms of potential pre-term labor, seems the zoo is saying non-viable calf. There is no mention of ultrasound results for Throng Nhi, and ultrasounds in large pachyderms are challenging at best. I would say the signs are not pointing towards a hopeful outcome, but would offer one case of hormone shifts that still resulted in a viable calf despite not being able to see much on ultrasound in an African at Omaha Zoo, Kiki:
Zoo surprised with second elephant pregnancy

Maybe a sliver of hope, but not getting hopes up too high.
 
MidwestFan said:
Hormone levels can be misleading sometimes, but with her symptoms of potential pre-term labor, seems the zoo is saying non-viable calf. There is no mention of ultrasound results for Throng Nhi, and ultrasounds in large pachyderms are challenging at best. I would say the signs are not pointing towards a hopeful outcome, but would offer one case of hormone shifts that still resulted in a viable calf despite not being able to see much on ultrasound in an African at Omaha Zoo, Kiki:
Zoo surprised with second elephant pregnancy

Maybe a sliver of hope, but not getting hopes up too high.
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I would agree - the wording makes this sound like they're preparing the public for the worst, but still have hope for the best. Someone better informed than me would have better insight, but with 2-4 months to go in a ~22 month long pregnancy - would you simply be able to detect the presence/absence of fetal heartbeat?

This goes to show why so many zoos wait until the tail end of pregnancy/post partuition to announce as well. Had the zoo excitedly announced double elephant calves in the new year just a month earlier - there would've been a back pedal and some let down public hearts.
 
NAIB Volunteer said:
Trong Nhi was pregnant, but zoo officials do not believe the pregnancy is viable anymore.
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Was hoping that Trong Nhi could still have give birth this spring, but i'm guessing her fetus leaves the question of her successfully producing calves out the window. But I could be wrong. The bottom line now is that Smithsonian does have prospects of breeding with young cow Nhi Linh as she is young, and should hopefully have decades of fertility left onward.
 
Sarus Crane said:
Was at the zoo the other day and have great news!
I talked with one of the keepers who happened to know what the master plan for the new Africa Trail will be and revealed that the original lineup is returning in 2027:

Ruppell’s Griffon Vultures
Abyssinian Ground Hornbills
Red River Hogs
Cheetahs
Scimitar Horned Oryx’s
Lesser Kudus
Sitatungas
Grevy’s Zebras

The keeper said that the habitats will be transformed with mesh lined enclosures so viewers will be able to view them closer at ground level. I’m excited!!!
Click to expand...
Could the zoo possibly relocate the lions up there a fresh modern facility? When I went in 2023, they had a mediocre enclosure that looked like a small standard circle fronted by a water moat.
 
The Horse Boy said:
Could the zoo possibly relocate the lions up there a fresh modern facility? When I went in 2023, they had a mediocre enclosure that looked like a small standard circle fronted by a water moat.
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That would be a better fit for renovating the old Bison habitat area. I did hear from somebody that the old Bison exhibit will become the space for the new Arabian Leopard exhibit. I like the idea of changing it to a lion habitat better. That way Great Cats could be modernized into different modern habitats for both Amur and Sumatran Tigers, perhaps call it "Tiger Territory". The moats could be filled in, tall glass encircling it and new foliage and aesthetics filled in to give it a more naturalistic feel.
 
ATHENA the female Two-toed Sloth has just passed away.
Smithsonian's National Zoo on Instagram: "We are very sad to share Athena—a southern two-toed sloth beloved for her sassy and curious personality—died Nov. 13 following a sudden and irreversible decline in health. She was 7 years old; female two-toed sloths typically live about 13 years and males typically live 22 years. Athena had early-onset chronic kidney disease, which made it difficult for her to keep weight on. Over the past few months, despite dedicated care and support from Animal Care staff, her weight loss accelerated. She also spent more time sleeping, was slower to wake up and showed less interest in eating her preferred foods. The afternoon of Nov. 13, the team brought her to the Zoo’s veterinary hospital, where she was treated with intravenous fluids and anti-nausea medications. An exam revealed she had lost weight and muscle mass, but did not reveal an obvious cause for her condition. Athena stayed at the hospital for observation but unfortunately died overnight. Small Mammal House keepers fondly remember Athena for her spirited and rambunctious personality. When she first arrived at the Zoo, she was only 1 year old and very spunky. Often, Athena snuck up behind keepers and tried to grab the hose or feed cups out of their hands. She especially enjoyed the mister that mimicked rainfall and would get the “sloth zoomies” in-and-out of the water, which left her drenched and dripping! Keepers say Athena showed visitors that sloths aren’t lazy or slow. Instead, they are active and inquisitive animals that have unique adaptations for a plant-based diet. She also taught Zoo microbial ecologists and animal nutritionists how fecal transplants can be used to improve zoo animal health: https://s.si.edu/4injQSF. (Link in bio.) We are grateful for Athena’s contributions to this research, which will undoubtedly help countless other animals that could benefit from microbial treatments. We miss her dearly. Visitors can stop by the Small Mammal House and Amazonia’s rainforest habitat to meet the Zoo’s male two-toed sloths, Vlad and Howie, respectively. Photos by Kara Ingraham/Smithsonian"
 
Piece of October / November 2025 News Not Mentioned:

On October 24th, it was announced that the zoo transferred (3m.1f) ruddy ducks and (5m.0) wood ducks to Lee Richardson Zoo in Kansas.

5K views · 117 reactions | Quack! Quack! We've welcomed 9 new ducks to the Marie Osterbuhr Aviary! 5 male wood ducks and 4 ruddy ducks (3 male, 1 female) have joined 3 resident white-cheeked pintails in the outdoor flight area. These new additions joined us from the National Zoo and as North American species, are amazing ambassadors for their wild counterparts! Welcome to your new home! | Lee Richardson Zoo

On November 26th, the zoo announced that 65 waterfowl from 6+ species (American wigeons, gadwalls, northern pintails, AND canvasbacks, northern shovelers, and ruddy ducks (previously reported)) hatched in 2025.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

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On December 2nd, the zoo announced a (0.1f) brush-tailed bettong named Truffle passed away on November 7th at age 15 due to age-related concerns (average life expectancy for the species is 8 years).

Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
 
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