Smithsonian National Zoo Smithsonian National Zoo News 2019

Meet the Persian Onager Mares

Tells you about..... Well the Persian Onager Mares at the Front Royal campus. However it also reveals that a foal was born on August 1st.

 

Bei Bei is turning four soon, so the zoo is prepping for his birthday, and for his departure, which should happen sometime in the next few months.

Bei Bei is Turning Four!

A 10 month-old Hereford calf named Willow debuted at the Kids Farm.

Hereford Calf Debuts at Smithsonian’s National Zoo

An 11 month-old Dama Gazelle named Gustav passed away.

Juvenile Dama Gazelle Dies at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo

 

Have Przewalski's horses returned to the zoo? Weren't they going to renovate their exhibit and bring them back?

 

They have not. Haven't been to the zoo in a bit, but there were some construction vehicles sitting in the exhibit.

 

Actually, 3 mares were pregnant this year (the one having already now foaled)!

 

Bei Bei is Turning Four!

This note about Bei Bei's departure is a bit different than the two previous departures. With Tai Shan and Bao Bao, we were notified further in advance and described how the animal would be trained to feel comfortable in a travel crate, etc. This time, they basically say that all the plans and all the logistics have already been worked out, and he'll be shipping out in the coming months. I wonder if the public would have been reminded sooner if the sudden departure of all three SD bears hadn't happened. Trump has just delayed more massive sanctions from September to December, allegedly to make for robust Christmas sales here. With the contract for Mei and Tian to expire in December 2020, it will be very interesting to see if the tariff battle continues to (coincidentally??) mirror panda agreements.

 

This is far from incidental and it is an absolute myth to think that politics and other issues or business do not mix and they do affect current affairs as we know them. Alas ...

Really and just to put it diplomatically (d.n. take offence please), not a time to "pride" yourselves in the current administration in this (as well as their entire environmental non-record).

 

If I come across that way, KB, thank you for pointing it out so that I might clarify. I take absolutely no pride in our current administration and have made impeachment law the subject of a class I teach for two years. I also expressed my disdain at the conclusion of a post in another thread. I only mention the subject here to continue the study of possible panda/tariff cause and effect.

Please, Mods, do not delete this post. I'm aware it's political, but I must clarify my previous post and reiterate that I'm only making this observation regarding a panda connection.

 

Sea Lion pup update:

Sea Lion Pupdate: August 2019

Also Bei Bei will receive his frozen cake on Thursday (8/22).

 

On my US trip this autumn, I will mainly be in New York, but will have a day in Washington. With limited time in the zoo, what are the important areas to hit for someone visiting from Europe? I'm already excited about the black-footed ferrets...

 

I would prioritize Asia Trail, Small Mammals House, Reptile Discovery Center, and Amazonia. The Addra Gazelles in the Cheetah Conservation Center will be a different ssp to what's most common in Europe so those may be of interest as well.

~Thylo

 

If you're from Europe, you might find the sea lions, gray seals, and harbor seal interesting on your walk down American Trail to Amazonia. There are Bald eagles as well. There are the pandas, too, on Asia Trail, including a youngster just turning four.

 

Thanks both. It's going to be tricky to combine the zoo, the Natural History Museum and the National Gallery into one day but I'm going to try my best!

 

Yikes!!!

 

Lol. That is surely my shortest post ever! But seriously, it's absolutely impossible, even if you tried it on horseback..

 

I'm afraid it's going to be (I also want to eat a proper lunch and a proper dinner) - so am limiting myself to dinosaurs in the NHM and highlights as above of the zoo (skipping elephants, giraffes, tigers etc etc). In the National Gallery, my interest is really only European painting 1600-1800 (and even then, I'll be basically happy with just the Van Dyck room...).

 

Lol. You keep ADDING instead of delimiting! If you started with the museums, there's a lovely cafe on an open terrace of the Art Musum's East Wing just across the street. It's serene looking at art, like a huge Calder mobile out in the openness all around you.

Terrace Café

 

Sounds good to me!

 

Lol. Glad I could at least help with the proper lunch.

 

One of the sea lions died.

Sea Lion Dies at Smithsonian’s National Zoo