It’s been a couple of months since the last update with Omo. Our 16-month-old hippo still shares space with his mom, Zambezi, but he’s quickly gaining independence. As Omo grows up, keepers will be focusing on a lot of voluntary health training. The first step is getting him comfortable with approaching his keepers through target training. Check out this video to find out how Omo is growing up and choosing to participate in target training.
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.
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“Lomela is normally intensely focused on her keepers’ every move and is quick to engage with us,” said Rachael Hahn, senior lead keeper in African Rift Valley. “That morning, she looked sort of ‘spacey’ and lethargic. We thought she might have injured herself because she was resistant to shifting when we asked her to.”
According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the median life expectancy for an African lion is 16.9 years, so Lomela is considered geriatric. Except for inevitable age-related slow-downs, like arthritis, she seemed to be relatively healthy until that morning. The team leaned on Lomela’s previous voluntary health care training to find out what was causing the sudden and drastic decline.
“Lomela is incredibly intelligent, so even though she wasn’t feeling great, she was able to follow our training cues so we could help her,” said Hahn. “When we ask her to participate in blood draw and blood pressure behaviors, we ask her to move into a training area that has a small sliding panel at the bottom of it. Once she’s comfortable, she moves her tail out of the port so we can safely reach it. We use the big vein in her tail to draw blood and get blood pressure readings for her. She gets lots of yummy snacks for participating, and we are able to diagnose what’s going on.”
The tests revealed that Lomela had extremely elevated kidney levels and high blood pressure. Unfortunately, kidney disease is prevalent in domestic and big cats and high blood pressure is known to worsen kidney disease. Lion fans may remember that Abuto, the 10-year-old African lion patriarch at CMZoo, has also dealt with this disease for many years.
However, the disease impacts each individual differently, and Lomela seems to be much further along in its progression than Abuto. It’s estimated she has only about 25 percent kidney function remaining. Thanks to her participation and her care team’s quick actions, she seems to have leveled out since her worst in late August. But, the outlook for cats with kidney failure can be unpredictable.
With medication changes, the team got her blood pressure under control within about a week. Getting her blood pressure under control took the pressure off of her kidneys and prevented further damage.
“At the end of August, I was concerned,” said Dr. Eric Klaphake, DVM, DACZM, head veterinarian at CMZoo. “Her kidney values and blood pressure have improved since then, and we will continue to monitor that, and adjust things as needed. She seems to be at a stable point now, but unfortunately once kidney values are that high, you have lost kidney function forever, so we’re monitoring her carefully.”
Elsa, Lomela’s 6-year-old daughter, has also been watching her mom closely.
“We could tell Lomela was really feeling better when she started playing with Elsa again,” said Hahn. “Elsa can be pretty relentless when she wants to play, but she gave Lomela space when she needed it. Now, we’ve seen the two cuddling and wrestling like before, so we’re hopeful they have a lot more time together.”
Lomela’s team will continue monitoring her health through bi-weekly blood draws and weekly blood pressure readings. They will also encourage her to continue participating in training sessions that help her stay hydrated by drinking lots of water, and with stretches that help manage arthritis pain without medications that could contribute to kidney damage.
Abuto’s care routine also continues, but the ‘mane man’ in African Rift Valley seems to be doing well. In January 2021, we shared a behind-the-scenes video of Abuto’s health care husbandry training sessions. Although Abuto’s loss of kidney function is also irreversible, his team has been able to help him live a good quality of life by focusing on blood pressure management, hydration and nutrition.
“We have been so happy with Abuto’s response to his ongoing treatments,” said Hahn. “We’re always cautious when we share that our older big cats seem to be doing well because we know how quickly things can change. We have so much respect for them, and of course we want them to stay forever, but we will know when it’s time to make the most compassionate decision of all.”
Learn more about all five of CMZoo’s African lions at https://www.cmzoo.org/animals/a-z/featured-animals-african-lion/, and visit them in African Rift Valley next time you’re at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
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In 2017, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium established the Giraffe Plasma Bank to help reduce giraffe calf mortalities. The International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe, established this summer, is dedicated to growing the number of available banks around the country, and recently welcomed new partners.
Newborn giraffe calves may be six feet tall and can walk within hours of being born, but they’re extremely fragile. In the wild, calves have about a 50 percent mortality rate in their first year. In human care, it’s about 20 percent. The cause of a calf’s struggles can many times be traced to initial difficulty nursing. Its first mother’s milk, called colostrum, provides important antibodies and proteins. Without it, calves are more susceptible to infections and other health issues.
But, plasma treatments can increase the chance of survival for a calf that doesn’t receive their mother’s colostrum in the first day of life. Plasma is the liquid component of blood, and accounts for more than half of blood’s volume. It contains antibodies and transports nutrients, electrolytes, hormones, and other important substances throughout the body. It also helps remove toxins from the body by transporting them to filtering organs, like the liver, lungs, kidneys, or skin.
To get plasma, you need willing blood donors.
“Not all heroes wear capes,” said Amy Schilz, senior animal behaviorist at the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (The Center). “Some wear spots.”
At CMZoo, 12-year-old male, Mashama, and 13-year-old female, Msitu, are the most eager voluntary blood donors. The two well-known giraffe work with their trainers to receive positive reinforcers – crackers, in most cases – while their team draws blood from a vein in their neck.
WATCH THIS BLOOD DRAW SESSION WITH MASHAMA
“The sessions are always completely voluntary, and Mashama and Msitu get excited for the reinforcers and extra attention they receive during training sessions,” said Schilz. “They can choose to walk away at any time, and our veterinary technicians use a specialized blood draw setup so the needle comes right out if the giraffe walks away. We also watch for signs of discomfort and we stop if we think a giraffe isn’t enjoying it, but we really don’t see that.”
Each giraffe plasma transfusion requires about six 250 ML bags of plasma to create, and each bag of blood takes about 20 minutes to collect. Once blood is drawn, it is ‘spun’ in a machine called a centrifuge at a local veterinary based blood bank. Centrifugal force separates blood into three components: red blood cells, platelets and plasma. Our veterinary team collects the separated, then frozen, plasma from the blood bank and stores it in CMZoo’s Giraffe Plasma Bank freezer, so it’s ready to go when giraffe calves need it.
The Center’s team shares their training methods, learns from others, and connects organizations that can now work together to make more plasma available in more locations – and that benefits giraffe calves everywhere, regardless of whether they live at an AZA-accredited facility or with a reputable private holder.
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“I know this all sounds very scientific, but this program exists because we love giraffe and we want to save as many calves as we can,” said Schilz. “If we all work together, we can do that. That’s why we’re really excited to welcome more contributors to the Giraffe Plasma Bank team.”
In the past year, the multi-location Giraffe Plasma Bank has grown to five locations, and four more are in the process of training and setting up their banks. Dickerson Park Zoo, accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, in Springfield, Missouri, became a contributing member of the Giraffe Plasma Bank recently.
“We care for two giraffes that love to participate in training,” said Tracy Campbell, head keeper of Africa and South America at Dickerson Park Zoo. “Plus, we have a giraffe staff which does a great job with them. This is something we can do to help out the future of the population, and we are happy to do what we can. I give all the credit to my team for their hard work.”
Another new contributor is Highpoint Haven, a private facility and home to four giraffe in northeast Texas. Their team has a goal to lead a better standard of care for privately held exotic animals.
Dan Houck, a passionate giraffe lover and conservationist, owns Highpoint Haven. He has attended many of CMZoo’s giraffe care workshops, now operated by The Center, since 2016. Houck learned about hoof care, blood draw training and more, at those workshops and was able to customize those teachings to benefit the individual needs of the giraffe in his care. In 2021, a calf born into his herd directly benefitted from the knowledge, network and resources he gained at those workshops.
The calf, now named Sophie, was the second baby born to parents Harriet and Gerald. The labor and birth were textbook, but Sophie was unable to nurse.
“About four hours after Sophie was born and still hadn’t nursed, I was starting to get nervous,” said Houck. “We knew it was critical for the calf to get colostrum in the first 24 hours, but learned that many calves struggle if they don’t nurse within the first 9 hours or so. We needed plasma and we had to act quickly.”
Through his participation at the giraffe care workshops, Houck knew he could reach out to Dr. Liza Dadone, senior giraffe veterinarian at The Center and original co-founder of the Giraffe Plasma Bank along with Dr. Priya Bapodra-Villaverde, senior veterinarian at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
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Drs. Dadone and Bapodra-Villaverde were eager to help, but it was a Saturday, so mailing plasma to Texas from Colorado or Ohio wasn’t an option because it wouldn’t be delivered on a Sunday. The Highpoint Haven team started bottle feeding the calf with supplemental colostrum. They also drew blood and found that her blood glucose levels were dangerously low. Meanwhile, Dr. Dadone started calling on her network. The team was able to locate two bags of plasma, which were unused after another calf recently needed help at a zoo nearby. The team drove to pick up the two available bags of plasma on Sunday afternoon and administered them to the calf.
“By Monday morning, she was nursing,” said Houck. “The plasma transfusion was life-changing for her. It kick-started her instinct to nurse almost immediately. While we cared for Sophie, the team kept working to deliver more plasma from the Giraffe Plasma Bank to get us through the full treatment, which is six bags. Sophie got her last dose that Thursday and she’s been growing and thriving ever since. Now, she weighs 904 pounds and counting. She’s a handful, just like her dad.”
On Sept. 18, 2022, the Highpoint Haven family celebrated Sophie’s first birthday by making their first contribution to the Giraffe Plasma Bank, with Dr. Dadone on site to assist. Sophie’s dad, Gerald, was the voluntary donor.
“Gerald is a truly a one-in-a-million giraffe,” said Lauren Kimbro, manager of animal care and training at Highpoint Haven. “We have seen first-hand how plasma can save a calf, and Sophie is a healthy, happy calf with us today because of the expertise and generosity of the Giraffe Plasma Bank team. It takes a village, and it’s an honor to be a part of it.”
Since its inception, the Giraffe Plasma Bank has benefitted 13 giraffe calves, and the teams look forward to continuing and expanding that reach as more donors and banks join the effort. To learn more about the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe, visit cmzoo.org/giraffecare.
If you’re a carousel enthusiast, make plans now to merry-go-round at the Zoo one more time before the end of the year. Our historic roundabout will soon be temporarily disassembled to make way for a new road through the Zoo!
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“Although this has been a huge focus for all of us behind the scenes for a very long time, this will be the first visible signal that big changes are coming to the Zoo,” said Tracey Gazibara, executive vice president at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. “We’re looking forward to our guests, members and donors being able to see the beginning of the progress we’ve been planning for the last few years.”
The carousel will be safely stored for at least a year, so a new road can be constructed just west of the current main road into the Zoo. The ultimate goal is to expand and improve animal habitats in African Rift Valley, create a new admissions plaza, and drastically reduce the amount of time pedestrians and vehicles share paths, but that’s not all.
Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we’ll soon start work to:
- Advance animal care by improving existing animal exhibits, including plans to update and expand African Rift Valley and giraffe indoor spaces. The funds will also allow us to design new habitat for orangutans, but will not fund construction. The next animal-centric capital campaign will focus on construction costs for those habitats and play space.
- Improve animals’ fresh food security by growing the majority of needed lettuce and other high-demand produce at the Zoo. CMZoo’s horticulture team is already testing an on-site shipping container farm, made from a recycled shipping container, and will soon add another to continue testing. This plan also includes building a larger and more easily accessed hay barn.
- Expand the entry plaza with an updated look and feel. Guests and members will enjoy more space and beautiful mountain rustic aesthetics as they start their Zoo day.
- De-emphasize the main road’s impact on guest experiences by rerouting traffic. Imagine a more peaceful meander from the Zoo’s entrance up to Australia Walkabout. Cars visiting Shrine Road or Broadmoor Cloud Camp, above the Zoo, would enter the Zoo behind Water’s Edge: Africa, and cross pedestrian paths only briefly, instead of continuously sharing the main road with foot traffic.
We’ll keep you informed as these exciting projects take shape. For more information on how you can support the Zoo’s future, visit cmzoo.org/support.
How Do the Grizzly Bears at CMZoo Spend the Winter? As our 17-year-old grizzly bears, Emmett and Digger, prepare for the winter, they will start living at a much slower pace.
We often associate bears with hibernation, but science has shown that many animals, like raccoons, skunks, and bears, survive the winter using torpor instead, which is a much lighter form of hibernation. True hibernators include animals like chipmunks, ground squirrels and woodchucks. Animals in true hibernation remain in a low-energy state through the entire winter, and waking up takes a lot of time and energy for these animals.
Instead of this deep hibernation, grizzly bears enter into torpor, where they fall into a deeper-than-normal sleep during their inactive moments of the day, which conserves energy. When in the torpor state, they will also experience decreased breathing, heart rates, lower metabolic rates and a slightly reduced temperature. Bears are still intermittently active during the winter months but are able to sleep more than 100 days at a time without passing waste, eating, or drinking.
But do all bears go into torpor?
While there is still lots of ongoing research being done on bears, biologists have found that torpor behaviors tend to depend on location, climate, food supply in the wild and the individual bear. Certain bears in warmer climates will only spend two or three weeks in torpor. If bears have a lack of food supply, they will come out more often to find food.
When Emmett and Digger’s wild grizzly bear cousins up in Montana head into winter, they “den up,” or build a den with natural materials that they sleep in most of the winter. Emmett and Digger have access to their outdoor day beds year-round but also like to create their own dens throughout their yard in the winter.
They even cuddle with each other!
Emmett and Digger move a little slower in the winter, but are still active and captivating. They will casually splash in their pond, play-wrestle, and slowly explore their habitat. Keepers reward the grizzly bears with special treats like salmon, other meats and fruits for participating in husbandry training and shifting.
Emmett and Digger can often be seen snuggling together, investigating enrichment items, and training with keepers throughout the whole winter season. Visit them in Rocky Mountain Wild.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been hosting sold-out nights of Boo at the Zoo since it started on Fri., Oct. 21 – and there just one more night to get into the spooky spirit with your favorite animals.
Halloween night, Monday., Oct. 31, is the final night of Boo at the Zoo, and there are still a handful of timed tickets left. Advance tickets are required and must be purchased for all attendees (including kids 2-and-under) at cmzoo.org/boo.
This Colorado Springs Halloween tradition is a fun way for families to trick-or-treat at 29 stations throughout the Zoo and enjoy Halloween festivities in a unique environment. Boo at the Zoo is from 4 to 8:30 p.m. and ticketholders can enter the Zoo at the time on their timed tickets.
In addition to visiting select animal exhibits and trick-or-treating, frightfully fun attractions include a lighted pumpkin patch, a kid-friendly spooky haunted house, Ghoulish Graveyard and Pirates Cove. Attendees can also enjoy rides on the Mountaineer Sky Ride, weather permitting.
An elephant-sized amount of candy (4.5 tons) will be handed out at trick-or-treat stations throughout Boo at the Zoo. The Zoo’s candy supply is purchased from companies that are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), and have committed to using sustainable palm oil for the protection of orangutan habitats in the wild. To find your own Halloween candy that’s orangutan-friendly, download CMZoo’s sustainable palm oil shopping guide at cmzoo.org/palmoil.
Boo at the Zoo will go on, rain, snow or shine. Be sure to bundle up on cold nights and enjoy a Colorado evening on the mountain!
SELECT ANIMAL EXHIBITS ARE OPEN, INCLUDING:
– Giraffe building
– African lions
– Budgie Buddies
– Wallaby building
– Encounter Africa elephant/rhino barn
– Domestic Goat Experience
– The Treehouse in My Big Backyard
– The Loft
– Scutes Family Gallery
– Water’s Edge: Africa
RESTAURANTS OPEN DURING BOO AT THE ZOO
– Grizzly Grill
– Pizza with a View
– Elson’s Place
– Cozy Goat (beverages only)
COSTUME REQUIREMENTS
For the safety of all guests, full-face costume masks and costume weapons may not be worn by guests 12 years of age or older. Masks worn by guests 11 years of age and younger must have openings that allow the eyes to be seen and that do not obstruct peripheral vision. Balloons are not allowed inside the Zoo (even as part of a costume) for the safety of our animals and wild animals.
TRICK-OR-TREAT BAGS
Support the Zoo’s efforts to reduce waste by bringing your own trick-or-treat bags! Reusable bags will be available for purchase for $2 at admissions.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Volunteers are crucial to the success and safety of Boo at the Zoo. Positions include handing out or delivering candy, directing traffic and staffing the haunted house. All volunteers must be at least 13 years old. Volunteers ages 13-17 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or school advisor at all times. We will not assign specific positions until the evening of the event. Curious about volunteering for Boo at the Zoo? Visit cmzoo.org/boo.
FAST FACTS
Boo at the Zoo at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Final Date: Monday, Oct. 31
4 to 8:30 p.m.
Advance timed e-tickets are required
www.cmzoo.org/boo
Boo at the Zoo is possible thanks to our generous partners, Black Bear Diner, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Les Schwab Tire Centers, Colorado Custom Screen Printing & Design and Toyota.
About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2022, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #3 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 238 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of very few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.
Before we know it, kids will be on school break for the holidays. Did you know you can register Pre-K through sixth graders for an enriching week at the Zoo, with our Winter Break Zoo Camp? Registration is open now!
Winter Break Zoo Camp is Mon., Dec. 26 through Fri., Dec. 30. Full-day camps, for first through sixth graders, go from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pre-K and Kindergarteners can enjoy half-day camps from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Campers can attend for one day or any combination of all five days. This year’s theme is Winter Around the World. Campers will learn how animals in different parts of the world experience winter, with hands-on winter animal-based activities and explorations at CMZoo. Every day the programming is different, so campers can pick a favorite theme and attend that day, or attend all five days and learn something new every time.
Check out the daily themes offered throughout Winter Break Camp 2022:
– Mon., Dec. 26 – Frosty Forest: Grab your blanket and pillow as we join alongside our local hibernating animals on a mission to sleep through winter.
– Tues., Dec. 27 – Snowy Safari: Start stocking up as we learn about which animals store food for their long winter months and how they keep their snacks safe.
– Wed., Dec. 28 – Icy Underground: Learn all about our underground friends and what changes they make to survive the winter!
– Thurs., Dec. 29 – Winter Waters: Dive into the world of winter water adaptations as we learn how aquatic animals thrive under the ice.
– Fri., Dec. 30 – Warm Walkabout: Investigate the differences between various warm weather regions and what those differences mean for the animals that live there.
Campers should sign up for the camp that reflects the grade they are currently enrolled in. Each day of camp includes hands-on experiences, up-close encounters, games and more! Register for the whole week, or just a few days. Space is limited and camps are subject to selling out. Don’t wait to register your young explorer for the best winter break ever!
Visit www.cmzoo.org/camp to learn more about our Winter Break Camps and to register your camper!
It’s that magical time of year when many people search for the perfect holiday gifts for friends and family. Whether you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience or a truly unique stocking stuffer, these options are sure put a smile on every face on your list. Plus, when you purchase something from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, you know your funds are helping us continue our important work. As a nonprofit that doesn’t receive any tax support, we rely on admission, memberships, events and special programs like these to continue our work.
Animal Art Holiday Ornaments
The Loft animals and their keepers have been painting the perfect stocking stuffers or gifts for your holiday party gift exchange. These 3” x 3” canvases with twine hangers are one-of-a-kind, because they were painted by an animal ambassador! Skunks, parrots, reptiles and even Bean the sloth added their artistic touch to the ornaments by participating in voluntary training with their keepers. Some animals walk through paint and onto the canvasses, leaving their adorable footprints in a variety of flashy colors. Others slither through the paint and some even hold the paintbrushes themselves! These ornaments are only available for purchase in person in The Loft, now through the end of Electric Safari.
VIP Tours
If you really want to spoil someone, give them the adventure of a lifetime: a CMZoo VIP Tour! During this private tour, your group of up to five people will experience three behind-the-scenes animal encounters of your choosing, plus a meet-and-greet with one of our ambassador animals in The Loft and a super-sized giraffe feeding. You can help train our lion pride, get up-close with the grizzly bears, say hello to the hippos, or choose from our many other animal encounter options. Along the way, one of our experienced guides will tell you all about the Zoo, our animals and our conservation impacts around the world. When your tour ends, enjoy the rest of the day at the Zoo, because admission is included. Visit cmzoo.org/viptour to see our animal encounter options, to get all the details and to sign up.
CMZoo Annual Membership
How about a gift that keeps on giving all year long? Memberships can be purchased as gifts! CMZoo members can take advantage of free daytime admission (with advance ticket reservations), discounts on programs and merchandise, free members-only summer nights, free Electric Safari visits in the winter and more. Visit cmzoo.org/membership or email [email protected] for more information.
Tickets to Electric Moonlight and Electric Safari
Give the gift of memories made by purchasing tickets to a holiday special event at the Zoo, and be early to the gift-giving season! In December, we have options for an adults-only date night (there will be a lot more than milk and cookies on the menu) or a festive evening on the mountain with the entire family.
Electric Moonlight returns to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Thurs., Dec. 8 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. This event is just for our 21-and-up guests, complete with holiday lights, live music and food and drink samples from local vendors, restaurants, distilleries and breweries (while supplies last). Plus, an elf told us that jolly old Saint Nicholas will be there to hear holiday wishes from the grown-ups! Tickets will be available at 8 a.m. on Mon., Nov. 7 at cmzoo.org/em.
Electric Safari starting Dec. 2, the Zoo opens its gates in the evenings where all ages can explore the Zoo and enjoy the wonder of 50 acres of twinkling lights, illuminated enormous inflatable animals, and more than 80 handmade light sculptures on display throughout the Zoo. Until Dec. 23, Santa Claus will be at Electric Safari to meet guests and listen to holiday wishes. This event is a magical way to get into the holiday spirit on the side of Cheyenne Mountain, where the views of the city lights below the Zoo can’t be beat. Electric Safari runs Dec. 2-4, 9-23, 25 – Jan. 1, 2023 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. CMZoo members have access to early-entry by reserving tickets between 4 and 5 p.m. Electric Safari is free for members, but everyone needs to reserve an advance timed ticket. Tickets will be available at 8 a.m. on Mon., Nov. 7 at cmzoo.org/electric.
Small group events and programs
These also make great gifts! See all of our options at cmzoo.org/events.
Animal Grams
Do you know someone who would love to open their front door to a skunk, tortoise, owl or otherwise? Surprise them with a CMZoo Animal Gram! Our EdVenture team will come to your home or workplace with a very special guest: an animal ambassador from The Loft or My Big Backyard. Each Animal Gram includes a 5- to 10-minute visit from an animal and staff, an animal art piece and photo opportunity. Get all of the information at cmzoo.org/grams.
Adopt an Animal
Lions, tigers, and bears – oh my! Gift a hippo, giraffe, moose or another animal of your choosing that we’ll mail to you or a loved one. Depending on the level of adoption package you choose, it could include a plush animal toy! All of our adoption packages include a certificate of adoption, an animal fact sheet and a photo of the animal at CMZoo. Each adoption directly supports the care of all our animals. You can find our array of adoption packages at www.cmzoo.org/adopt.
Water’s Edge: Africa – Tile Program – Coming Soon!
Our super-popular tile program is coming back! Have your name, a loved one’s name, or a short message engraved on a tile on our new Community Tile Wall, to be located in Water’s Edge: Africa. You can visit your tile every time you come to the Zoo and your donation will directly contribute to the care of our animals. Tile purchases will be available in November. Learn more at cmzoo.org/tiles.
Next time you’re exploring downtown Colorado Springs near the brand-new playground in Acacia Park, look down! You’ll see Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s logo on a storm drain cover on the southwest corner of E. Platte Ave. and N. Tejon St.
The CMZoo-branded drain cover is neat, but what’s underneath is the real interest: a special filter that catches debris. CMZoo members funded the installation of three drain filters that will each prevent around 20 pounds of waste from getting to Fountain Creek per month. There’s one member-funded filter underneath the CMZoo-branded manhole and two others around the city.
In March, CMZoo members voted in the annual Member Conservation Vote to support this effort for $10,873, which funded three drain filters that are already hard at work protecting our city’s waterways and the wildlife that depends on them.
“The mesh nets catch litter and debris that washes into the drains from the street, and the City cleans them out every six weeks or so,” said Nicole Chaney, CMZoo conservation and sustainability coordinator. “We’re playing part of a much larger effort led by the City, and our three filters alone will capture around 720 pounds of pollution per year before it reaches Fountain Creek. Imagine the impact we will make combined with the rest of the filters the City and other partners are installing. We’re protecting our local ecosystems from multiple tons of waste negatively impacting them, and our Zoo members should be proud.”
To help keep trash and debris from washing into Fountain Creek, the City of Colorado Springs Stormwater Enterprise Department partnered with Frog Creek Partners and launched a program piloting this special storm drain filtration device, called the Gutter Bin, in July 2019. This pilot study was a success, and in August 2020, the City purchased six more Gutter Bins. Since then, with support from community partners like CMZoo, the City continues to install the drain filters around town. There are currently 31 filters in place.
“Our members voted this the number one project they wanted to support this year,” said Chaney. “We’re thrilled they want to prioritize local water conservation work, and that we live in a city that makes these opportunities possible for us.”
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 jaws while the skunks like to ‘go all in’ and tear pieces apart with their tiny claws and teeth. The elephants use their strong trunks to squeeze the pumpkin open before delicately directing the gourd to their mouth. The behavior of our mountain lions is probably similar to your cat at home! They bat at the pumpkins and use their sharp claws and rough tongues to retrieve the meat their keepers hid inside.
Enrichment opportunities like this are important for the bodies and brains of our animals, because it’s good for our animals to problem solve. Enrichment is good for both animals and humans! As the holidays approach, it can be hard for us humans to eat healthy foods, exercise regularly, and lower stress. Our partners, Children’s Hospital Colorado, have provided some great tips for eating well, navigating holiday travel and having happy, healthy holidays this year: https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/parenting/parenting-articles/happy-healthy-holidays/.
