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Smithsonian's National Zoo -- 125 Years
Saving Species Through Science
Our science came of age in the 1960s with the establishment of the Zoological Research Department to study animals in the field as well as in the Zoo. Our growth in knowledge has been exponential. Today our science-based husbandry paired with conservation research is saving wildlife from every continent.
Discoveries about elephant herpes virus gets us closer to preventing deaths in young elephants around the world.
Cryopreservation work, with procedures similar to human sperm banks, holds promise to keep animal tissue viable for hundreds of years, from corals to pandas.
Identifying the deadly chytrid fungus began the fight against extinction for one-third of all frog species.
Besides critical breeding successes, like giant panda, cheetah, Cuban crocodile and kiwi, the Zoo has made significant conservation science breakthroughs for endangered species. |