Seriously, sometimes it's just beyond ridiculous the way the Smithsonian National Zoo toys with our emotions. Like with this pair of red pandas. more ›

The National Zoo is looking to name the last of its red panda cubs, and it's partnered with NBC4 to let the public decide what the little half-fox, half-raccoon red furball of wonderfulness shall be called. more ›

This week we were saddened to hear that, for the sixth time, Mei Xiang did not have a Butterstick in the oven. But these cuddly pictures should tamp down some of the sturm und drang. more ›

Aw, man. Very sad news to report from the National Zoo today -- a three-week-old red panda cub has died. A zookeeper found the cub yesterday during an evening inspection. The Zoo's press release indicates that the extreme heat was likely not the reason the cub died; rather, red panda cubs just have a shockingly high mortality rate (50 percent!) in captivity. The cub was the first red panda to be born at the Zoo in 15 years, and the first-born for the Zoo's adult red pandas, Shama and Tate. more ›

This new video from the National Zoo is edited without any real narrative in mind, but it sure does feature a lot of cute baby animals! Take a look for your first glimpse of the Zoo's new baby red panda, along with video images of the newest clouded leopard cub and the Przewalski’s horse foal. more ›

In our frenzy to celebrate the birth of another fuzzy-wuzzy clouded leopard cub, we failed to report that two other baby animals were also born at the National Zoo in the last few days. more ›

The National Zoo got a new male red panda, Tate, from the Cape May Zoo in New Jersey over the weekend. They've already introduced him to Shama, the Zoo's female red panda, and he reportedly "immediately exhibited breeding behavior." Tate, it seems, is something of a ladies man. A bow-chicka-bow-wow from DCist to you, sir. more ›