The Smithsonian National Zoo is among the oldest zoos is America, and the only one in Washington DC. Smokey Bear, the living icon of the forest fire prevention campaign, who was himself rescued from a fire, lived at the National Zoo, from 1950, until his death in 1976. Despite this, the Smithsonian National Zoo doesn’t house any regular bears today. But they do have 2,000 animals from 400 different species from all over the world (many of them endangered), which are divided into more than a dozen exhibits. The animals include:
- Giant Pandas
- Red Pandas
- Asian Elephants
- Several varieties of Large Cats
- Several types of Monkeys and Apes
- Sloths
- Zebras
- Maned Wolves
- Grey Wolves
- Bald Eagles
- Lemurs
- Naked Mole Rats
- Leafcutter Ants
- Longwing Butterflies
- Black Widow Spiders
- Chambered Nautilus
- Sea Stars
- Piranhas
- Rainbow Boas
- Komodo Dragon
- Japanese Giant Salamander
- Veiled Chameleons
- Cuban Crocodiles
- Double-crested Cormorants
- King Vultures
- Scarlet Ibis
- Giant Anteaters
- Many, many more!
There is also an area for children, which has several domesticated animals, such as Alpacas, Holstein Cows, Silver-Fox Rabbits, Goats, and more.
The National Zoo is open every day of the year except for Christmas, and has free admission. Visiting hours, maps, directions, and a list of special events can be found at the Zoo’s official website: nationalzoo.si.edu.
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