African lion Archives - Page 2 of 4

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 work to present our animals’ special diets in ways that nourish their bodies and support their natural instincts.

Wild animals have to solve problems and exert physical energy to feed themselves, which is good for their physical fitness and their mental well-being. Here at the Zoo, we provide opportunities for our animals to fulfill their instinctive hunting or foraging behaviors by hanging food high, or burying it, or placing it in a puzzle feeder that requires focus and dexterity to reach.

“We work hard to create environments and provide daily activities that enrich our animals’ lives, but some people might not immediately recognize that their meals are another opportunity for enrichment,” said Rachael Hahn, lead keeper in African Rift Valley. “I get to work with one of the most iconic hunting species out there: African lions. In the wild and in human care, African lions typically sleep 20 to 22 hours a day, but when they’re active, they’re certainly making up for lost time. They’re unbelievably smart, incredibly strong and as confident as they come.”

Hahn and her team in African Rift Valley make meal time mentally and physically stimulating for Abuto, the 10-year-old pride patriarch; Lomela, 14-year-old matriarch; Elsa, their 6-year-old daughter; and Boma and Aslan, their 6-year-old sons. In addition to scattering food throughout their large yard, the team hangs big pieces of meat up high in a tree for our African lions, so they have to climb up and drag it down, like they would do with some prey in the wild.

“We have been doing this for a couple of years where guests can see it, and the lions seem to really enjoy working for their rewards,” said Hahn. “We also put meat inside some of their giant plastic boomer balls, and have seen the lions ‘playing’ more often, even when food isn’t involved. I’ve seen Lomela, who’s nearly 15, playing with toys like she’s a kitten again. Since making this addition to their routine, we’ve seen them exhibiting calmer behaviors at other times of the day, which is a great indication that they’re mentally fulfilled thanks to these additional opportunities to solve problems.”

Water’s Edge: Africa keepers provide meal-driven enrichment opportunities for the high-energy, intelligent residents of Lemur Island, too. The ring-tailed lemurs at CMZoo get the chance to frequently dine-and-dash, because their meals encourage them to, and the family’s diets are rarely presented in the same way.

“Lemurs are one of few primate species that forage from the ground, up high in the trees, and everywhere in between,” said Al Carrier, Water’s Edge: Africa keeper. “They’re super smart, so we get creative finding new places to stash their food. It’s kind of like an Easter egg hunt every time we place their meals on Lemur Island for them, and it’s fun to watch them scurry and leap around, finding their delicious rewards.”

Keepers also use puzzle feeders that the lemurs can use their long fingers and impressive fine motor skills to retrieve food from. They hang food in spheres that require the lemurs to stretch, climb and leap to reach. They also get seasonal delicacies, like browse.

“In the wild, lemurs eat tree leaves and buds, so we provide that as often as possible for our lemurs,” said Carrier. “We bring in fresh browse – otherwise known as tree branches – from our community and sometimes from our shipping container farm, here at the Zoo. They love to search for the buds on those branches in the spring because they make a nice sweet treat.”

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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, and inspired thousands of people. A lot has changed, but some things – like how feisty Elsa, the only daughter, is – stay the same.

The African lion habitat at CMZoo includes a variety of spaces for the groups to explore separately. When 9-year-old dad, Abuto, almost-14-year-old mom, Lomela, and Elsa are together enjoying the indoor Relaxation Room or off-exhibit maternity yard, brothers Aslan and Boma might be exploring the yard that overlooks African Rift Valley.

When the boys, Boma and Aslan, were about a year-and-a-half old, Abuto told them it was time to go on their own, so the boys formed a coalition of their own. This happens in the wild, and we mimic that social dynamic here at the Zoo. African lions are unique, being the only big cats that typically live in groups in the wild.

Boma and Aslan have a strong relationship and can often be found lounging together at the top of their yard on the large rocks overlooking Colorado Springs.

“These two are really bonded,” said Diana Miller, senior keeper in African Rift Valley, and Boma’s primary trainer. “Boma can be a little guarded over his favorite toys, like half boomer balls that he will carry up to the top bench or put in a corner to keep all for himself.”

Boma has always been the largest of the siblings, but not always the bravest. He has a few favorite people, like his keepers, who he will greet with a head rub on the fence between them, but generally prefers to watch most activity from a distance. He’s most confident when his brother is nearby.

“He really relies on his brother when it comes to investigating new things in his environment,” said Miller. “He’s curious, but he’s not usually willing to be the first to check things out.”

Although hesitant, Boma is a quick learner and seems to enjoy training. His keepers love to demonstrate Boma’s smarts with a voluntary behavior they call ‘where is your toy?’. This is a physical and mental challenge for Boma, who receives positive reinforcement for interacting with enrichment items on cue. The tricky thing is, each time, the lion needs to interact with something different.

“When we ask him to do this behavior, Boma will slowly approach something in the area, tap it with his paw and come back to us,” said Miller. “It just shows how different each individual is, because we do this same behavior with Abuto, and he will run over and smack things with such enthusiasm. Boma prefers to take his time, and that’s just fine with us.”

Boma weighs in at 470 pounds. He has darker fur, amber colored eyes and more freckles on his nose, compared to Aslan. Aslan has had a crinkly right ear since he was born, which helps many guests tell him apart from his brother. Aslan is slightly smaller, at 440 pounds, and is lighter in color than Boma.

While Boma takes after his dad’s appearances, Aslan’s personality is just like Abuto’s. Because of their laid-back approach to life, Aslan and Abuto do most of the behind-the-scenes encounters with guests.

“Aslan is really mellow and vocal,” said Kayla Ringuette, African Rift Valley keeper and Aslan’s primary trainer. “He makes little baby noises when he trains, just like he did when he was a cub and we started working together. He was such a sweet-natured and curious cub. Aslan still likes to interact with his keepers and guests, but as an adult, he’s also confident lounging on his heated floors in the mornings. He’ll come over and greet us on his own timeline, rather than rushing over like he did as a cub.”

He’s also the goofiest of the bunch, according to his keepers. But, he’s quite the scholar when it comes to training. Aslan is trained for a voluntary ‘drink’ and blood draw behaviors, just like his dad.

“Abuto has kidney issues, so we keep a close eye on the boys and train them proactively so that if we need to help them, it’s a behavior they’re comfortable with,” said Ringette. “He also gives blood voluntarily, like Abuto, so we can monitor his blood values. These behaviors will be really helpful if Aslan ever develops any kidney problems, which are unfortunately relatively common in big cats.”

Aslan’s favorite enrichment is the huge, 55-gallon barrels that keepers place throughout the lions’ yards and indoor spaces. Guests can get an idea of how powerful the lions are by witnessing the damage they can do to the incredibly thick barrels.

“He loves dragging all of the barrels into one spot in a den or in the ‘cave’ in the big yard,” said Ringuette. “The barrels seem like fun for him, but they also allow him to mimic the natural behaviors of dragging a meal home as he would in the wild. That sort of enrichment helps keep him physically and mentally stimulated, along with training and other activities.”

Elsa may be the smallest of the siblings, but keepers say she’s the feistiest. Even at just a few months old, when she still lived with her brothers, she would push right past them to get to food. Now, she lives in a pride with her mom and dad, and has a very bonded relationship with them. At 340 pounds, the only daughter of the pride weighs 200 pounds less than Abuto, but still takes every chance she can to wrestle with him.

“She loves to play more than any of the other lions, and we frequently see her initiating play with Abuto and Lomela,” said Rachael Hahn, senior keeper in African Rift Valley and Elsa’s primary trainer. “If she sees her brothers in a separate space, she’ll duck behind something and pop back up like she’s playing ‘peek-a-boo,’ and Boma will sometimes play along.”

A true lioness, Elsa likes to hunt. Hahn says one of her favorite behaviors to see Elsa do is called ‘attack the buffalo.’ This behavior, which involves a water buffalo statue in their main yard, is another way to encourage the lions to exercise their natural strengths while demonstrating their impressive agility and power to guests.

“When Elsa gets her ‘buffalo’ training cue, she will run over to the statue, jump onto it and grab the buffalo’s back, just as hunting lions do in the wild,” said Hahn. “The buffalo’s back is about four feet from the ground, so the leap itself is really impressive. It keeps her agile and active, and hopefully helps our guests fall in love with lions, so they can help us protect them in the wild.”

In March 2021, members voted to fund a pet vaccination program, called Kura’s Pride, managed by our long-time conservation partner, Ewaso Lions, based in northern Kenya. These vaccines can help prevent life threatening diseases, like rabies and distemper, from being transmitted from pet dogs and cats to wild carnivores, like African lions, that live in the area. The team has administered more than 800 vaccines since starting the outreach program a month after the member vote. CMZoo funding provided local communities with trained personnel, vehicles, veterinary equipment, and materials to make collars used to identify vaccinated dogs and cats.

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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 to distribute the remaining funds.

“This annual vote is another reminder that a membership to CMZoo helps save wildlife and wild places, and we’re grateful that our members have allowed us to do this for six years now,” said Dr. Liza Dadone, vice president of mission and programs at CMZoo. “In addition to supporting our legacy projects through Quarters for Conservation, the membership funds allow us to consider new projects and to act quickly in conservation crises, like we did last year when we sent $20,000 to Australia bush fire recovery efforts. It’s inspiring to see our members so passionate about conservation.”

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:

$25,000 to the Quarters for Conservation program, which in total contributes half a million dollars on average annually to CMZoo’s legacy conservation partners.
$75,000 to projects voted for by CMZoo members through this annual vote.

This year’s conservation project recipients, in order of votes received, are:

Reforest a wildlife corridor and help save ORANGUTANS in Borneo – FULLY FUNDED ($20,000)
In support of two established organizations working to save species in Southeast Asia, this grant will help the HUTAN organization provide tools and funds to local women reforesting the Genting Wildlife Corridor. It will also help the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) repair orangutan rehabilitation islands damaged by a devastating flood. The HUTAN corridor is an important animal ‘wildway’ that will connect virgin rainforest with a wildlife sanctuary and is needed by hundreds of species in the area, like orangutans and Asian forest elephants. The BOSF grant provides emergency funds to reopen islands used for orangutan housing and forest school prior to release.
Track AMERICAN BLACK BEAR movements in Colorado – FULLY FUNDED ($14,500)
In a new partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, this grant will fund the placement of GPS collars on black bear juveniles to collect information about their movements and habitat use after rehabilitation and reintroduction. This valuable data will support ongoing efforts to reduce human-bear wildlife conflicts in the Pikes Peak Region. One of the main drivers of human-bear conflicts is unsecured trash, which serves as a strong attractant for bears. Unfortunately, female bears with cubs can be drawn to unsecured trash and human-wildlife conflicts can then lead to orphaned bear juveniles. Colorado Parks and Wildlife rescues and rehabilitates these young bears, and releases them once they are old enough to live successfully in the wild. As human developments sprawl into historical bear habitat, this data could guide solutions to keep bears safe and behaving like wild bears.

Protect LIONS, CHEETAHS and WILD DOGS from diseases – FULLY FUNDED ($23,600)
Through a long-time partnership with Ewaso Lions, this organization aims to protect lions and other large carnivores by vaccinating pet dogs in northern Kenya. This funding will support a pet vaccination program by providing local communities with trained personnel, vehicles, veterinary equipment, and materials to make collars that will identify vaccinated dogs. These vaccines can prevent life-threatening diseases like rabies and distemper from being spread from pet dogs to wild carnivores.
Support more agroforestry to protect OKAPI habitat – PARTIALLY FUNDED ($13,225)
In a continued partnership with the Okapi Conservation Project (OCP), this grant will provide farmers with tools, seeds, natural fertilizers and education in sustainable agriculture practices. Funds will also support reforestation in the region. Found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, okapi are threatened by slash-and-burn agriculture and poaching. This program empowers local communities to produce food sustainably, safeguard water resources, and generate income, while reducing their economic dependence on mining and poaching, thus protecting okapi in the long run. Over the last year, OCP has distributed over 65,000 kg of seedlings and over 62,000 kg of food seeds to more than 900 farmers in the region. Even more exciting, they have been visited by a wild okapi, which is extremely rare.
Continue the banding, monitoring, and protection of CROWNED CRANES – PARTIALLY FUNDED ($3,675)
This grant will fund the banding of 100 East African crowned crane chicks and support data collection to guide future conservation efforts for this species. This project will also establish a Crane Custodian Program, training local community members to advocate for and assist with crane data collection – a crucial component of crane conservation, especially during COVID-related travel restrictions. Found in Kenya, the East African crowned crane has seen a dramatic decrease in population over the last four years. In a continued partnership, the International Crane Foundation and the Leiden Conservation Foundation are collaborating to learn more about this species in order to stabilize its population.

“We’re excited to continue supporting our members’ wishes to fund frontline conservation projects with membership revenue through this annual conservation vote,” said Emma Repp-Maxwell, CMZoo membership manager. “It was interesting to see that the two brand-new projects, orangutans and black bears, placed first and second. We’ll provide updates as these projects launch or continue, depending on the project, throughout the year, so stay tuned!”

For more information about how to become a CMZoo member, and the many benefits that memberships provide, visit cmzoo.org/membership.

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$25,000 to the Quarters for Conservation program, which in total contributes half a million dollars on average annually to CMZoo’s legacy conservation partners.
$75,000 to projects voted for by CMZoo members through this annual vote.

“Over the years, members have funded projects that support organizations working to protect vulnerable species in places like Ecuador, Kenya, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia right in our backyard,” said Dr. Liza Dadone, vice president of mission and programs at CMZoo. “These grants make a huge impact for the small-but-mighty projects that are making a difference for wildlife, wild places, and the people who border their habitats. We wouldn’t be able to support them without our members.”

Through Sunday, March 28, 2021, members will 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 three projects will help CMZoo decide how to distribute the remaining funds.

The five conservation projects up for our members’ consideration are:

Protect LIONS, CHEETAHS and WILD DOGS from diseases
Through a long-time partnership with Ewaso Lions, this organization aims to protect lions and other large carnivores by vaccinating pet dogs in northern Kenya. This funding will support a pet vaccination program by providing local communities with trained personnel, vehicles, veterinary equipment, and materials to make collars that will identify vaccinated dogs. These vaccines can prevent life-threatening diseases like rabies and distemper from being spread from pet dogs to wild carnivores.

Continue the banding, monitoring, and protection of CROWNED CRANES
This grant will fund the banding of 100 East African crowned crane chicks and support data collection to guide future conservation efforts for this species. This project will also establish a Crane Custodian Program, training local community members to advocate for and assist with crane data collection – a crucial component of crane conservation, especially during COVID-related travel restrictions. Found in Kenya, the East African crowned crane has seen a dramatic decrease in population over the last four years. In a continued partnership, the International Crane Foundation and the Leiden Conservation Foundation are collaborating to learn more about this species in order to stabilize its population.

Support more agroforestry to protect OKAPI habitat
In a continued partnership with the Okapi Conservation Project (OCP), this grant will provide farmers with tools, seeds, natural fertilizers and education in sustainable agriculture practices. Funds will also support reforestation in the region. Found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, okapi are threatened by slash-and-burn agriculture and poaching. This program empowers local communities to produce food sustainably, safeguard water resources, and generate income, while reducing their economic dependence on mining and poaching, thus protecting okapi in the long run. Over the last year, OCP has distributed over 65,000 kg of seedlings and over 62,000 kg of food seeds to more than 900 farmers in the region. Even more exciting, they have been visited by a wild okapi, which is extremely rare.

Reforest a wildlife corridor and help save ORANGUTANS in Borneo
In support of two established organizations working to save species in Southeast Asia, this grant will help the HUTAN organization provide tools and funds to local women reforesting the Genting Wildlife Corridor. It will also help the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) repair orangutan rehabilitation islands damaged by a devastating flood. The HUTAN corridor is an important animal “wildway” that will connect virgin rainforest with a wildlife sanctuary and is needed by hundreds of species in the area, like orangutans and Asian forest elephants. The BOSF grant provides emergency funds to reopen islands used for orangutan housing and forest school prior to release.

Track AMERICAN BLACK BEAR movements in Colorado
In a new partnership with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, this grant would fund placing GPS collars on black bear juveniles to collect information about their movements and habitat use after rehabilitation and reintroduction. This valuable data will support ongoing efforts to reduce human-bear wildlife conflicts in the Pikes Peak Region. One of the main drivers of human-bear conflicts is unsecured trash, which serves as a strong attractant for bears. Unfortunately, female bears with cubs can be drawn to unsecured trash and human-wildlife conflicts can then lead to orphaned bear juveniles. Colorado Parks and Wildlife rescues and rehabilitates these young bears, and releases them once they are old enough to live successfully in the wild. As human developments sprawl into historical bear habitat, this data could guide solutions to keep bears safe and behaving like wild bears.

“Our members are passionate about conservation and have formed connections over the years with familiar projects, like the Okapi Conservation Project’s agroforestry program, and Ewaso Lions’ ongoing lion conservation,” said Emma Repp-Maxwell, CMZoo membership manager. “It’s also inspiring to get behind fledgling projects, like the banding of crowned cranes, which we launched last year and will continue to support in some capacity this year. Two brand-new projects – black bear tracking in Colorado and supporting a wildlife corridor in Borneo – are new projects to consider this year. It’s up to our members to help us decide which projects receive full funding.”

We’ll announce the 2021 rankings next month, so stay tuned.

Last year, members voted to fund projects from the Australia bush fires to continued conservation efforts in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. To learn about the progress made because of the 2020 Member Conservation Vote, read on.

Zoos Victoria: Emergency Funding ($20,000)
Before launching the member vote last year, we asked members to approve emergency funding in response to the devastating Australia bush fires. Members’ early votes helped support the long-term care of animals impacted by this disaster.
Learn more: https://www.cmzoo.org/news/archive/cheyenne-mountain-zoo-members-donate-20000-to-australia-bushfire-recovery/

African Lions: Fully Funded ($5,600)
Member votes supported the planning for wildlife corridors in northern Kenya. As more highways, railways, cities and pipelines are built in the heart of lion country, this project supported the partnerships and infrastructure needed to keep wildlife safe.

Crowned Cranes: Fully Funded ($11,000)
Member votes helped launched the first efforts to band and monitor wild crowned crane chicks in East Africa. Despite COVID-19, around 20 crane chicks were banded. With such limited information on the behaviors of cranes, this project will help gather important information for future conservation efforts.
Learn more: https://www.cmzoo.org/news/archive/cmzoo-member-supported-east-african-crowned-crane-conservation-project-makes-progress/

Mountain Tapir: Partially Funded ($20,000)
Member votes supported the continued GPS collaring and monitoring of 5 additional tapirs in Ecuador. This project has already seen the radio collaring and successful monitoring of 10 wild mountain tapirs. The information collected helps conservation efforts.
Learn more: https://www.cmzoo.org/news/archive/cmzoo-tapir-expedition-team-returns-from-ecuador/

Okapi: Fully Funded ($11,000)
Member votes helped the Okapi Conservation Project continue an already successful agroforestry project, aimed at encouraging sustainable farming practices, habitat protection and reforestation. By teaching local communities better practices, they are able to protect their livelihoods and wild okapi nearby.
Learn more: https://www.cmzoo.org/news/archive/work-to-protect-wild-okapi-continues-thanks-to-cmzoo-members/

For more information about how to become a CMZoo member, and the many benefits that memberships provides, visit cmzoo.org/membership.

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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 administration – help prepare Abuto and his team for if-and-when he starts to decline.

You normally see Abuto hanging out on pride rock, overlooking Colorado Springs with his pride, but today, you’ll join him behind the scenes for two short training sessions that took place between his time outside and in the comfy Relaxation Room in African Rift Valley.

[This video shows up-close subcutaneous fluid administration, so if you don’t like needles, you’ll want to skip over the poke about 1:15 into the video.]

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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 recognize right away. These projects deserve a little limelight, though.

In mid-November, two of these lesser-known projects were completed: new trees for the Colobus monkeys and African lions.

Logistics included finding the right species of tree, getting permits for transporting trees, unweaving the mesh enclosures, removing the former trees, pouring concrete piers for the new trees, rerouting guest traffic around the 110-ton crane that lifted the trees into the exhibits, and more. All told, the project took several months to coordinate and four days to execute.

“It’s a lot of planning and work for what you see, but that’s what it takes to do it right and most efficiently the first time,” said Haas. “Our top priority is always safety. Sometimes that means having to detour guests. It also means communicating with animal keepers to prepare their animals for the changes. We’re committed to giving our animals the best homes we can.”

CMZoo’s five African lions, Abuto, Lomela, Elsa, Boma and Aslan, and four Colobus monkeys, Tisa, Rudi, Sudi and Dezi, are well prepared for potential interruptions to their daily lives, like this. The animals train to respond to a recall behavior, where the keepers ask them to come to their indoor spaces for a variety of reasons, like weather, routine veterinary care, training, or exhibit maintenance.

“While the animals are inside, we spend lots of time with them to keep them calm and engaged,” said Michelle Salido, lead keeper in African Rift Valley. “We did lots of training and monitored them to be sure the activity outside wasn’t causing them stress.”

Rudi, Sudi, Dezi and Tisa seemed to be curious about the activity outside their windows while people worked in their outdoor space.

“They could see through their doors to the outside yard and they were really interested in what was going on,” said Brooke Powell, African Rift Valley keeper who works with the Colobus monkeys. “They kept looking at the workers and looking back at us, but they were calm. We were really proud of the way they handled it.”

In addition to the three new trees, crews installed new horizontal pieces that connect the trees. With incredibly strong back legs, Colobus monkeys do a lot of jumping, rather than swinging, like some primates. They can make huge leaps up to 50 feet. They like to jump quickly from tree to tree, so the horizontal pieces allow them to move even more freely than before.

“It’s a huge benefit to their welfare because they like to stay up high and move around quickly,” said Powell. “The new trees and horizontal connectors are amazing. They love it! When they first saw it and realized this new setup was safe for them to explore, all four of them went all over the trees. They’re going to have lots of fun with this new setup.”

The African lions, who have several indoor spaces and an off-exhibit outdoor space, also stayed out of their main yard while their trees were upgraded. The lion keepers say they seemed really excited to explore the new trees.

“It’s always impressive to see how observant they are,” said Jason Bredahl, animal care manager in African Rift Valley. “They spent lots of time smelling the new trees. Then, we all got a big kick out of watching them using the trees like giant cat scratching posts and to rub their faces on them. The African lion keepers will be able to use the new trees to provide even more enrichment and training opportunities that allow our lions to engage in their natural behaviors while they explore and investigate. It’s great to see projects like this come to life, and to see how much our animals enjoy the outcome.”

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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 were making adjustments for Zwena as she struggled with chronic mobility issues associated with her neurological condition. Between July and the beginning of October, she seemed to be having mostly good days. Despite continued treatment and care, she recently started declining quickly. The median life expectancy for African lions is 16.9 years, but as with humans and other species, life span can be less, due to various medical challenges, like the ones Zwena was facing.

Zwena, known affectionately as “Z” by her longtime keepers, was a staff favorite throughout the Zoo. She was well-loved and respected for her no-nonsense approach to building relationships with people.

“She was always the biggest personality out of the girls,” said Diana Miller, African Rift Valley keeper and Zwena’s primary trainer for nearly 9 years. “She was very loud. When she would see us coming she would either make a happy grumble or snarl at you. She was so sassy and fierce – and she loved to participate in her voluntary training. She was always enthusiastic with training and demonstrating her awesome lion behaviors during keeper talks. She would jump up on the cape buffalo statue with such vigor and a loud groan. She was impressive. She made a real impact with our guests.”

Zwena made an impact on her pride, too. She lived with Abuto, the pride patriarch; Lomela, her sister; and Elsa, her niece. The two younger males are Zwena’s nephews, Aslan and Boma. They lived with the full pride when they were younger, but now live as their own bachelor pride.

“The first time Z got to be with the cubs, Lomela was hesitant for them to go out into the big yard, but fearless Zwena just led them right out,” said Miller. “’Aunty Z’ encouraged all three cubs to chase her into the yard and the cubs went flying after her. She just loved playing with them. Lomela would lay nearby and call the cubs to come back, but they just wanted to go and play with Aunty Z. That was her vivacious personality in a nutshell.”

Zwena was an amazing ambassador for her species, helping guests fall in love with African lions through her energetic personality and intense focus. She will be dearly missed.

“She made me the keeper I am today,” said Miller. “You make connections with all of the animals you care for, but some animals leave a bigger paw print on your heart. Zwena definitely did that for me. I am so lucky to have gotten to know her and work with her. We will all miss her so much, but we’re grateful for the time we had together.”

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 with our guests and members.

Abuto came to CMZoo in 2013, around the same time African Rift Valley lead keeper, Amy Schilz, came to the Zoo.

“We’ve been working together since he was a year old,” said Schilz. “Right away we started working on behaviors and training that still help us take great care of him as he deals with ongoing health issues.”

About four years ago, he started showing signs of illness. He is usually really energetic and can be seen roaring, running around and enthusiastically participating in training and enrichment. At around five years old, he started having ‘off days,’ when he seemed lethargic, which led his team to investigate what was going on.

At the time, Abuto participated in a voluntary blood draw that revealed he was in the beginning stages of kidney disease. While investigating further, Abuto’s team also discovered he has high blood pressure.

We’ve been monitoring Abuto’s issues closely and managing them with medications and diet. Abuto’s father had a rare form of kidney disease that can be hereditary. Chronic kidney disease is unfortunately prevalent in big cats. The disease is progressive and can’t be cured, so his team manages Abuto’s symptoms with diet, medications and fluids to keep him comfortable.

His symptoms subsided for a while, but over the last few months, Abuto has started to show the same signs as before that he is having an ‘off day’ here and there, and maybe isn’t feeling well. CMZoo’s veterinary team and Abuto’s care team in African Rift Valley has been performing frequent voluntary blood draws and blood pressure tests with Abuto to see what’s preventing him from feeling his best.

“We are seeing some of his kidney values climbing higher, which is unfortunate,” said Schilz. “We’re doing the best we can for Abuto, but kidney disease is something that affects big cats and domestic cats often. We’re monitoring him closely, because the levels are higher than they have been in the past, and we want to do everything we can to prevent them from increasing further.”

Abuto’s blood tests have shown the progression of his disease over the years, most recently indicating a significant jump in levels. His team is working to adjust his treatments with hopes they can manage his symptoms in this next stage of the disease.

Abuto is the total package, from his gorgeous mane, to his impressive roars and his incredible intelligence. He, like most CMZoo animals, participates in voluntary training that allows his keepers to provide top-notch care for the 500-pound feline.

“He’s so smart,” said Schilz. “You can tell he likes participating in training. He gets really excited and runs over to train. He knows how to show us his mouth and teeth, so we can check on his dental health. He’ll also flop down on his side and show us his paws when we ask, so we can make sure he doesn’t have any cracks in his pads and his nails are a healthy length. He also voluntarily participates in blood draw training and blood pressure checks, so we can keep tabs on those long-term health issues he’s facing.”

How do you draw blood from a 500-pound lion? By asking him.

Abuto is trained to present his tail through a specially designed blood draw panel at the base of a training area by the Relaxation Room. During this training, his keepers open an access door for Abuto and leave it open, so he can choose to leave if he wants to. From the other side of the panel, Schilz, his primary trainer, asks him to enter the space and then cues him to adjust his body so his tail fits through the port. Abuto runs into the space and positions himself quickly, knowing he’s going to be engaging with Schilz and getting lots of rewards: tasty meatballs. Schilz sits on the other side of a protective barrier to Abuto’s left, while African Rift Valley keeper, Kayla Ringuette, and CMZoo veterinary technician, Brenda Cordova, sit behind fencing near his tail at the blood draw panel. They provide verbal cues, like, “touch” and “poke,” to let Abuto know they’re going to touch his tail and then draw blood. Abuto does the same behaviors for blood pressure tests, when he also presents his tail for the team to attach a quick-release blood pressure cuff.

“Abuto is just the absolute best,” said Schilz. “When we first see him in the mornings, he’ll make ‘baby calls’ like coos and little moans to us. He’s so chatty. It’s like he’s telling us all about his night. We’ve been working together for so long that he recognizes my voice. If he hears me laugh, even from the bottom of the hill, he’ll run over to see me. He’s so special to me, the team, our whole staff and so many of our guests. We’re making sure he’s getting the best possible care, and we are hopeful we can address these issues as they progress, just as we have helped him in the past.”

Keepers are tracking quality-of-life markers for Abuto, as they do for any animal with ongoing health conditions. Abuto’s keepers are tracking whether he shows any symptoms or behavioral changes, including lethargy, presenting a droopy jaw, has squinty eyes, or holds his head low – which could indicate he’s not feeling well. They’re also tracking whether he chooses to participate in training or perks up for keepers as he normally would. Along with blood tests, the long-term data will help his team adjust his treatments and make any future decisions necessary.

“Abuto is really special to us and has a huge piece of our hearts, so when he gets sick, we want to do everything we can to make him feel better,” said Schilz. “He’s in great hands with our vet team and our keeper team, and we know all of his fans will continue sending him well wishes for a quick turnaround.”

We will keep you posted on Abuto’s ongoing issues. Guests can visit him in African Rift Valley.

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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 suspects may be due to neurological disease. The formerly agile lioness is now frequently unsteady on her paws.

“At this point we have performed many diagnostic tests to determine the cause of Zwena’s symptoms and have administered a variety of medications to potentially treat ‘treatable’ diseases,” said CMZoo Head Veterinarian, Dr. Jon Romano. “Now, our goal is to keep Zwena as comfortable as possible, so she can live her best life. Her keepers are dedicated to her care. We’ll continue tracking her quality of life markers. Right now, other than her mobility, they are all looking good.”

Keepers are tracking quality-of-life markers, as they do for any animal with health conditions. Those markers help identify trends that indicate her symptoms are worsening or her life is not fulfilling her needs as a lion. Over time, the data will help her care team make any future decisions necessary. Zwena’s four markers are social dynamics within the pride, mobility, appetite and vision.

“She follows us with her eyes, eats like a champion and still has healthy respect from the pride,” said Diana Miller, African Rift Valley keeper and Zwena’s primary trainer, who has worked with her for 8 years. “So, for now, we’re focused on maintaining those indicators and avoiding any injuries as a result of her decreased mobility. I just love her so much and want to give her the best life she has left.”

Zwena, known affectionately as “Z” by many CMZoo staff members, is well-loved and respected for her no-nonsense approach to building relationships with people.

“Zwena is a brave, sassy, playful lion with one of the best animal personalities I’ve ever known,” said Miller. “She isn’t shy about telling you how she feels about you. You have to earn her respect, so it’s like a rite of passage when ‘Z’ accepts you. She seems like she’s really tough, but she’s a nurturer, too. When her sister, Lomela, had the three cubs in 2015, Zwena was the first to lead them out into the main yard to play. She loves to play and pounce, and even playfully stalks keepers and guests, despite her mobility challenges. Those interactions with guests have made her an amazing animal ambassador for her species. I mean, who could forget a 300-pound lioness focusing on you like that?”

Her care team monitors her condition daily, and makes decisions about which spaces she can safely explore. On days she’s doing well, Zwena may be in the indoor relaxation room. When her unsteadiness is worse, it’s unsafe for her to explore the main lion yard, with its potentially dangerous drops from pride rock. The indoor lion relaxation room could also present potentially unsafe scenarios for Zwena when she’s unsteady, because of the high benches that she would likely attempt to jump to and from.

When keepers see she is less coordinated, she will spend her time in the behind-the-scenes outdoor ‘maternity yard,’ which will provide ample space for her to get safe exercise, fresh air and sunshine. She’ll also have access to off-exhibit indoor spaces where she can receive enrichment, participate in training and get lots of keeper attention.

“She’s not uncomfortable or suffering, and we want to keep her that way,” said Miller. “She’s mentally there, but she will sway or stumble as she walks, even on flat ground. We have seen her leaning against walls for stability or high-stepping over non-existent obstacles. These days, she more frequently half-jumps from low platforms and then pauses to steady herself before moving on, which could mean she’s not feeling confident about her mobility. So, we’re making adjustments to protect her from those environments that are no longer safe for her to navigate.”

Zwena’s symptoms have been intermittent since about 2015, but have recently become more chronic, so her care team is making changes now.

“Socializing is really important to lions, so we’re making sure Zwena still has time with her pride,” said Miller. “She and her sister, Lomela, are best buds. Even when it’s 90 degrees outside, we see them snuggling up together. They still play together, too. It is so fun to watch. Zwena is still living a fulfilling life, but she’s doing it in different spaces.”

Zwena will spend time with each member of her pride. At night, all four of the lions will share space together, to help Zwena maintain her respected position in the pride. Zwena’s vet and animal care team will continue exploring any new options available for keeping her safe and comfortable.

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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 total of $100,000 of membership revenue is contributed to conservation in two ways:

$25,000 to the Quarters for Conservation program, which in total contributes half a million dollars annually to CMZoo’s legacy conservation partners.
$75,000 to projects voted for by CMZoo members through this annual vote.

“Over the years, members have funded projects that support organizations working to save species on the brink of extinction in places like Ecuador, Kenya, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Australia and more,” said Dr. Liza Dadone, vice president of mission and programs at CMZoo. “These grants make a huge impact for the small-but-mighty organizations that are defending animals on the frontlines. Although the Zoo is temporarily closed until further notice, in an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, this is one of the ways our conservation efforts are continuing, even during the closure.”

From the safety of their homes, members participated in the 2020 Member Conservation Vote through a private link distributed to members via email. The two projects with the most votes will receive the full funding they requested. The number of votes received for the remaining four projects will help CMZoo decide how to distribute the remaining funds.

In addition to being able to support smaller conservation projects around the world, the Member Conservation Vote also allows the Zoo to support immediate needs that might not fit into our annual Quarters for Conservation funding parameters. One such project is the Zoos Victoria Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund in Australia.

In February 2020, CMZoo members approved sending $20,000 to Zoos Victoria, in response to the devastating fires in Australia. The funds support long-term care for bushfire-impacted animals, including supplementary feeding and habitat restoration, in conjunction with the Australia Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Parks Victoria, and associated recovery teams. Donations from Zoo employees, board members, docents and an internal Zoo donation matching program raised $6,900 in support of Zoos Victoria, making the collective donation $26,900.

The $20,000 donation came from the $75,000 allotted for membership conservation, leaving $55,000 for distribution among the projects nominated for the Member Conservation Vote.

This year, six projects were nominated in addition to the already approved Zoos Victoria support. Some projects, like building a wildlife corridor for lions, were brand-new. Others, like tracking mountain tapir, have received funding through this vote consistently for years.

“Considering everything going on in the world right now, it was especially important to us this year to engage our members in this vote and to remind them that they make a difference,” said Emma Repp-Maxwell, CMZoo membership manager. “We have been missing our members for more than a month, but we want them to know we’re grateful for their ongoing support, and that they’re still making a positive impact for wild animals through their memberships and through their participation in this vote.”

Drumroll, please. In order of member votes received, the 2020 projects receiving funding are:

Support a wildlife corridor for African lion – $5,600 fully funded

This funding will help map developing pipelines and highways and plan animal corridors before construction begins. It will also support data analysis and stakeholder meetings to get the right organizations involved in animal protection at the right time. Longtime conservation partner, Ewaso Lions, is hoping to protect lions by establishing wildlife corridors in northern Kenya. As more highways, railways, cities and pipelines are built in the heart of lion country, they hope to create the partnerships and infrastructure necessary to protect the many species that share and roam these lands as human influence expands.

Start an agroforestry project to protect Okapi habitat – $11,000 fully funded

In a continued partnership with the Okapi Conservation Project, this grant will provide farmers with tools, seeds, natural fertilizers, and education in sustainable agriculture practices. In addition, funds would support reforestation in the region. Found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the okapi is a mysterious member of the giraffe family that is threatened by poaching and slash-and-burn agriculture. This will empower local communities to produce food sustainably, safeguard water resources, and generate income while reducing economic dependence on mining and poaching, thus protecting okapi in the long run.

Observe tree kangaroos in their natural habitat – $7,500 fully funded

This grant will support the purchase of GPS tracking collars, camera traps and data loggers to better understand tree kangaroo behaviors, movements and habitat use. The Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program fosters wildlife and habitat conservation while supporting the livelihood of local communities in Papua New Guinea. Matschie’s tree kangaroos live high in the dense canopy of the cloud forests, hidden among thick moss that makes them very difficult to observe. The data collected through this observation project will be used to inform future habitat planning for tree kangaroo conservation.

Fund the banding and monitoring of East African crowned cranes – $11,000 fully funded

This grant will contribute to funding the first banding of 75 East African crowned crane chicks and support data collection about their behaviors and migration patterns to help inform future conservation efforts for this species. Found in Kenya, the East African crowned crane has seen a dramatic decrease in population over the last four years. The International Crane Foundation, Endangered Wildlife Trust and Leiden Conservation Foundation are collaborating to learn more about this species in order to stabilize its population.

Help track wild mountain tapir in Ecuador – $20,000 funded (partial funding awarded)

A continuation of past monitoring projects, these funds will support the GPS collaring of additional tapir in the wild and educational outreach for local schools. Found in Colombia, Ecuador, and the far north of Peru, only an estimated 2,500 mountain tapir remain in the wild. CMZoo is one of two zoos in North America that this species calls home. This project, based in Ecuador, has already yielded important data regarding the movement, behaviors and territory of this critically endangered species, which we hope will be used to protect its habitats.

For more information on CMZoo memberships, visit www.cmzoo.org/membership.

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