The Smithsonian’s National Zoo has added an adorable new member to its herd of elephants. Linh Mai, a baby elephant born in February, makes her public debut on Wednesday, April 22. Here’s what you need know before you plan your visit.
Seeing the Elephants
The zoo’s Elephant Community Center has been closed for the public since Linh Mai was born on February 2. The zoo closed the area to allow her to bond with her herdmates and caretakers.
Ahead of the full debut, zoo members had the chance to see Linh Mai in an exclusive preview. On Wednesday, April 22 (Earth Day), the exhibit will be fully open to visitors. The livestreamed Elephant Cam will also resume.
When visiting Linh Mai and the other six elephants in the herd, zoo officials recommend dressing for the weather and wearing comfortable shoes. The Elephant Trails area is a 114,000-square foot exhibit with a range of indoor, outdoor, and off-exhibit areas. Guest services members will be available to direct visitors toward Linh Mai.
Painting Giveaway
The zoo is offering members and non-members a chance to win an original painting done by Linh Mai’s parents, Spike and Nhi Lin. As part of the zoo’s enrichment activities, Spike and Nhi Lin decorated the 16-by-20-inch canvas with nontoxic paint. It includes a footprint from Spike and a splatter of paint from Nhi Lin, who used her trunk to blow paint through gathered straws.
You can enter the giveaway on the zoo’s website for free until noon on Friday, April 24; the zoo will pick a winner at random.
Visiting the Zoo
Zoo admission is free but does require a reserved entry pass for all guests, including children and babies. Parking passes are $30 in advance or $40 day-of. You can book entry passes and parking passes online within 30 days of the expected visit.
A limited amount of same-day passes are available at zoo entrances, pending capacity. But it’s wise to book in advance — on Saturday, April 18, the zoo announced it had reached capacity before 8:30 a.m.
The zoo warns that parking spots are limited and often sell out during peak visiting periods.
For those arriving by car or bus, the zoo’s entrance is at 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. The walk-in only entrance is at the Harvard Street Bridge. By Metro, the zoo is close to both the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan and Cleveland Park stations.
Feature image courtesy Smithsonian National Zoo
