We’re back with another update on Bailey, our giraffe who is due to have a baby any day now! She is not showing signs that labor is imminent – despite the very round belly we show you in this video – so we thought we’d take the opportunity to tell you a bit more about the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe.

In August, CMZoo launched a first-of-its-kind giraffe training, knowledge-sharing and giraffe emergency response program, called the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe. Dr. Liza Dadone is the senior giraffe veterinarian at The Center and Amy Schilz is the senior animal behaviorist. Learn more here.

Dr. Liza and Amy still work closely with our herd, but CMZoo has dedicated the resources to allow these two long-time CMZoo giraffe experts to share what we know with others who care for giraffe around the world.

Don’t forget, you can guess when Bailey will have her calf at https://www.cmzoo.org/guess. The person who guesses the closest day, hour and minute will win a behind-the-scenes giraffe encounter with our herd!

CHEYENNE MOUNTIAN ZOO LOSES MOUNTAIN TAPIR AND MEXICAN WOLF IN SAME DAY, HOLDS ON TO HOPE FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said goodbye to two rare and endangered animals on Thursday, shining an even brighter light on the gravity of many species’ situations on this planet.

Cofan, a 19-year-old mountain tapir, and Luna, a 14-year-old Mexican wolf matriarch, passed away in unrelated situations, and the Zoo is pausing to honor their conservation contributions, while acknowledging the frightening future many species face. Both individuals were elderly and had experienced age-related conditions in recent years. Cofan was humanely euthanized after veterinary measures failed to revive him from a severe two-day downturn. Luna was found in her den, all signs pointing to a peaceful passing in her sleep.

With Cofan’s passing, there’s a literal empty space at the Zoo and figuratively in tapir fans’ hearts. The chance to ever see a mountain tapir up-close again is bleak, to say the least. Only four mountain tapir remain in human care in the United States, and they all live at Los Angeles Zoo. Unlike Luna, Cofan doesn’t leave a legacy of offspring to keep the species going.

In 2014, Cofan came to CMZoo as a breeding partner to Carlotta, a female mountain tapir who came to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in 1995, and passed away in 2021. After years of attempts, including artificial insemination and natural breeding, it was determined that Carlotta was beyond her breeding years. The end was in sight at that point, but now having lost both of them, it’s right in front of us.

Because of the very low number of individuals in human care, both Carlotta’s and Cofan’s bodies have been donated to Denver Museum of Nature & Science for scientific study. Their losses provide a rare opportunity to further our knowledge of the species.

Countless people came to adore his wooly bear-like ears and prehensile snout. But is being adored enough? If an endangered animal isn’t contributing to the future of its species through offspring, what’s the point? Why keep trying when you feel like you’ve already tried everything? The point is… if animals are going to have a place in our future, humans have to make that place. Accredited zoos help people help animals.

Largely due to our member vote through our Quarters for Conservation program, CMZoo has contributed more than $135,000 to wild tapir conservation.

Mountain tapir need help, with an estimated 2,500 mountain tapir remaining in the wild habitats of their native Ecuador.

“Cofan was a sweetheart,” said Joanna Husby, animal care manager at CMZoo. “Every year on World Tapir Day, we’d invite the public to come right up to his fence and scratch his chin. People would travel from all over to meet him, and he always chose to stay right where we could give him scratches. He seemed to love his role as an ambassador, and I believe he inspired our members to support wild tapir conservation. Without Cofan and Carlotta, they would never have taken interest in those causes.”

Guests had opportunities to get close to Cofan, and even touch him, but Luna was intentionally kept as wild as possible at the Zoo. Luna’s contributions to conservation were more literal.

She came to CMZoo in October 2016, followed by her mate, Navarro who arrived in November 2017. Their breeding recommendation was an instant match, and in May 2018, the two first-time parents welcomed the first litter of Mexican wolves born at the Zoo in 20 years.

The next spring, they welcomed another pup, later named Uno, and Luna embraced motherhood while inspiring human visitors with her gentle leadership, playful demeanor and up-close curiosity from behind the one-way glass in her habitat at the Zoo. Moreover, she taught her yearling pups how to parent by letting the older siblings closely observe her labor, birth and the upbringing of Uno in 2019.

Luna and Navarro had a lot of female pups. Five of her six total offspring are female, and two have already gone on to eventually form their own packs at different organizations that also participate in the Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP) – a multi-organizational effort to breed Mexican wolves with maximum genetic diversity. The SSP works closely with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to contribute to and diversify endangered wild populations through efforts like cross-fostering and wild release of pups and adults born in human care. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service estimates there are only around 196 Mexican wolves in the wild in the U.S.

Despite their countless differences, Luna and Cofan shared important roles as ambassadors and contributors to their endangered species in the wild. As Zoo staff bid them farewell, we also hang on to hope that the work these animals allow us to do is actually making a difference for wildlife and wild places.

“We believe it is our job to be a place where people can care about and see some of the world’s most endangered species,” said Bob Chastain, president and CEO at CMZoo. “Further, because people come to the Zoo and support us through the conservation donation included with their admission, we get to make a difference for mountain tapir and gray wolves and many other species in the wild. And that’s my personal ‘why’ for why I continue to be dedicated to the work of CMZoo.”

Right now, decision makers in the state of Colorado are wrestling with the reintroduction plan for wolves to be restored to Colorado’s wild places. They’re taking public comments, and Luna’s legacy alone won’t save wild wolves. Humans have to take a stand for wildlife, and one easy step is making your voice heard at https://www.wolfengagementco.org/.

Welcome to the indoor giraffe training stall, where Bailey’s keeper team is giving her a pedicure of gigantic proportions! While Bailey participates, Jason, CMZoo’s African Rift Valley animal care manager, gives an update on her pregnancy progress, and how you can join in the fun at home.

Of course, this paint is vet-approved and nontoxic, and we’re doing this so she’s easier for you to spot in the herd. Bailey is a great student, and she seems to enjoy training – both the interaction and all of the crackers she’s getting. It’s also helpful for her care team to have another chance to get up close and check out that belly to see if we can see any signs that she might be getting closer to giving birth. As of right now, there are no signs of imminent labor, but that could change at any time.

If you want to guess when Bailey will give birth – any time between now and Nov. 19 – go to cmzoo.org/guess and submit the day, hour and minute you think the calf will arrive. The closest guesser will win a giraffe encounter with our herd.

Keep up with Bailey overnight by tuning into her 24/7 birth stall camera at cmzoo.org/giraffecam or on CMZoo’s YouTube channel. Join the entire herd daily from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. MT via our livestream cameras that overlook their main yard.


Over the summer, you may have seen our ZOOMobile out in the community as we traveled across the state visiting various events! Did you know we can bring the Zoo to your birthday party, event, school class or group meeting?

Booths and birthday parties are offered throughout the year, but with the school year starting up, it is time to think about another popular ZOOMobile program: classroom visits! From kindergarten to 12th grade, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s EdVenture team offers engaging, age-appropriate programming for students of all ages!

Each classroom program includes 30 to 45 minutes with Zoo staff, interactive activities that reinforce the program content, and two to three animal encounters that also relate to the program material.

If an in-person program isn’t an option for your classroom, check out our virtual tours and programs! They can still provide a valuable up-close experience for students that allows them to receive answers to their questions in real time.

Additionally, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has scholarships available for schools and groups that may need financial assistance.

These classes and more can be found at cmzoo.org/zoom, where you can find more information on program themes, pricing, scholarship applications and booking. We recommend getting the request form in at least two weeks prior to your preferred program date, but dates book up fast, so get your request in today!

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It’s time to check in on our mountain tapir, Cofan, as he lives out his golden years! In early 2021, Cofan underwent a life-saving surgery to remove his damaged left kidney. Since then, Cofan’s keepers have worked closely with him and given him extra love and scratches, which are his favorite rewards. Giving Cofan scratches puts him into a ‘tapir trance,’ allowing his care team to collect voluntary blood draws without any sedation. His post-surgery blood draw results have been encouraging and are a great way to keep tabs on his overall health.

Mountain tapir are very rare. Only six live in human care in the United States. Even though tapir look similar to anteaters or bears, they are actually closely related to rhinos and horses. Because tapir are so rare, but have the commonalities of horses, Cofan’s medical team refers to equine medicine and their own experience with tapir to give nearly 19-year-old Cofan the best care as he ages.

As Cofan gets older, enrichment is important for his health and quality of life in his golden years. Cofan loves eating lettuce, apples and fresh leaves from branches. Keepers will hang snacks from trees and bushes to encourage Cofan to problem solve and use his incredible nose. When he is not actively participating in enrichment, Cofan can often be found taking naps by his waterfall.

Mountain tapir, from the Andes Mountains in Colombia, Ecuador and northern Peru, are one of four species of tapir. Due to habitat loss, mountain tapir are endangered with approximately 2,500 left in the wild. CMZoo staff, thanks to support from Zoo members in our annual Member Conservation Vote, work diligently to save mountain tapir and their habitats south of the equator.

Easy-to-love Cofan helps his species by teaching us more about how to care for mountain tapir, and by inspiring countless visitors to learn about and protect wild tapir. You can visit Cofan living out his golden years across the road from Encounter Africa.

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International African Penguin Awareness Day (IAPAD) is Sat., Oct. 8, and we have an exciting day of activities planned on the beaches of Water’s Edge: Africa to help raise awareness for African penguin conservation.

Although African penguin populations continue to struggle in the wild, strides have been made to save this endangered species, and you can help them simply by coming to the Zoo. One of the ways we support African penguins in the wild is by supporting our conservation partner, Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB). SANCCOB rescues, rehabilitates, rears chicks, conducts important research, and educates the public. Join us on Sat., Oct. 8, starting at 9 a.m. to celebrate and learn more about SANCCOB and African penguins.

Check out some of the fun activities we have planned!
— Attendees get a free wristband that matches the name band of a penguin in our flock.
— Post a photo from the onsite photo station and win prizes!
— 9:30 a.m. – penguin feeding and keeper talk
— 9 to 10:45 a.m. – sign up for our rubber ducky race.
— 11 a.m. – rubber ducky race, with prizes – including a penguin encounter!
— 3:15 p.m. – penguin feeding and keeper talk – including recognition of winning game participants!

This event and all activities are included in the price of your daytime admission to CMZoo. Please note: advance tickets to the Zoo are required for members and the general public, and some days may sell out. Get tickets at cmzoo.org/visit.

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Bailey, a 10-year-old reticulated giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, is expecting her second calf any day now. Anticipating the birth of a giraffe calf can be a roller coaster of emotions: excitement, wonder, impatience, nervousness and even worry.

Since establishing its giraffe breeding program in 1954, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has welcomed 202 giraffe calves to the world. Through experiences with mothers and calves, the team has gained invaluable institutional knowledge that will guide them through Bailey’s pregnancy, labor and first moments as a second-time mom. Although every birth, calf and mother is unique, there are common milestones that help Bailey’s care team recognize whether things are on the right track.

Giraffe gestation, or length of pregnancy, isn’t an exact science. Giraffe pregnancies typically range between 14 and 16 months, which can make planning for the birth a bit of a guessing game. CMZoo’s breeding bull giraffe, Khalid, and Bailey last bred on July 19, 2021. That means Bailey’s due date window is Sept. 19 through Nov. 19, 2022.

“Most of us believe the baby will be born about mid-way through that window because Bailey had her last calf right around 15 months,” said Rachael Hahn, senior lead keeper in African Rift Valley. “My guess is September 30.”

Giraffe fans can submit their own guesses about when the calf will be born at cmzoo.org/guess. The person who guesses the closest day, time and minute Bailey gives birth will win a behind-the-scenes encounter with the CMZoo giraffe herd. (Visit cmzoo.org/guess for rules and details.)

Although the giraffe care team closely monitors Bailey’s pregnancy, labor and calf, their goal is to remain as hands-off as possible. They support Bailey through environmental changes that will best support mom and baby, like getting Bailey used to having her own room at night. The birth stall is in the same barn as the rest of the herd, separated by a fence. Bailey still gets the social interaction she enjoys from the herd and has space away from others to make her labor as calm and safe as possible. She shares the birth stall with Msichana, a 20-year-old female giraffe.

“We know we’re getting really close to labor when we see certain physical changes in Bailey,” said Hahn. “We will see changes in her udders. Typically, a few days before birth, the tips of a giraffe’s udders look waxy because colostrum is building up and starting to drip.”

During the day, Bailey will continue to join the herd in the main yard. If Bailey goes into labor in the main yard, as she did last time she had a baby, keepers are confident they’ll be able to move her into the birth stall, relying on the trusting relationship they have with Bailey. Giraffe labor has been known to last up to 10 hours, and typically the calf’s front hooves are the first part to emerge.

“We know our giraffe lovers start to worry when a giraffe is in labor for a long time, but we don’t have concerns unless we see a mother really struggling,” said Hahn. “It’s different for every giraffe, just like it is for every human. Bailey’s first labor lasted nearly four hours, and we didn’t see her struggle. She did lie down momentarily, but she stood back up just as soon as we asked her to.”

Another reason it’s best for Bailey to give birth in the separate stall is because the team brings in a special substrate – or floor covering. Giraffe regulars will notice the team is using a new kind of substrate this year, which has a red tint to it.

“The substrate helps cushion the baby’s fall when it is born,” said Hahn. “Giraffe calves fall about six feet to the ground when they’re born. It can seem like a jarring way to come into the world, but it’s important because the bump to the ground severs the umbilical cord and stimulates them to breathe. The substrate also helps absorb fluid so the calf and mom have better traction, which is especially important when the little one is attempting to stand for the first time.”

Once the calf is born, it can take a few hours for it to stand on its own. It’s normal to see mothers nudging calves with their feet and noses, encouraging the calf to stand. Learning to use those long legs for the first time is no easy task – especially when you’re only a few hours old.

“We expect to see a calf tumble and stumble, but as long as they’re trying, we’re happy,” said Hahn. “It can be a hard thing to watch if you’ve never seen it before, but it’s totally normal for mom to nudge them and for the calf to take a lot of spills before finally standing up.”

After standing, it’s usually time to eat. The giraffe care team likes to see a newborn calf nursing from mom within the first several hours. They watch closely for that important first meal of colostrum, which contains antibodies that give the baby a boost. In case the baby doesn’t nurse, the team has bottles and formula on standby.

CMZoo houses a Giraffe Plasma Bank for newborn calf emergencies, so this baby would also have immediate access to that treatment. The potentially life-saving plasma has been donated voluntarily by other members of the herd, and has been proven to help struggling newborn calves in the past.

The following few days and weeks, the calf and Bailey will continue to bond moving in and out new spaces both inside and outside as well as meeting new members of the herd. Keepers will watch Bailey and the calf’s behaviors to help determine when those big adventures occur.

“Ideally, Bailey takes the lead on raising the calf and staff will only intervene if it’s medically necessary,” said Hahn. “Bailey did an amazing job with her first calf, BB, and we’re cautiously optimistic that she and her new calf will be successful together, too. Of course, we’re ready to support them as much as we can if they do need our help.”

When Bailey goes into labor, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo plans to share the birth of her calf on its social media channels. Fans can check in on Bailey in her overnight birth stall, and see the herd outside during the day, at cmzoo.org/giraffecam or on the Zoo’s YouTube channel at youtube.com/cmzoocs.

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The four black-footed ferret (BFF) kits born in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s conservation center this summer are on their way to ‘boot camp,’ a pre-conditioning center where they’ll have the chance to prove they could survive in the wild.

Boot camp puts their survival skills to the test in a contained prairie setting for about 35 days. Biologists monitor the BFFs during boot camp, and if they see any individuals are struggling to hunt, find shelter, or defend themselves, they’ll be returned to human care. Those who prove they could live wild will be released into the prairie beyond the contained boot camp setting, hopefully to breed with other wild ferrets and grow their populations.

It’s a big step for the furry ferrets, who are independent at only four months of age. Their potential wild release represents hope for their species, which was considered extinct when 18 BFFs were accidentally discovered by a sheepdog in Meeteetse, Wyoming in 1981.

From monthly lighting adjustments to reproductive monitoring and only four breeding opportunities (once per year, for four years) to pair a compatible couple to conceive, the intricacies of black-footed ferret breeding success are meticulously managed by the CMZoo conservation team. CMZoo is one of only five zoos in the world participating in breed-and-release programs to support the Black-Footed Ferret Species Survival Plan (SSP), along with the USFWS National Black Footed Ferret Breeding and Conservation Center just outside of Fort Collins, Colo.

Since 1991, CMZoo has bred 589 BFF kits in the behind-the-scenes conservation center, which is designed to keep the ferrets as wild as possible in hopes they’ll one day live on the prairie. Last year, the team welcomed 15 kits to the world, and this year, another four.

“It’s incredibly challenging work and we aren’t always as successful as we want to be, because replicating nature is really hard to do,” said Baughman.

Breeding seasons for males and females are triggered by photoperiod. they won’t breed unless their environments provide the same seasonal changes that would be activated by the changes in natural sunlight that launch that reproductive cycle in the wild.

Male black-footed ferrets start producing more testosterone during the winter months, when there’s less sunlight per day. In the spring, when there’s more sunlight, the females start going into estrous. Males and females have to be in just the right window to breed successfully, and that breeding window only overlaps from March to May each year. On top of that, they’re only typically reproductive from 1 to 4 years old, and they only breed once per year.

Sometimes, even with meticulously managed light cycles, the pairs recommended to breed are out of sync. Under the guidance of the Black-Footed Ferret SSP, conservation teams match potential parent ferrets to maximize genetic diversity, which means pairing recommendations are based solely on the genetics of the potential partners. But, just because they’re a good match genetically doesn’t mean the individuals will breed. Even if the males and females are in sync hormonally to breed, they may not accept their partner.

“This year, we had fewer kits than normal, and that’s a challenge,” said Baughman. “We will look at what we did differently this year, and we will talk to our partners and see if it’s a program-wide shift, or if it was just our facility. Sometimes there’s no clear reason why it was an ‘off’ year.”

Externally, the challenges continue. Bubonic plague is an ongoing battle in the wild. Plague is transmitted by fleas and kills prairie dogs, which black-footed ferrets need to survive. There are also challenges with acquiring and sustaining enough habitat for reintroduction. It’s another reason education is so important. Inspiring people to coexist with prairie dogs and other prairie wildlife is vital to the success of the program.

“We believe that connecting our guests to animals at the Zoo can inspire them to protect their wild counterparts, and that isn’t easy to do for a species that is intentionally kept away from guests because they need to stay wild,” said Baughman. “The BFFs are easy to love because of their adorable looks and funny antics, so they have become the ‘poster children’ of the prairie. They do a great job as ambassadors for all species who occupy the prairie ecosystems of Colorado, Wyoming, and the North American Great Plains.”

Although guests can’t visit the breeding BFFs or their kits in the conservation center, they can visit Rouge, a black-footed ferret who lives in The Loft at CMZoo. The Zoo continues working to connect guests to this species that needs local support to recover in the wild.

The team recently participated in the filming of a future episode of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, which focuses on the BFF’s struggle and the teams that band together in hopes to save them. That episode is slated to air in 2023. CMZoo will provide updates on an air date as plans continue to come together.

The conservation team also celebrated the 41-year anniversary of the rediscovery of BFFs on Sept. 26 with educational booths at the Zoo. Through social media updates, local news, and other outreach, the team continues to keep the ferrets front-of-mind for animal advocates everywhere. Learn more about BFF conservation.

Every visit to CMZoo is conservation in action. Through CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) program, by which 75¢ of every admission is dedicated to frontline conservation efforts like this, guests can enjoy a day on the mountain with their favorite animals and support important programs dedicated to saving wildlife and wild places. Since 2008, when Q4C started, CMZoo’s guests and members have contributed more than $4 million to conservation projects worldwide.

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HAVE A WILD NIGHT FOR A WORTHY CAUSE AT THIS 21-AND-UP CMZOO FUNDRAISING EVENT – It’s your last chance to catch Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 21-and-up evening music series, Tails & Tunes, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Thurs., Sept. 29. There’s nowhere else you can feed a giraffe, have a drink, enjoy live music and breathe in the fresh evening mountain air. This truly unique event is perfect for a girls’ night out, work celebration or date night.

Advance tickets are required for members and the general public. Tickets are available now at cmzoo.org/tails.

Each admission includes two drinks and guests can purchase small plates from a chef-created custom Tails & Tunes menu to round out the night.

Attendees will have a wild night for a worthy cause, because proceeds help us care for our animals and cover operational costs as a non-profit Zoo that receives no tax support. In addition, 75¢ from every Tails & Tunes ticket goes to CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program, which has raised more than $4 million for frontline conservation efforts around the world since 2008.

What can you do at Tails & Tunes?

  • Your ticket includes two drink tickets for use at any bar throughout the event. Cash bars are also available.
  • Purchase chef-created small plates from our custom Tails & Tunes menu at our eateries ($5 per plate).
  • Enjoy local musicians performing throughout the Zoo.
  • Visit your favorite animals (most exhibits are open all evening).
  • Watch the sunset from the mountainside.
  • Feed the giraffe herd ($3 per lettuce bundle or $5 for two).
  • Ride the Sky Ride (weather dependent; $4 for Zoo members, $5 for non-members).

September’s Tails & Tunes musical lineup:

  • Brandon Henderson & Austin Johnson
  • Red Moon Rounder
  • Red Rocks Rebellion
  • The Midnight Sun
  • WireWood Station
  • George Whitesell

Tails & Tunes is presented with support from Cordera and CenturyLink Fiber. Thank you, event sponsors!

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. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised $4 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 239 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

BAILEY’S DUE DATE IS BETWEEN SEPT. 19 AND NOV. 19, 2022 – On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo shared an ultrasound video on its social media channels and asked fans to guess who at the Zoo was expecting a baby. This just in: it’s Bailey, a reticulated giraffe!

The calf would be the second offspring for mom, Bailey, and the seventh to be sired by dad, Khalid (pronounced cull-EED). Bailey and Khalid bred together on July 19, 2021. A healthy giraffe gestation can last from 14 to 16 months. Bailey’s last pregnancy was one day shy of 15 months (457 days) long. If she has another 15-month pregnancy, this baby would be born on October 19, 2022, but it could come as early as September 19, 2022 or as late as November 19, 2022 – and of course, any date in between.

This calf would be the seventeenth member of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s reticulated giraffe herd. Bailey moved to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on a breeding recommendation in Sept. 2016. Bailey and Khalid welcomed their first calf, BB, to the world in September 2020, and BB moved to Denver Zoo in July 2022. CMZoo’s breeding program began in 1954 and has welcomed more than 200 calves since its inception.

On Mon., Sept. 19, the Zoo will welcome giraffe lovers worldwide to join us for 24-hour per day baby watch! Fans can tune in to a special live stream broadcast from Bailey’s overnight stall, where viewers will also be able to watch the labor and birth live at cmzoo.org/giraffecam or on YouTube.

Since the window in which Bailey could give birth starts on Sept. 19, she will start spending the night in a nursery where it’s safer and calmer for her to go into labor while the Zoo is closed at night. The space is adjacent to – but not sharing space with – the rest of the herd. You can see her with the rest of the herd during the day when they go outside on our two outdoor live giraffe cams which are available daily from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., also at cmzoo.org/giraffecam or on YouTube. The Zoo will continue to provide updates on their social media channels.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo recently launched the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe, establishing a first-of-its-kind giraffe training, knowledge-sharing and giraffe emergency response program, that serves as a resource to benefit all giraffe in human care. CMZoo is not only a leader in the training and health of giraffe in human care, but they are also making a huge difference in conservation of giraffe in the wild.

Reticulated giraffe, the subspecies to which CMZoo’s herd belongs, are endangered. According to recent reports, wild giraffe populations have grown 20 percent since 2015, with around 117,000 individual giraffe documented. But, there’s still work to be done. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) categorizes giraffe as vulnerable to extinction, while two northern subspecies are considered critically endangered, and Masai and reticulated giraffe are endangered.

Watch the early ultrasound of Bailey’s baby below:

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. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised $4 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 239 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

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