National Zoological Park, Wildlife research complex in Rock Creek Park, Washington DC, United States
The National Zoological Park is a wildlife research facility located within Rock Creek Park in Washington DC. The complex includes two sites: the main grounds covering about 84 acres (34 hectares) within the park, and the Conservation Biology Institute with about 79 acres (32 hectares) in Front Royal, Virginia, where breeding and conservation programs take place.
The Smithsonian Institution founded the park in 1889 to study and protect North American species facing extinction. Over the following decades, the zoo expanded its work to include international conservation programs and opened the second site in Virginia in 1975 for scientific breeding efforts.
The design philosophy follows ideas introduced by Frederick Law Olmsted, who envisioned open landscapes that allow animals to live in settings close to their natural environments. Visitors walking through the grounds today still see how pathways and enclosures are woven into the slopes and valleys, keeping the parkland feel intact.
The zoo opens daily with free admission and allows visitors to move freely along paved main paths and steeper side trails. Those who have difficulty walking can use the flatter sections or take the free shuttle bus that runs along the central route.
Two new giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, arrive from China in early 2025, continuing a tradition that began in the 1970s. Their new enclosure was built through a multi-year upgrade program that expanded indoor and outdoor areas and adapted them to current animal care standards.
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