
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ROAM
Orangutans once ruled the treetops throughout the tropical forests of Asia. Now they live only in Sumatra, in Borneo, and in captivity. Orangutans at the National Zoo have a “transit system” where they pass over the public courtyard. Visitors can look overhead, watching the way their bodies were designed to move.

AMBASSADORS TO THE WILD
Pandas are ambassadors for the cause of animal conservation. An endangered species, these black and white beauties hold the spotlight at the National Zoo. Housed along the Zoo’s “Asia Trail,” the giant panda exhibit is designed to mimic wild panda habitat in China.

THE LIFE OF A ZOO VET
National Zoo veterinarians work with 2,800 different animals and hundreds of different species. A typical day may take them from a panda ultrasound, to ape training, to tending to a sick golden lion tamarin. A pregnant anteater? Not a problem for these specialists.