Smithsonian National Zoo Smithsonian National Zoo News 2017

Andrew_NZP · 21 Jun 2017

Critically Endangered Bourret’s Box Turtles Hatch at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Andrew_NZP · 24 Jun 2017

Three scarlet ibis chicks hatched within the last week. Source is the zoos facebook.

Andrew_NZP · 26 Jun 2017

I've uploaded some photos to the gallery from my visit today.

vogelcommando · 27 Jun 2017

2 Bourret's box turtles hatched

! :

Keepers Celebrate Critically Endangered Hatchlings

Andrew_NZP · 30 Jun 2017

Now that the bird house and surrounding plateau are closed the bird house page on the website is officially gone and has been replaced with a page about Experience Migration.

Experience Migration

It also says it wont open until 2021. The old page said 2020 so that's a bit disappointing.

Edit: This has nothing to do with Experience Migration, but apparently the zoo has three lesser kudus now and only one Abyssinian ground hornbill.

blospz · 2 Jul 2017

The zoo has acquired a male Andean bear, Bouba, from the Queens Zoo to mate with Billie Jean. During his time at the Queens Zoo, he sired a cub with Billie Jean's adult offspring, Nicole.

DavidBrown · 2 Jul 2017

Andrew_NZP said:
Now that the bird house and surrounding plateau are closed the bird house page on the website is officially gone and has been replaced with a page about Experience Migration.

Experience Migration

It also says it wont open until 2021. The old page said 2020 so that's a bit disappointing.

From what I've read they are doing a substantial remodeling of the bird house interior, but not a wholesale redevelopment of it. Is that accurate? It seems weird that would take them 4 years to do.

zoo_enthusiast · 2 Jul 2017

DavidBrown said:
From what I've read they are doing a substantial remodeling of the bird house interior, but not a wholesale redevelopment of it. Is that accurate? It seems weird that would take them 4 years to do.

I suspect it may have something to do with them being federally funded. Federally funded projects often take a long time to get done

Andrew_NZP · 2 Jul 2017

DavidBrown said:
From what I've read they are doing a substantial remodeling of the bird house interior, but not a wholesale redevelopment of it. Is that accurate? It seems weird that would take them 4 years to do.

https://www.ncpc.gov/DocumentDepot/..._Renovation_Recommendation_7673_April2017.pdf

They're completely renovating the inside, major landscaping changes (including changing the front entrance I believe) and stuff like that. Also the building hasn't had a major renovation since the 1960's. I'm sure there's a lot of stuff that most people will never see that needs some fixing.