Exhibition
Great Cats
Some of the top predators on the planet live at the Great Cats exhibit—African lions, Sumatran tigers, and Amur tigers. At each enclosure, visitors can learn about the cats’ characteristics, including social structure, hunting, reproduction, and the Zoo’s efforts to care for and conserve these species.
Three outdoor habitats can also be viewed on the zoo website's Lion Cam. Visitors may catch a glimpse of the cats patrolling the edge of the moat. On hot days, the cats—and Sumatran tigers, in particular—may choose to take a swim!
Nearby, the African bat-eared fox and Canada lynx habitats are located on a pathway near Think Tank. The black-tailed prairie dog habitat is located just across Olmsted Walk from Great Cats.
On View At
Founded in 1889, the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute sits on 163 acres in the heart of Washington, D.C.’s Rock Creek Park and is home to more than 2,100 animals representing almost 400 different species.
Washington, DC
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (Mar. 15–Sept. 14)
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (Sept. 15–Mar. 14)
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (Sept. 15–Mar. 14)