Wild Inside the National Zoo

Bao Bao, a baby panda at Smithsonian's National Zoo, is celebrating her first birthday. Giant pandas are endangered and less than 2,000 remain on Earth, making Bao Bao's very existence special and the act of raising her more critical. Track her evolution with her caretakers, from a scrawny 4.5 oz. cub to a playful 40 lb. bear who spends her days scaling trees and devouring sweet potatoes.

Within two months, six new lion cubs are born at Smithsonian's National Zoo, tripling the size of its pride. In the wild, lion populations have declined nearly 50% over the last 20 years. The zoo's pride is crucial in growing their numbers and teaching scientists how to best protect nature's most-social cats.

Each summer, Smithsonian's National Zoo is flooded with calls from visitors reporting large brown birds on the loose. Surprise--these supposed fugitives, black-crowned night-herons, are visitors just like them. They've flocked to the zoo for over 100 years, breeding on its grounds and stealing its food for months at a time.

When two red panda babies, Henry and Tink, are born in critical condition at Smithsonian's National Zoo, caretakers make the crucial decision to hand-rear them. There are approximately 10,000 red pandas left in the wild, and very little is known about the species, heightening the pressure to save these two cubs' lives.

Meet Christine, a young Przewalski's horse at Smithsonian's National Zoo, who represents hope for an endangered species once extinct in the wild. These Mongolian equines are the only undomesticated horse breed in existence, and Christine, the first to be born from artificial insemination, is a scientific breakthrough in conservation.

Join caretakers at Smithsonian's National Zoo as they introduce you to the most charismatic creatures in the reptile house--and the very particular pampering they receive daily. See how a 100-year-old tortoise gets a pedicure, meet a picky Grand Cayman iguana who allows only certain caretakers to bathe him, and learn the skin care regimen for the zoo's sole Komodo dragon.

As part of its animal reproduction initiatives, Smithsonian's National Zoo puts expecting mothers through a full prenatal care program, complete with regular ultrasounds. There's no guarantee of success, but the rewards are worth it: a new generation of rare animals.

Sea lions and seals are some of the smartest creatures around, and their energy and curiosity mean that caretakers at Smithsonian's National Zoo have to stay on their toes to keep them stimulated. In this episode, we'll meet some of the zoo's most beloved sea mammals.

While Asian elephants are known to be intelligent creatures, caretakers at Smithsonian's National Zoo are embarking on a new study to prove just how smart they are. In doing so, they put Kandula, a young pachyderm born and raised at the zoo, to the test...and the results are fascinating. Join the Zoo's team as they examine the problem-solving powers of these unique mammals.

Mayni and Muniri, two Andean bear cubs recently born at Smithsonian's National Zoo, are growing up--and fast. Native to the South American Andes, these bears are almost impossible to study in the wild, so the cubs are crucial to understanding the development of this vulnerable species.

Cheetahs are different from other cats in that males exclusively form lifelong coalitions for protection and companionship. At Smithsonian's National Zoo, caretakers are hoping to create one with Gat, a young, attention-seeking male, and 22-month-old Bakari. But arranging a cheetah coalition, especially between strangers, is a risky process with no guarantees.

The Appalachian Mountains, home to the world's most diverse collection of salamanders, hold the secret to understanding the overall health of their environment. Join caretakers at Smithsonian's National Zoo as they give the forest an annual check-up by searching for and studying these elusive amphibians.