Smithsonian's National Zoo's photostream  

Photo Credit: Janice Sveda, FONZ Photo Club

The warm weather makes this a great time to visit the Zoo! When was the last time you saw our giant pandas?

In this video: Aldabra tortoises
Video Credit: Victoria Lisle, Smithsonian's National Zoo

Where is the love this Valentine’s Day? At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo! Cuban crocodiles and giant Aldabra tortoises at the Reptile Discovery Center feasted on heart-shaped treats prepared by the Zoo’s Nutrition staff. In the Bird House, a blue-billed curassow couple, a green winged Macaw named Mac, and others enjoyed frozen fruits made by their keepers with love.

The Zoo can spice up the Valentine’s Day for humans, too. For those with a sense of humor, send a truly wild gift—Critter Cupids—and bestow an honorary name upon a National Zoo critter to recognize your sweetie, a friend, or a family member.

Food—and the many forms it comes in—is an important component of Animal Enrichment, a program that provides physically and mentally stimulating activities and environments for the Zoo’s residents. Keepers and curators carefully study animal behavior and determine what kinds of enrichment are appropriate for each species and individual animals. Food is presented in a variety of ways such as in a simple puzzle feeder, hidden or scattered about the enclosure, or buried in a substrate. Engaging activities helps keepers ensure the Zoo’s animals have a high quality of life and holidays are a perfect opportunity to entertain visitors while providing enrichment to the animals.

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Ingredients in tortoise enrichment: Water, beet juice, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes and gelatin.

In this video: Cuban crocodiles
Video Credit: Victoria Lisle, Smithsonian's National Zoo

Where is the love this Valentine’s Day? At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo! Cuban crocodiles and giant Aldabra tortoises at the Reptile Discovery Center feasted on heart-shaped treats prepared by the Zoo’s Nutrition staff. In the Bird House, a blue-billed curassow couple, a green winged Macaw named Mac, and others enjoyed frozen fruits made by their keepers with love.

The Zoo can spice up the Valentine’s Day for humans, too. For those with a sense of humor, send a truly wild gift—Critter Cupids—and bestow an honorary name upon a National Zoo critter to recognize your sweetie, a friend, or a family member.

Food—and the many forms it comes in—is an important component of Animal Enrichment, a program that provides physically and mentally stimulating activities and environments for the Zoo’s residents. Keepers and curators carefully study animal behavior and determine what kinds of enrichment are appropriate for each species and individual animals. Food is presented in a variety of ways such as in a simple puzzle feeder, hidden or scattered about the enclosure, or buried in a substrate. Engaging activities helps keepers ensure the Zoo’s animals have a high quality of life and holidays are a perfect opportunity to entertain visitors while providing enrichment to the animals.

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Ingredients in crocodile enrichment: Water, beef blood, beet juice, gelatin, white rats and black mice.

In this photo: Aldabra tortoises.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Zoon, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Where is the love this Valentine’s Day? At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo! Cuban crocodiles and giant Aldabra tortoises at the Reptile Discovery Center feasted on heart-shaped treats prepared by the Zoo’s Nutrition staff. In the Bird House, a blue-billed curassow couple, a green winged Macaw named Mac, and others enjoyed frozen fruits made by their keepers with love.
Food—and the many forms it comes in—is an important component of Animal Enrichment, a program that provides physically and mentally stimulating activities and environments for the Zoo’s residents. The animals have the opportunity to choose how to behave and use their natural abilities in new and exciting ways.

Enrichment is an integral part of the daily care of the species in the Zoo’s collection. Keepers and curators carefully study animal behavior and determine what kinds of enrichment are appropriate for each species and, occasionally, individual animals. Keepers can present food in a variety of ways such as in a simple puzzle feeder, hidden throughout the enclosure, scattered about the enclosure, or buried in a substrate. Adding a variety of engaging activities helps keepers ensure the Zoo’s animals have a high quality of life. For them, there is excitement in novelty, and the Zoo’s keeper staff use holidays as a perfect opportunity to entertain visitors while providing enrichment to the animals.

The Zoo can spice up the Valentine’s Day of your loved ones, too. Wow them with a truly wild gift—Critter Cupids—and bestow an honorary name upon a National Zoo critter to recognize your sweetie, a friend, or a family member.

# # #

Ingredients in crocodile enrichment: Water, beef blood, beet juice, gelatin, white rats and black mice.

Ingredients in tortoise enrichment: Water, beet juice, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes and gelatin.

Ingredients in bird enrichment: Water, grapes, strawberries, apples, papayas, peanut butter.

In this photo: Aldabra tortoises.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Zoon, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Where is the love this Valentine’s Day? At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo! Cuban crocodiles and giant Aldabra tortoises at the Reptile Discovery Center feasted on heart-shaped treats prepared by the Zoo’s Nutrition staff. In the Bird House, a blue-billed curassow couple, a green winged Macaw named Mac, and others enjoyed frozen fruits made by their keepers with love.

The Zoo can spice up the Valentine’s Day for humans, too. For those with a sense of humor, send a truly wild gift—Critter Cupids—and bestow an honorary name upon a National Zoo critter to recognize your sweetie, a friend, or a family member.

Food—and the many forms it comes in—is an important component of Animal Enrichment, a program that provides physically and mentally stimulating activities and environments for the Zoo’s residents. Keepers and curators carefully study animal behavior and determine what kinds of enrichment are appropriate for each species and individual animals. Food is presented in a variety of ways such as in a simple puzzle feeder, hidden or scattered about the enclosure, or buried in a substrate. Engaging activities helps keepers ensure the Zoo’s animals have a high quality of life and holidays are a perfect opportunity to entertain visitors while providing enrichment to the animals.

# # #

Ingredients in crocodile enrichment: Water, beef blood, beet juice, gelatin, white rats and black mice.

Ingredients in tortoise enrichment: Water, beet juice, beets, carrots, sweet potatoes and gelatin.

Ingredients in bird enrichment: Water, grapes, strawberries, apples, papayas, peanut butter.