- Permanent
This exhibition features Asian animals already living at the Zoo -- sloth bears, fishing cats, Asian small-clawed otters, and red pandas -- along with the endangered Japanese giant salamanders (a new species) and the clouded leopards (returning to the Zoo after several decades). Also featured are the beloved giant pandas (see separate listing).
- Permanent
Father Tian Tian, mother Mei Xiang, and offspring Tai Shan can be seen in their newly expanded habitat wrestling in the grass, sleeping in a tree, munching on stalks of bamboo, or lounging in a misty grotto. This recent expansion doubles their outdoor area and includes 4 yards and 4 dens.
- Permanent
Near Prairie Dogs and Lemur Island
This prairie-dog-themed playground, designed for children ages 2-6, reveals a prairie-dog's perspective on survival. Children can crawl through a series of tubes that resemble prairie dogs' underground tunnels, can pop up "above ground," and can look through scopes to scan for large cutouts of such predators as black-footed ferrets and hawks.
- Permanent
Near Rock Creek entrance
This child-friendly exhibition reveals that most of the food we eat comes from a farm and allows visitors to lend a hand around the farm.
Highlights include:
• A Play Area, featuring an oversize, climb-on pizza that connects familiar pizza ingredients with plants grown on a farm. The pizza garden includes tomatoes, herbs, garlic, onions, green peppers, and wheat. Note: Open weather permitting.
• The Barn gives visitors a view into how animals are housed and cared for.
• Goat and Miniature Donkey Yards, where visitors are able to touch the animals through the fence. The area also includes a Caring Corral, where children are invited inside to help take care of the animals.
• The Cow Pasture, where visitors are able to touch the animals when they approach the fence.
Additions:
• Late fall 2007: Alpacas and Ossabaw Island Hogs
- Permanent
Beaver Valley (also referred to as Valley Trail)
This exhibition features 2 bald eagles and includes information about the National Wildlife Refuge System sites. The nearby woodlands are planted to improve wildlife habitat and enhance the natural appearance of the refuge.
- Permanent
Lemur Island (formerly Monkey Island)
This open-air exhibition is home to both ring-tailed (Lemur catta) and red-fronted (Eulemur fulvus rufus) lemurs. These prosimians -- a suborder of primates -- are found only on Madagascar, an island off the southeastern coast of Africa. Today's prosimians retain much of the appearance of the earliest primates. Like many other animal species, wild lemur populations are rapidly declining due to extensive habitat loss.
- Permanent
Lion & Tiger Hill and surrounding area
This exhibition includes graphic panels, an education site for children to learn more about the Sumatran tiger, and an area featuring a bronzed Tyrannosaurus rex skull from the Museum of the Rockies.
- Permanent
In Invertebrate Exhibit
Living plants, butterflies, and bees are used to explore pollination -- the means of plant reproduction. The evolution, beauty, and mechanics of pollination are examined. The exhibition also includes a 7-foot tall, 3-panel, glass enclosed beehive.
- Permanent
Olmsted Walk, near Reptile Discovery Center
This exhibition explores the biology and evolution of animal thinking, focusing on primates. It also demonstrates how animals use tools, send sophisticated messages, and employ social strategies. In conjunction with this exhibition is the O-Line, an orangutan transit system for orangutans to travel from the Great Ape House to Think Tank.
- Permanent
Amazonia Building
Animals and plants of the New World are included in this rain forest habitat featuring a re-created microcosm of the world's largest rain forest and the Amazon River. Giant Amazon fish are a special feature.
- Permanent
Olmsted Walk, Reptile House, Lower Level
Invertebrates -- creatures without backbones -- are the most abundant creatures on earth, crawling, flying, floating, or swimming in virtually all of Earth's habitats. About 99 percent of all known living species are invertebrates. The Zoo's Invertebrate Exhibit is home to such invertebrate species as sea stars; spiny lobsters; sea anemones; corals; insects; spiders, including tarantulas; and mollusks, including a giant Pacific octopus.
- Permanent Renovated 1983
Olmsted Walk, near Great Ape House
Most species in the Zoo's Small Mammal House are no bigger than a breadbox. The exhibition features the golden lion tamarin, the three-banded armadillo, the prehensile-tailed porcupine, naked mole-rats, tree shrews, meerkats, black-tailed prairie dogs, black-footed ferrets, and more.
- Permanent
Olmsted Walk
Today, this exhibition is home to six western lowland gorillas and six orangutans, which may be seen outside in the yard or inside the Great Ape House. The orangutans have access to the Think Tank by using the aboveground O Line; for details, see Think Tank.
The exhibition was designed to encourage physical activity and normal social interaction within each group. Features include 8 spacious, glass-fronted indoor areas, 2-3 stories high, equipped with floor-to-ceiling climbing structures; large outdoor areas with dry moats confining animals without visual obstructions; and interpretive graphics.
- Permanent
Bird House
The National Zoo is home to hundreds of birds from all over the world. Since birds are an integral part of virtually every ecosystem, it's not surprising that birds are all over the Zoo, too, as residents and visitors.
• Bird House: The widest variety of birds at the Zoo live indoors at the Bird House where a series of smaller exhibits encircle a large indoor jungle complete with free-flying tropical birds.
- Permanent
Olmsted Walk
The Elephant House was built in the 1930s and is undergoing renovation as part of Elephant Trails
- Permanent
Olmsted Walk
The Reptile Discovery Center is an interactive, educational exhibition designed for visitors to explore the biology of reptiles and amphibians. The Center features some 70 species from snakes to frogs to turtles to lizards to crocodiles to Komodo dragons.
- Permanent
Valley Trail
This exhibition is home to two species of pinnipeds: California sea lions and gray seals.
The National Zoo store carries a large selection of animals, toys, hats, books and DVD's. The store also carries CDs, tapes, artist-crafted jewelry, design items and toys. We also carry a large selection of Panda and Tiger Cup Trio items.
National Zoo cafés:
