Smithsonian Institution Conservation and Research Center

Description

The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute plays a leading role in the Smithsonian’s global efforts to save wildlife species from extinction and train future generations of conservationists. SCBI spearheads research programs at its headquarters in Front Royal, Virginia, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., and at field research stations and training sites worldwide. SCBI scientists tackle some of today’s most complex conservation challenges by applying and sharing what they learn about animal behavior and reproduction, ecology, genetics, migration and conservation sustainability.

Arapaima
Native to the streams of the Amazon River basin, the arapaima is a massive yet sleek and streamlined, freshwater fish, growing to weigh about 200 pounds and be 7 to 8 feet long. It can breathe air, allowing it to survive in pools with low water levels or decaying vegetation.This predicament does not affect the arapaima, as it has the ability to breathe air. Its gills are so small that it takes in air using a modified swim bladder that opens into the fish’s mouth and acts as a lung. It can survive as long as 24 hours outside the water.


Channel catfish
Channel catfish typically have grayish-blue sides with a black back and a white belly. Though rare in the wild, a channel catfish can carry the recessive alleles resulting in lack of pigmentation, known as albinism. Albino channel catfish have a peach coloration. Some domestic channel catfish have been bred to carry the recessive albino alleles, with these fish being popular in aquariums and ornamental ponds.


Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Black-and-white ruffed lemurs and red ruffed lemurs are the largest in their family. Active during the day, and living mainly in trees, they are native only the Madagascar and critically endangered.







Aquatic caecilian
Aquatic caecilians, also known as rubber eels, are found in Columbian and Venezuelan lowland rivers and streams. Looking more like large worms than the legless amphibians they are, they can grow up to 22 inches in length and have slimy smooth dark gray skin.Caecilians are long-bodied, limbless amphibians that look similar to earthworms because of segmental rings around their body. Although they are not exactly amphibian-looking, their bones, teeth, fat bodies and other structures show that they are related to salamanders and frogs.


Fiji banded iguana
Fiji banded iguanas are bright green lizards found only on the Fiji islands. Males have wide blue or light green stripes, while females are typically solid green but may have a few white or pale blue spots.Fiji banded iguanas are bright green lizards with long tails and crested spines. Males have wide blue or light green stripes along their body. Females, on the other hand, are generally solid green but may have a few white or pale blue spots. These lizards have reddish-orange eyes and yellow nostrils.


Animal Enrichment
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s enrichment program provides physically and mentally stimulating toys, activities and environments for all the Zoo’s animals. Enrichment allows animals to demonstrate their species-typical behavior, gives them opportunity to exercise control or choice over their environment and enhances their well-being. Enrichment is just as essential to animal welfare as proper nutrition and veterinary care.







Lesser kudu
A striking striped antelope, lesser kudu are native to the dry lands of northeastern Africa. Once gravely threatened by the rinderpest virus, lesser kudu numbers are now rebounding.Lesser kudu are one of the more striking species of antelope. This species has a white stripe running down its back with 11 to 14 stripes coming off it and down the animal’s side. Stripes stand out on a grayish-brown coat on males and a reddish-brown coat for females. Males are also adorned with impressive spiraled horns which will twist 2.5 times and can grow up to 3.5 feet 60 to105 centimeters long.


Maned wolf
The largest canid in South America, the maned wolf looks like a fox, is called a wolf, and is closely related to neither. Maned wolves eat primarily small animals, fruits and vegetables.Having evolved to live in high grass savannas, maned wolves have a thick red coat, long black legs and tall, erect ears. The maned wolf is the largest canid of South America. It looks more like a long-legged fox than a wolf. Genetic studies show that it is neither fox nor true wolf, but a distinct species. It is the only member of its genus, Chrysocyon.


Silver arowana
A long fish native to the Amazon drainage system, silver arowanas, sometimes called the “bony-tongued fish” are related to primitive fishes.The mouth is at the top of the body of the fish and opens in three pieces. Many oral bones bear teeth, including the jaw, palate, tongue and pharynx. Very large, pearly-silver scales cover their bodies. These scales shift to shades of red, blue and green as the fish ages. They have dorsal and anal fins that are almost fused with the caudal fin. Males are slenderer and have a longer anal fin. Arowanas have two barbells at the extremity of the lower jaw. While the adults are silver, juveniles have blue glints and a yellow-orange bar.

Visit the full website for complete details,www.nationalzoo.si.edu/conservation