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National Capital AAZK Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from National Capital AAZK, Nonprofit Organization, 216 Najoles Road, Suite 600, Millersville, MD.

As a chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, National Capital is a 501c3 organization dedicated to inspiring leadership in animal care and promoting conservation action for our members in the greater DC area.

Keeper shoutout of the month!NCAAZK member Esther Wray from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo presented ‘Little Diddy About...
10/09/2026

Keeper shoutout of the month!

NCAAZK member Esther Wray from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo presented ‘Little Diddy About Manny and Cayenne’ at the annual virtual Tamandua Species Survival Plan institutional representative meeting. Here are some words from Esther:

My presentation was about Manny and Cayenne, our two male tamanduas and how they were housed together successfully for years.  It was not intentional as we were under the impression Cayenne was female and they were a breeding recommendation.   Based off behaviors we had seen, and a reproduction exam, it turned out that Cayenne was a CayMan 😝 .  They had been living well together, so we just let them be 😊.  When a female (Chiquita) did become available we attempted to intro Manny to her but unfortunately, she succumbed to chronic health issues and we didn’t get very far.  The boy’s relationship did not change!  They lived together from 2015-2023 when they had to be separated due to separate health issues.  But they still had playdates and those lasted until March of 2024.  Manny was euthanized at the age of 19 On May 6th  2024 and Cayenne at the age of 10 on May 15th 2024 due to quality of life from their health issues.  They were the best boys ❤

I love seeing awesome work from awesome people! Go Esther!

NCAAZK and GBAAZK present to you... Bar trivia at the Burtonsville Greene Turtle! NCAAZK and GBAAZK will be facing off h...
10/03/2026

NCAAZK and GBAAZK present to you... Bar trivia at the Burtonsville Greene Turtle! NCAAZK and GBAAZK will be facing off head-to-head in a fierce battle of fun facts, and whichever team wins has the funds raised from registration donated to a conservation organization of their choice! The registration of a single person is $10, and for a full team of 8, it is $70. Early registration is required to give the bar a headcount! See you there!!!

Tacoma, you’re beautiful! The 2026 AAZK Annual Conference was a BLAST! Thank you Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Point ...
09/25/2026

Tacoma, you’re beautiful! The 2026 AAZK Annual Conference was a BLAST! Thank you Northwest Trek Wildlife Park and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium for having us, and to all the wonderful people who presented posters. And of course… thank you aazkinc for curating such an unforgettable trip!

Did you know that at the beginning of the 20th century, 500,000 rhinos roamed the Earth? Then, in the 70s, their populat...
09/10/2026

Did you know that at the beginning of the 20th century, 500,000 rhinos roamed the Earth? Then, in the 70s, their population numbers dropped to 70,000. Today, around 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild. Please join us and the Greater Baltimore AAZK Chapter in their annual fundraiser night at So Pro in Baltimore to benefit the conservation of the rhinos we have left today!

Do you like b**r? Do you like turtles? Great! Join us Sept 12th, 1- 5 p.m. in DC at Juneberry Garage (6810 Cameron Dr NW...
09/05/2026

Do you like b**r? Do you like turtles? Great! Join us Sept 12th, 1- 5 p.m. in DC at Juneberry Garage (6810 Cameron Dr NW) for a night of live music, paint and sips, and cold b**r to support the Turtle Survival Alliance in their efforts to protect our shelly friends! Check out their page for more information! Shmell ya later. 🐢

Keeper shoutout of the month! Chloe is a senior conservation educator at Eco Adventures and with a passion for all thing...
08/22/2026

Keeper shoutout of the month! Chloe is a senior conservation educator at Eco Adventures and with a passion for all things avian and reptilian! Through her public speaking, it is clear that Chloe strives to spread conservational awareness through being both educational and silly when needed! Go Chloe! 🦜🐊

As National Zoo Keeper Week draws to a close, share a message about what NZKW means to you and be sure to follow along w...
07/25/2026

As National Zoo Keeper Week draws to a close, share a message about what NZKW means to you and be sure to follow along with NCAAZK on social media as we highlight excellence in the field amongst staff from SNZCBI and Eco Adventures!

From Shelby, a keeper on the Bird House team: “One of the highlights of my career has been the opportunity to take part ...
07/24/2026

From Shelby, a keeper on the Bird House team:
“One of the highlights of my career has been the opportunity to take part in field work in Panama and experience the habitats that inform the work I do every day. Alongside Melissa Mazurkewicz, Senior Program Manager for Latin America with the Bird Friendly Coffee Program, I visited shade-grown coffee farms in Boquete that are promoting biodiversity while conserving the surrounding forests. Seeing firsthand how these farming practices create complex habitats where resident and migratory birds can thrive was incredibly inspiring. Observing species I care for in our Bird Friendly Coffee Farm Aviary interacting with their natural environment gave me fresh ideas for habitat design and enrichment while deepening my understanding of their behavior. This field work reinforced how closely animal care, conservation, and education are connected.”

NCAAZK member Erica Royer works at the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute, where she is one of the world’s exp...
07/23/2026

NCAAZK member Erica Royer works at the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute, where she is one of the world’s experts on Sihek (Todiramphus cinnamominus), an extinct-in-the-wild bird species native to Guam. Through captive breeding efforts, Sihek have been successfully released in Palmyra Atoll, and 2026 marks a promising year for propagation, with hopes of introducing additional captive-bred individuals to the wild breeding population. This conservation effort is multi-institutional, with the Guam Department of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Zoological Society of London, and The Nature Conservancy serving as partners with the Smithsonian Institution.

A mid-week break from field and conservation highlights! Events like NZKW wouldn’t be possible without our peers’ invol...
07/22/2026

A mid-week break from field and conservation highlights! Events like NZKW wouldn’t be possible without our peers’ involvement in leading the organization. Thank you to NCAAZK officers Paul, Hilary, Chloe, and Tin as well as keepers with important roles in AAZK’s Committees and Programs including Nikki, Katy, Diana, and Sara. And thank you to all of NCAAZK’s members (past, present, and future) for your work and support of the chapter!

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216 Najoles Road, Suite 600
Millersville, MD
21108

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