Description: In celebration of over a century of volunteer contributions at the Smithsonian, explore the work of some stellar volunteers from our collection.
Description: A brief biographical sketch of Roxie Laybourne, an Ornithologist who specialized in feather identification and pioneered the field of forensic ornithology.
Description: 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of Smokey Bear, and, considering the rise in wildfires during the past decade, Smokey and his message of wildfire prevention and wildlife preservation is needed now more than ever. The U. S. Forest Service maintains a very informative website regarding Smokey’s history and a wealth of wildfire statistics may be found on the National Interagency
Description: The National Zoological Park was conceived by William Temple Hornaday and established by an act of Congress in 1889. The Smithsonian’s collection of living animals was originally intended to aid taxidermists’ studies, but Smithsonian Secretaries Spencer F. Baird and Samuel P. Langley helped expand the small menagerie’s purpose. Today it houses over 2,000 animals of around 400