Smithsonian National Zoological Park

The National Zoological Park, also known as the National Zoo, is one of the country's oldest zoos. It is part of the Smithsonian Institution and admission is free. It was founded in 1889 with the mission of "providing engaging experiences with animals as well as creating and sharing knowledge to save wildlife and habitats." The National Zoo is divided into two campuses. The first is a 163-acre (66-hectare) urban park in Northwest Washington, D.C., 20 minutes by MetroRail from the National Mall. The other campus is Front Royal, Virginia's 3,200-acre (1,300 ha) Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI; formerly known as the Conservation and Research Center). There are 180 tree species and , 850 species of woody shrubs and herbaceous plants, 40 grass species, and 36 bamboo species. The SCBI is a non-profit organisation dedicated to educating wildlife professionals in conservation biology and propagating rare species through natural and assisted reproduction methods. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has accredited the National Zoo (AZA).The two facilities house approximately 2,700 animals representing 390 different species.  Approximately one-fifth are endangered or threatened. The majority of the species are on display at the Rock Creek Park campus. The zoo's most well-known residents are giant pandas, but it also houses birds, great apes, big cats, Asian elephants, insects, amphibians, reptiles, aquatic animals, small mammals, and many other animals.Depending on research needs and recommendations from the zoo and conservation community, the SCBI facility houses between 30 and 40 endangered species at any given time. The zoo was among the first to implement a scientific research programmer. The National zoo receives federal funding for operating expenses because it is part of the Smithsonian Institution. In 2008, a new master plan for the park was introduced to improve the park's exhibits and layout.

History

a bridge across a calm stream

1897 bridge at the National Zoological Park The zoo began as the National Museum's Department of Living Animals in 1886. On March 2, 1889, the National Zoo was established by an act of Congress for "the advancement of science and the instruction and recreation of the people." It became a part of the Smithsonian Institution in 1890. The zoo's plans were created by three well-known individuals: Samuel Langley, the Smithsonian's third Secretary; William Temple Hornaday, a noted conservationist and head of the Smithsonian's vertebrate division; and Frederick Law Olmsted, the premier landscape architect of his day. When the park first opened, William T. Hornaday was the park's first director and curator of all 185 animals.when the park opened for the first time and took office on May 6, 1889 They collaborated on the design of a new zoo to exhibit animals to the public while also serving as a refuge for wildlife such as bison and beaver, which were on the verge of extinction in North America. 

 

Modern standing

The National Zoo's appearance has changed as a result of increased knowledge about the needs of zoo animals and a commitment to their well-being. Animals now live in natural groups rather than individually. Rare and endangered species, such as golden lion tamarins, Sumatran tigers, and sarus cranes, breed and raise their young, demonstrating the zoo's conservation and research programmers' success.The research team at the zoo studies animals both in the wild and at the zoo. Reproductive biology, conservation biology, biodiversity monitoring, veterinary medicine, nutrition, behavior, ecology, and bird migration are all areas of study.

Police at the National Zoological Park

Officers from the US National Zoological Park Police Department are assigned to the National Zoo and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. The National Zoological Park Police Department is one of the oldest in the District of Columbia. According to the official National Zoo Website, the Zoological Police was one of the five original police agencies established in Washington, D.C. in 1889. The 163-acre (0.66 km2) National Zoo in the District of Columbia is a Smithsonian facility that is staffed 24 hours a day by full-time US National Zoological Park police officers. The National Zoo also operates a 3200-acre research facility (Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; SCBI) in Front Royal, Virginia, staffed by National Zoo employees.

Go to the Museum

We are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There are no admission fees or tickets required.