Have you been missing #redpandas at the Zoo since Rusty moved to the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute? REJOICE! They’re back. Meet Tusa and Asa at the Small Mammal House
Fresh out of the egg! An endangered Fiji Island iguana hatched at the Reptile Discovery Center this morning. Keepers can tell he is male from his stripes.
* The small mammal house got one or two new prairie dogs. I am not sure what happened to the other ones or how long the SMH has been without them. I haven't seen them recently in the exhibit until now.
* One of the older male North American river otters, Conrad, passed away. The zoo still has Niko.
* There is a sign in front of the gray wolf exhibit that says one of the wolves is under veterinary care. I did not see Coby, but Crystal's fur around her neck was gone.
* Lucy, one of the goats in the Kids Farm section died late last week.
* The pathway blocked off between the Great Cats exhibit and Think Tank is now reopened. It looks like they just did work to the sidewalk.
* The small mammal house got one or two new prairie dogs. I am not sure what happened to the other ones or how long the SMH has been without them. I haven't seen them recently in the exhibit until now.
* The Red pandas are much more popular than the Giant Pandas now since they returned [I heard more people talking about them than Bei Bei when we were waiting to get into the panda house].
* The zoo is hoping for baby Red Ruffed Lemurs by spring.
* I asked a volunteer about the Ring Tailed Lemurs and she said the zoo brought in Black and White Ruffed lemurs to replace them on Lemur Island. No idea what happened to the Red Fronted Lemurs though.
* Another volunteer said a lot of the exhibits in the SMH are being cleaned so if you see a lot of empty or covered exhibits that's why.
* I asked another volunteer about the old Peccary yard and he said they don't have the funds to do it but they want to renovate the houses the animals would go live in. He said nothing was serious because of what I said above but some of the animals discussed for the exhibit were. Bringing the Peccaries back, Wallabies, Wombats and Tasmanian Devils.
* ThylacineAlive I didn't even see a sign in the SMH that mentioned Acouchis so I have no idea what type they have.
* Turns out what they're doing to the Orangutan yard is the same thing as the Gorillas and they aren't putting in glass but a fence so I guess people can take pictures without glare.
I got to go now so when I get back i'll have more stuff to say.
SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO TO DEBUT BABY PANDA
Smithsonian National Zoo to debut baby panda | abc30.com
I wish they would tell us which Elephant Bull is coming instead. Yes I know that they might not have a recommendation yet, I just like the National Zoo Elephants that much.