A visit to the free Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park in Washington DC is always worth it, even if the weather might be inclement.

I captured a few of my favorite animals who just happened to be quite active today!

Take a look at those very active Asian small clawed otters! It was close to feeding time for them as they kept running around waiting for their keeper. After feeding, they dove in and out of the water, chased each other around and a few even wrestled each other. The keeper informed us they the otters seemed well aware of the audience and seemed to have missed people back in January when there was the government spending freeze and the zoo was closed.

Sloths are more often known for their relative lack of activity, but this Hoffman’s two-toed sloth seemed to be very busy today. This one shared its exhibit with a Lion Tamarin Monkey who really wanted to snuggle with the sloth, using it as a hammock. The sloth only seemed half-heartedly amenable to this idea! That interaction is not in this video, however.

I was very fortunate to stop by the Giant Panda exhibit when it was about snack time. The keeper had come along with some pears so one of the pandas came walking out toward everyone. If you’d like to take a peek at them, visit the Panda Cam.