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Smithsonian's National Zoo

Created by an Act of Congress in 1889 for the advancement of science and the instruction and recreation of the people.

Smithsonian's National Zoo Washington, Washington DC (Wildlife Preserves) image

Its mission is "to study, celebrate and protect the diversity of animals and their habitats." About 2,800 individuals of 435 different species are in the animal collection. The National Zoo has two installations. The first is a beautiful 166-acre urban park located in Northwest Washington, D.C., 20 minutes from the National Mall by subway. It offers fun, excitement, and stimulating education programs, as well as a peaceful setting in which to enjoy nature. The other is a non-public, 3,200-acre Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia, devoted to training wildlife professionals in conservation biology and to propagating rare species through natural means and assisted reproduction.

The National Zoo has been the home to giant pandas for 30 years. First Hsing Hsing and Ling Ling in 1972, and, since 2000, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, have symbolized the Zoos efforts to celebrate, study, and protect endangered species and their habitats. Shown above is a Sumatran tiger.

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