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Featured Animals – African Lion

Discover “everything lion” around the Zoo below; from news to adoptions, births, conservation programs, your own encounter options, animal experiences, shows, events and more.

African Lion Highlights

Adopt a Lion

Lion Demo Times

10 a.m.
Lion Enrichment
African Rift Valley
Have you ever seen a lion hunt or run? Our pride is eager to show off how they enjoy their exhibit.

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Everything African Lion

Member Conservation Vote Winners Announced

April 24, 2024

Last month, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members cast their votes to help the Zoo decide how to spend $75,000 of member conservation funds among six conservation projects vying for members’ support. The three projects with the most votes received the full funding they requested. The number of votes received for the remaining three projects helped CMZoo . . .

Delicate African Lion Re-Introductions Move Forward

February 29, 2024

African lions are working through a delicate transition in African Rift Valley. The lion keepers’ long-term goal is to provide healthy groupings and vital social interactions for the four related big cats, with Lomela, the mother, bridging the gap for her family. Aging parents, Abuto (12) and Lomela (16), their daughter, Elsa (8), and their . . .

Kenyan Conservation Partner, Ewaso Lions, Visits CMZoo to Inspire Staff and Get Hands-On with Big Cats

November 21, 2023

Ewaso Lions is a longtime member-supported conservation organization in Kenya dedicated to conserving lions and other large carnivores by promoting coexistence between people and wildlife. They provide local communities with conservation advocates, transportation, veterinary equipment and vaccinations for pet dogs, among other things. Since 2017, CMZoo members have sent more than $80,000 to support their . . .

African Lions Take Steps Towards New Social Groups

May 25, 2023

Last month, 7-year-old male African lion, Boma, moved to San Diego Zoo Safari Park after living with his brother, Aslan, for about five years. With Boma leaving for a new social group, African Rift Valley keepers are working to provide Aslan with new social opportunities here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Four African lions currently live . . .

CMZoo Announces 2023 Member Conservation Vote Winners

April 27, 2023

We are excited to announce the rankings of our annual Member Conservation Vote! When you become a member at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, you get to vote on which conservation projects we support. $75,000 of membership revenue is sent to support employee-championed field conservation partners around the world. Thanks to CMZoo members, five conservation efforts will . . .

Big Cats Are Making Big Moves To and From CMZoo

February 22, 2023

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is preparing for the arrival of a female Amur tiger, Mila [MEE-luh], in early March and the departure of a male African lion, Boma [BOH-muh], in late March. The two moves support their respective Species Survival Plans, but aren’t necessarily immediate breeding recommendations. Organizations accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums . . .

Animal Care Team Supports African Lions Through Ongoing Health Issues

November 23, 2022

At the end of August 2022, African Rift Valley keepers arrived to work to find Lomela, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 15-year-old African lion matriarch, was not acting like herself.

Pumpkin Enrichment with Hippos, Mountain Lions, Skunks and Elephants: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO

October 28, 2022

Pumpkin SMASH! It’s that time of year again! Not only are pumpkins a tasty treat, they also serve as exciting enrichment for a number of animals at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. As you can see, each animal has a different approach to ripping into a pumpkin. The hippos like to crunch the pumpkins with their powerful . . .

Play With Your Food! How Daily Feedings Enrich Our Animals In Partnership with Children’s Hospital Colorado

April 28, 2022

In the wild, animals spend a lot of time and energy foraging or hunting for food. Feeding our animals seems like a pretty fundamental task of animal care, but it’s more complicated than one might think. Just like our partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado talk about foods that can have calming effects for kids, we . . .

Let’s Talk Lions! Elsa, Boma and Aslan’s Primary Trainers Talk About The Siblings’ Relationships and Characteristics, and Look Back on Their Younger Years

June 24, 2021

On June 25, our African lion siblings turn six! It’s hard to believe it’s already been that long since the three adorable African lion cubs were born to parents Lomela and Abuto at CMZoo. Since then, they’ve grown gorgeous manes (for the boys), perfected their ground-shaking roars, learned voluntary husbandry behaviors, adjusted their family dynamics, . . .

CMZoo Announces 2021 Member Vote Conservation Funding Recipients

April 23, 2021

Last month, members cast their votes to help the Zoo decide how to spend $75,000 of member conservation funds among five conservation projects vying for support. The three projects with the most votes will receive the full funding they requested. The number of votes received for the remaining two projects will help CMZoo decide how . . .

CMZoo Member Conservation Vote Presents Opportunities to Fund New Projects and Ongoing Partnerships

March 25, 2021

Every membership and every visit to the Zoo is conservation in action. Since 2015, including this year’s contributions, the Member Conservation Vote has provided $525,000 of membership revenue to support field conservation worldwide. Each year, a total of $100,000 of membership revenue is contributed to conservation in two ways: “Our members are passionate about conservation . . .

Abuto’s Care Team Trains New Health Care Behaviors

January 28, 2021

Abuto, our 9-year-old African lion patriarch, is participating in impressive training that supports his ongoing health care, thanks to the creativity and dedication of his animal care team. We have been keeping you informed as Abuto’s kidney disease and high blood pressure progress, and these two new behaviors – a ‘drink’ cue and subcutaneous fluid . . .

New Trees for Colobus Monkeys and African Lions

November 26, 2020

Although admissions to the Zoo might slow down in the winter, behind the scenes, our team is constantly working to provide enriching habitats that support our animals’ natural behaviors and needs. Frank Haas, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo landscape architect and planner, often leads projects that enrich our animals’ lives, but which many Zoo goers may not . . .

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Bids Respectful Farewell to Zwena, African Lion

October 12, 2020

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo family is mourning the loss of Zwena, a 13-year-old female African lion who was born at the Zoo. Monday afternoon, Zwena’s care team made the difficult and humane decision to euthanize her due to progressive neurological issues and her declining health and quality of life. In July, we told you we . . .

Abuto, African Lion Patriarch, Under Close Monitoring for Changes in Health

September 24, 2020

Most people who have been to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have seen our African lions majestically gazing out over Colorado Springs from atop Pride Rock, or hanging out on the perches and heated floors in their Relaxation Room. Abuto, CMZoo’s 9-year-old African lion pride patriarch, is an amazing ambassador for his species, having formed countless connections . . .

CMZoo Makes Adjustments to Support Zwena’s Health

July 30, 2020

CMZoo’s animal care and veterinary teams are working hard to make Zwena, a 13-year-old African lioness who was born at CMZoo in 2007, as safe and comfortable as possible as she deals with increasing mobility issues. The 13-year-old sister to Lomela and aunt to Elsa, Boma and Aslan, has been showing symptoms that her team . . .

CMZoo Announces Annual Member Conservation Vote Rankings

April 30, 2020

Every membership and every visit to the Zoo is conservation in action. Although Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members can’t visit right now, they’re actively participating in important efforts to help wild animals. Since 2015, including this year’s contributions, the Member Conservation Vote has provided $450,000 of membership revenue to support field conservation worldwide. Each year, a . . .

African Rift Valley

One Exhibit. Endless Adventures. Immerse yourself in up-close animal encounters and interactive learning experiences in an open space similar to the African savanna. Interact with our giraffes and look for the chance to hand-feed them, too! We have one of North America’s largest giraffe herds, the result of a prolific breeding program with more than 200 births since 1954. You’ll also see African lions, Grant’s zebra, vultures, Red River hogs, colobus monkeys, okapi – and even get to go inside a life-sized 900-year-old baobab tree replica!

How Enrichment and Training Benefit CMZoo Animals

August 29, 2019

In humans, physical activity not only benefits physical health but mental health as well. At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the training and enrichment the animals can choose to participate in are also beneficial. Research has shown that kids who have moderate physical activity in their day show increased attention, comprehension and learning ability, as our sponsor, . . .

Meet & Feed An Animal

Once in a lifetime Opportunities Select your unique experience from the following options: Meet & Greets – unique animal interactions year-round, with any one of our smaller animals listed below. Animal Encounters – connect with amazing animals and their Keepers, plus options to feed many of the animals listed. V.I.P. Tours – behind-the-scenes exclusive animal . . .

V.I.P. Small Group Tours

Custom Memories for a Lifetime. Book a world-class V.I.P. Tour at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Treat yourself and your fellow animal lovers to an experience of a lifetime! Go behind-the-scenes to meet, feed, or train your favorite animals. Learn more...

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Announces Member Conservation Vote Grant Winners

May 7, 2019

Each year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members vote to select which CMZoo staff-championed conservation projects will receive funding. This year, $75,000 was allocated to support projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, Kenya, Laos, Vietnam, and right here, in Colorado Springs. Since 2015, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo member conservation grants have $375,000 of membership revenue to support field conservation worldwide

Annual Member Vote Keeps CMZoo on the Frontlines of Conservation

March 28, 2019

Since 2015, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Member Conservation Grants has provided $300,000 of membership revenue to support field conservation worldwide. Last year, members voted to fund projects from Central Asia to right here in Colorado. Once again, it is time for members to help CMZoo decide which staff-championed conservation projects will receive full funding. It . . .

Special Edition Art

This animal may have unique artwork available on a limited basis. These animals also are available for Loft Animal Experiences. This Special Edition artwork is produced on unique occasions by an individual animal or a combination of animals contributing to the final piece. Shop the Special Edition Art Gallery to purchase your one-of-a-kind piece of art and discover more.

Adopt Choices for African Lions

Support your favorites with digital, traditional, gift package, and group adoptions. Gifting any adopt choice is available by simply completing the gift area at checkout.

Endangered Species at the Zoo

Are They in Danger of Extinction? Animals listed here may have a threatened or endangered conservation status with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN).

Adopt an Animal

Foster any animal and you’ll help Cheyenne Mountain Zoo continue to provide outstanding care. Whether given as a gift or used to celebrate a favorite species, symbolic adoptions come with a variety of benefits only adoptive parents can enjoy. Ways to adopt your favorites: Digital Adoption – ($35) choose any Zoo animal from the full . . .

African Lion Encounter

Meet this Animal Up-close.

Enjoy experiences of a lifetime, fantastic photo-ops and feeding or enrichment opportunities with your favorite! Cheyenne Mountain Zoo takes a lot of “pride” in how we care for our African lions.

While visiting our “mane” attractions you may:

Get to tour the indoor lion enclosure and learn what it takes to care for these big cats.
Watch some of the lions’ husbandry training.
Enjoy a chance to feed a lion, by tossing food to one of them.

Meet Abuto, CMZoo’s African Lion Patriarch

January 31, 2019

Animal Encounter Abuto, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s seven-year-old male African lion, often wows guests with his remarkable roar, striking mane and impressive intelligence. He has many roles, including ambassador, inspiration and patriarch. Abuto is father to males Aslan and Boma, and to female Elsa, who were all born at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on June 25, 2015. . . .

Way Beyond Watching

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