Smithsonian National Zoo #10: The Asian Trail

I am nothing if not consistent.  Once again, I have visited the Smithsonian National Zoo and found no Sloth Bears in their impressive and expansive habitat.  I've been going regularly since 1994, and I've NEVER seen them out.  So if this is an animal that you really want to see, a word to the wise--go on your own on a day when I'm not planning on visiting!  The broader reality of going on this drizzly cool day was that in this part of the zoo, about half of the species were not out.  No Cloud Leopard, no Red Panda, no Small Clawed Asian Otters, and the Fishing Cat was securely curled up in a little faux rock hut barely visible to the naked eye.  Others might find this depressing, I don't.  I think of it as the way of nature.  Animals are not performers.  They don't owe me shit.  I am a guest in their home.  Whatever I get is a gift.

To that end, both of the male Giant Panda's were out.  3-year-old Bei Bei was sitting under a tree munching on bamboo.  His 21-year-old father, Tian Tian was exploring at first, and then also settled into to a late lunch of bamboo.  The female Mei Xiang was not out.  She generally is out less than the others from my experience.

Across the way four of the five older female Asian Elephants were out in the larger yard, while the breeding pair, Maharani and Spike were together in the side yard.  While I can't always tell the ladies apart, Spike has tusks.  Only male Asian Elephants have tusks.  By contrast, both genders of African Elephants grow tusks.