Results tagged “thenationalzoo”

>> Yesterday we profiled Five Four, the hardest working all girl band in the city, with the cutest shoes, in a Three Stars piece. Tonight you can see those shoes up close and personal at DC9, $8. If that's not the dose of local music you were hoping for tonight, how about Meredith Bragg at the Black Cat, or Gist at Iota?

>> Mayor Adrian Fenty has chosen Clark Ray to serve as the city’s director of the Department of Parks and Recreation. Ray was previously the Director of the Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services. >> D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier has called for her third summertime "All Hands on Deck" initiative for Monday and Tuesday, to coincide with Tuesday's National Night Out. The last "All Hands on Deck," when Lanier requires all MPD...

Tai Shan, aka Butterstick, is 2 years old today. The National Zoo gave the furball a birthday treat made of apples, pears, and bamboo frozen in beet juice and water -- and a giant number 2 that apparently scared him quite a bit when it fell over. It's no beersicle, but it'll do. Happy birthday from all of your pals at DCist, Tai Shan.

OK, one more time, can someone explain to us the shrewd scheduling of the Super Bowl for Sunday night every year? We wake up on Monday, still stuffed with unhealthy amounts of sausage and seven layer dip, and more than a little bit hungover. How are we expected to work under these conditions? So we're making this proposal to The Man, right here, right now: make the day after the Super Bowl a holiday....

When Butterstick's official name was to be chosen, the National Zoo put the decision in the hands of us, the normal folk. Now they're looking to do the same with the three newest additions to the zoo's stock -- the tiger cubs.

Yesterday we broached the idea of getting rid of the zoo's elephants, freeing them of their tight digs in Woodley Park and sending them someplace where they could romp around as nature intended. Today, we have two updates. It seems that things might not be as bad as we thought.

Well, being that it's Friday, make that three happy thoughts. But given that today marks the start of the World Cup and the last day that we'll hopefully ever have Tom DeLay in Washington, it's looking to be a great day. Host country Germany kicks off the tournament against Costa Rica -- this DCist's favored team -- today at noon, at which time DeLay will be packing boxes in his Capitol Hill office and trying...

Yesterday I received the latest edition of Zoogoer, the magazine for members of Friends of the National Zoo. On the back, there is an advertisement for the upcoming ZooFari benefit, the theme of which is "Black and White Night." Of course there is an adorable photo of a certain baby panda. The tagline? "Everything goes better with Butter." Yes, the National Zoo acknowledged in one of its print publications that everyone refers to Tai Shan as Butterstick. (I believe the copy says Tai Shan is "affectionately known as Butterstick.")

The National Zoo has made great strides in its animal care since 2000. Between that year and 2005, the Zoo lost red pandas to rat poison, zebras to starvation and hypothermia, an oryx from neglect after delivering a baby, and a handful of other animals from various seemingly preventable causes. Just last year, the Zoo lost a healthy camel and was forced to euthanize a giraffe after unsuccessful surgery to remove a tumor.

Good morning, Washington. We hope you had an enjoyable weekend - whether it was checking out the D.C. United game (they tied Chicago 0-0 and will play again next weekend), discovering the FSM in the Metro, or checking out Howard's homecoming. Be prepared for wet weather today - today will be cloudy with rain developing later in the day and temperatures in the 50s.

Good morning, Washington. Today will be mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms. Stadium Planning Process Contentious: What do you get when you mix the D.C. Sports and Entertainment Commission, Major League Baseball, the fragil egos D.C. government, and a red-hot real estate market in Near Southeast? The answer is a convoluted planning process described by the Post in an article today where the architect has conflicting instructions and city leaders can't seem...

The National Zoo conducted their second exam on the as-yet unnamed panda cub yesterday, confirming not only that the baby is indeed a boy (not evident from the picture -- that's its tail, silly) but that panda moms love their babies. Hearing the little guy squeal made Mei Xiang

become agitated and run around the enclosure. She defecated and also vocalized, producing sharp high-pitched barks. After was reunited with her cub and had the cub in her arms, Mei settled down quickly.

Good morning, Washington. There's a 70 percent chance of showers today in both the morning and afternoon, so remember to bring along an umbrella. Temps will max out at the positively cool lower 80s. Aziz Gökdemir uploaded this photo of the Awakening statue to DCist photos. The huge statue can be found on Hains Point.

Mei Xiang may be with child! We repeat: Mei Xiang may be with child! The National Zoo is reporting that the panda that zoologists artificially inseminated back in March may be pregnant. That's what hormore levels indicate. But it may be just a "pseudo pregnancy," something that will be keeping panda lovers everywhere on pins and needles. Mei Xiang went through two such pseudo pregnancies in 2003 and 2004.

Martha's Poncho Is Hot Stuff: Who knew that a fashion trend from West Virginia could send women everywhere searching for knitting patterns? But it's true, says that Post, which details how Martha Stewart's now-famous prison departure garb is inspiring those in the knitting world to re-create it. Kelly Ann Collins' Socialiate Reporter notes on the fashion trend: I was glad when this look went out with those Free Winona t-shirts. But unfortunately, thanks to Ms....

An Undeclared Williams Plays Offensive: Mayor Anthony Williams, who has yet to say whether he will seek a third term, has called out a few people who are eyeing his position. According to the Post, Ward 4's eager councilmember, Adrian Fenty, was at the top of the mayor's list saying there should be "some threshold qualifications that you bring to the table." Also on Williams hit list: troubled lobbyist Michael Brown who the mayor says...

To add to your Web repertoire of animal cam viewing, the National Zoo now has a camera focused on the new cheetahs born at the zoo in November.

The Smithsonian's National Zoological Park is seeking to increase the number and variety of animals on display after their collection has decreased by half since 1992, the AP is reporting. The change comes at a time when the Zoo has recently begun a director search, perhaps indicating that institution is turning over a new leaf in its history, after a number of notable animal deaths at the zoo from neglect, accidental poisoning or attacks from predators crawling in from Rock Creek Park.