Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Author at CMZoo

Would you like to invite a chinchilla to your corporate event? Or maybe a ferret to your family function? Having a snake at your socially distanced soirée would certainly make a statement! CMZoo’s EdVenture team is once again offering ZOOMobile, our animal ambassador community outreach program, after a several-month hiatus.

There are several different types of ZOOMobile programs to choose from – whether you are hosting a birthday party in your home, a corporate event or a senior community program, our animals and keepers can make your event even more exciting.

ZOOM Birthdays start at $280.75 and include four live animal ambassadors, a 45-minute engaging program with a Zoo staff member, touch opportunities with animal ambassadors (species dependent), and special animal interactions for the birthday guest of honor.

ZOOM Small Group Programs start at $220.75 and include a 45-minute engaging presentation with Zoo staff, four live animal ambassadors, touch opportunities with animal ambassadors (species dependent), and a natural animal behavior demonstration (species specific).

With COVID-19 guidelines in place, there are some changes to note. Currently, ZOOMobile programs are restricted to El Paso County. We also ask that programs occur outdoors whenever possible and that events are for groups of 25 people or less. For groups outside of El Paso County, larger groups, or for anyone who feels more comfortable, we also offer virtual ZOOMobile programs with live presentations of animal ambassadors.

Visit cmzoo.org/ZOOM to learn about all the programs ZOOMobile has to offer and to submit a program request.

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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.

Back to The Waterhole

Our newest event, Silent Night, aims to provide the community with an environment of low-sensory respite. At the event, guests enjoy a quiet Zoo experience with only the natural sounds of animals and the mountainside. At a time when many of our community members need a mental break, this event encourages them to meander at a peaceful pace without a schedule or distractions. The next scheduled Silent Night is Friday, September 11, 2020, and tickets are on sale now at cmzoo.org/silentnight.

“This event presents our guests with a new way to connect with our animals and nature,” said Amanda Ulrich, CMZoo special events manager. “In addition to giving guests a calm, natural space to clear their minds, you can observe the animals in a new way. Even keepers who have worked here for multiple years have experienced things at Silent Night that they wouldn’t during the day, like hearing a vulture’s feathers rustle, or hearing the quiet chirp of a mountain lion.”

Attendees are asked to silence phones and other noisy devices, and to keep all communication to a whisper. Our goal is to create a peaceful environment in our natural surroundings, with as little background noise as possible. We don’t know if the lions are on board with this plan, but the humans who attend agree to keep the talking to a minimum and cell phones on silent. Guests can enjoy our beautiful mountainside setting, and practice mindfulness together. Giraffe and budgie feedings will be available, along with limited dining options at The Grizzly Grill. Unlike our Zoo evening events, there will be no live music, announcements over loud speakers, or keeper talks.

Staff will have notepads to communicate with guests who need anything. “Noise-friendly” buildings are open throughout the Zoo for those who may need to take a moment to regroup or take an important phone call. The rest of the Zoo will be quiet.

“You can get really creative about this silent theme and have fun establishing silent ways of communicating within your group,” said Ulrich. “For example, one family attended and had numbers as common indicators of needs. For example, holding up one finger meant you needed a drink. Holding up two fingers meant you were hungry. Holding up three fingers meant it was time for a bathroom break. When I saw them holding all five fingers on both hands and waving them, it meant they were really excited about what they were seeing. It was awesome to see that family making new memories and a new language.”

Countless studies have shown that time outside, time with animals and exercise all have direct correlations to reducing stress and anxiety.

“There’s so much noise in the world right now,” said Ulrich. “This is your chance to unplug from the digital world and engage in the natural world. Exercise, time outside, and time with animals are all known to improve mental health. We’re in the unique position to be able to provide our community with all three of those elements in one place.”

Advance e-tickets are required and available now at cmzoo.org/silentnight. Masks are required in buildings and are highly encouraged throughout the Zoo.

Fast Facts

Silent Night at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Friday, Sept. 11, 2020
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Adults: $17.75
Children (3 to 11): $12.75
Kids (2 and under): 75¢
Military and senior discounts available.
E-tickets and information are available at www.cmzoo.org/silentnight.

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Who’s ready for an update on our little moose?! The nearly 9-week-old male calf, who has not yet been named, is settling in and stealing hearts in Rocky Mountain Wild! Animal Care Manager, Rebecca, is in the moose yard with him to talk about how he’s been doing since he arrived last Wednesday morning. (To watch video updates of his journey from Alaska to #CMZoo, see his video playlist.

On your next visit, look out for him in the moose yard, but keep in mind that he is a baby and takes naps in his barn sometimes. This little guy is growing quickly (he already weighs 115 pounds!), meeting new friends, working on training, trying new foods and exploring his new home, which requires a lot of energy. He has access to his barn and his yard, so make sure you leave time during your visit to swing by twice if you don’t see him the first time around.

The biggest question about our little guy has been, “What is his name?” As of today, you can bid on the chance to name him in our virtual Zoo Ball online auction. Check out cmzoo.org/zooball for more information and to check out other CMZoo experiences, art and more. You can also make a donation to the Zoo, which we really appreciate after being closed for three months due to COVID-19.

Thanks for following along as we welcomed him home last week! We’ll keep you posted on this long-legged love’s progress.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD NAMED #2 BEST ZOO EXHIBIT IN NORTH AMERICA – For the fourth consecutive year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been voted one of the top ten zoos in North America in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. This time, America’s mountain Zoo was recognized in two categories: #4 Best Zoo in North America (up from #6 in 2019) and #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America, for its Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit (up from #5 in 2019).

“This ranking means even more to us this year, with the difficult times the Zoo has been going through in 2020,” said Bob Chastain, President and CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. “Even though the Zoo was closed due to virus restrictions for nearly three months, and we currently have limited capacity and other precautions in place, our fans and members still rally around us. To have that kind of community and nationwide support really means a lot.”

The online contest was originally open for voting starting March 16, in the midst of a wave of COVID-19-related closures and stay-at-home orders around the country. Despite the fact that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo closed to the public on March 17, our fans still helped us climb high in the rankings, until voting was temporarily paused on March 24. When voting reopened June 14 through July 6, our fans and members rallied to boost us to the final rankings.

This is the second time that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been ranked as high as 4th Best Zoo in North America. The first time was in 2018.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo aims to set itself apart by making every guest experience inspiring. With its simply stated vision, “Every Kid. Every Time. Goosebumps.” at its cultural core, CMZoo creates environments and experiences that bring people closer to animals. Exhibits are designed to remove unnecessary physical barriers, while keeper-led animal interactions are designed to establish and build connections between our guests and the animals who live here. CMZoo’s goal is to foster connections that inspire our guests to take action to protect animals and their habitats in the wild.

“This national recognition reminds us that the impact of our mission reaches beyond the city of Colorado Springs,” said Chastain. “We were nominated amongst a group of impressive organizations, in markets much larger than ours, which makes us even more proud to have been named the fourth best zoo in North America.”

Rocky Mountain Wild, an area of the Zoo that is home to animals from the Zoo’s native region, was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America. Rocky Mountain Wild opened in the summer of 2008, appropriately hugging the highest elevations of CMZoo’s developed mountainside acreage. The area is home to a pack of endangered Mexican wolves, four Canada lynx, two North American porcupines, two bald eagles, two grizzly bears, three mountain lions, three river otters, a family of turkeys and a flock of wood ducks. The exhibit’s newest resident, an 8-week-old orphaned Alaskan moose, just moved into his award-winning home on Wednesday. Rocky Mountain Wild is known for its expansive natural exhibits, exquisite views, educational and entertaining animal demonstrations, and enthusiastic and passionate team of animal keepers.

This is the second time Rocky Mountain Wild has been nominated in the Best Zoo Exhibit category, and the fourth time Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been nominated in the Best Zoo category. A panel of travel experts, recruited by USA TODAY editors, nominated 20 North American Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos and exhibits, and supporters had a total of four weeks to cast their votes once per day for the nominees of their choice.

The 2020 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Top Ten Best Zoos in North America, in ranking order, are:

Fort Worth Zoo – Fort Worth
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden – Cincinnati
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – Omaha, Neb.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – Colorado Springs
Brevard Zoo – Melbourne, Fla.
Audubon Zoo – New Orleans
San Diego Zoo – San Diego
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum – Tucson
Dallas Zoo – Dallas
Living Desert Zoo and Gardens – Palm Desert, Calif.

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 2019, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #6 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #5 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 233 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.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is excitedly making preparations for the newest resident of Rocky Mountain Wild — an 8-week-old male Alaska moose, due to arrive this Wednesday. The big-eyed, light brown, long-legged calf was orphaned at about six days old outside of Anchorage, Alaska, when his mother was involved in a fatal human-wildlife conflict. He has since been in the care of Alaska Zoo. Moose are extremely rare in zoos, and this arrival comes only two months after the loss of the Zoo’s beloved 12-year-old Canada moose, Tahoma.

“People have seen an increase in activity in the moose yard, over the past several days, as we prep it for the calf’s arrival,” said Rebecca Zwicker, Rocky Mountain Wild animal care manager. “Our guests have been really curious about the updates we’re making in the moose yard, so we’re excited to share this announcement. While we’ve been in the yard, ‘babyproofing,’ we’ve had some wonderful interactions with guests sharing condolences and stories of how Tahoma touched them. It’s clear that Tahoma’s legacy is in place. He touched a lot of hearts, young and old. This little guy has some big hooves to fill, but from what we hear from his keepers at Alaska Zoo, he’s up to the task.”

Two CMZoo staff members are on their way to Alaska Zoo to meet the little calf and transport him home. Starting Tuesday, July 14, CMZoo will share updates of the team’s travels as they make their way home to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Moose fans everywhere can witness the young moose’s journey home on Tuesday and Wednesday via Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Facebook and YouTube channels.

“We knew we wanted to continue Tahoma’s incredible legacy with another moose, but we didn’t know it would happen this quickly,” said Courtney Rogers, lead animal keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild. “It’s a bittersweet situation, because of course, we wish this young calf could have continued living in the wild. But, since that was not possible, we’re grateful we’ll be able to care for him here. Since Tahoma passed, Rocky Mountain Wild has definitely been missing some ‘moose magic,’ and we’re so excited to help this little boy grow up.”

This young calf wouldn’t have been able to survive in the wild without his mother, but did benefit from having his first few days of his mother’s milk. He is still being bottle-fed, which will continue until he’s about three months old. As soon as he arrives at CMZoo, the calf will move into the moose yard in Rocky Mountain Wild, where staff have been doing some serious ‘babyproofing’ in preparation for his arrival.

“Tahoma weighed over 1,000 pounds and this little guy only weighs about 90 pounds, so there are several parts of the exhibit that could have been unsafe for him if we didn’t make changes,” said Rogers. “We hear from his Alaska Zoo keepers that he gets the ‘zoomies’ a lot, and he’s so small that he will likely be able to squeeze through or under some of the moose exhibit fencing, so we’ve been getting the exhibit ready for this young, inexperienced and excitable calf. We can’t wait to meet him.”

The exhibit features a deep pool and a relatively steep culvert, which the keepers will need to help the young moose learn to navigate. To keep him safe, a smaller temporary enclosure will be set up in the moose exhibit. Keepers will supervise calf ‘field trips’ into the main exhibit, to teach him the ropes and evaluate his comfort, before he graduates to full-time access to the entire exhibit. To help him adjust to the warmer weather in Colorado, they’re also preparing sand and soil beds that can be kept damp to keep him cool. The baby will also have fans in his barn, where he’ll sleep for protection while he’s still so small.

“We’re super excited, but also kind of feel like new parents,” said Zwicker. “When Tahoma came to us, he was about 10 months old, so this is the first time we’ve had such a young moose. We’re trying to be as prepared as possible. We have spoken with his keepers in Alaska and gotten great advice from other animal professionals who have cared for moose this young. But, we’ve also just accepted that this is going to be kind of a wild ride. He’s going to find some things to get into, and he may catch us off guard from time to time, but we’re also looking forward to watching him being a mischievous youngster. We have to channel our inner mama moose skills, and show him how to live his best life as an ambassador at CMZoo.”

CMZoo is one of only eight Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited institutions in the United States to house moose. Because moose are so rare in human care, CMZoo pioneered moose care practices through their work with Tahoma, like formulating nutritious moose diets and training for voluntary blood tests, hoof care and more.

“Tahoma truly was one-of-a-kind,” said Rogers. “Moose keepers visiting from other zoos remarked at how calm and laid-back he was. It’s going to be fun getting to know a new moose personality! For those who only knew Tahoma in his senior years, it can be difficult to remember that he was once a young moose running around the exhibit, trying to knock over trees and sparring with his enrichment. We fully expect this youngster to keep us on our toes with his antics.”

Going from caring for a 12-year-old moose with age-related issues to caring for a baby who’s learning how to be a moose is going to be quite a change of pace for the Rocky Mountain Wild keepers.

“With Tahoma, we spent a lot of time preparing and administering medications and medical treatments to keep him comfortable in his elder years,” said Rogers. “Instead of preparing ‘med sandwiches,’ now we’ll be preparing bottles. Just like we did for Tahoma, we’ll be monitoring this young calf’s food intake, his weight and his activity to make sure he’s getting everything he needs from us. We also may need to babysit or walk with him around the exhibit, which we are pretty excited about.”

The male moose has not yet been named. He will move into Rocky Mountain Wild’s moose exhibit when he arrives, and guests should be able to see him in the yard right away.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo welcomed another multi-ton resident to the brand-new exhibit, Water’s Edge: Africa, on Tuesday evening. Biko (BEE-koh), a 17-year-old male Nile hippopotamus, will join female hippos, Zambezi (zam-BEE-zee) and Kasai (kuh-SIGH), on a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Nile Hippopotamus Species Survival Plan.

He will continue to acclimate to his new home and complete a routine quarantine period. Then, keepers will begin the process of introducing him to the female hippos. If successful, this would be the first time any of the three hippos produced offspring.

Only 30 of the 233 organizations accredited by the AZA in North America house hippos. The last male hippo who lived at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was Tony, who passed away in 1989. Although our female hippos first came to CMZoo decades ago, this is the first attempt to breed hippos at the Zoo in more than 30 years.

Since Zambezi and Kasai returned to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo from Dickerson Park Zoo, an AZA-accredited zoo in Springfield, Missouri, on May 22, 2020, they have taken turns sharing space and showing their keepers they would sometimes rather be in separate spaces. The hippo pools, yards and indoor beach areas in Water’s Edge: Africa were designed to accommodate separation for various pods formed by the hippos and their potential future offspring.

“We’ve been working on letting the girls spend time together until they show us they’d prefer a little time apart,” said Patty Wallace, senior lead keeper at Water’s Edge: Africa. “They’re spending more and more time together, but still seem to want time away from each other to appear totally comfortable in their new home. With the arrival of Biko, who is smaller than the females, the dynamics could completely change. Only time will tell. We will watch their behavior closely, and let them tell us what the next steps are.”

Biko came to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo from an AZA-accredited institution in central Florida on a breeding recommendation with both Zambezi and Kasai, who are 27 and 20 years old, respectively. Once Biko has cleared quarantine, the hippo keeper team will use a variety of underwater and above-ground gates to give the hippos opportunities to have their own spaces and also participate in ‘howdies,’ which are introductions with barriers between the animals. This allows the animals to smell, see and approach each other without risking injury.

“We always look for signs that the animals are confident during ‘howdies,’” said Wallace. “If they show us they feel uncomfortable, we help them see that they are in control by giving them the choice to walk away. They are always making the choice to interact with another animal or not. If we see signs that the two animals are comfortable and confident with each other, we move on to introductions in a shared space, usually for small increments of time that increase slowly.”

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List categorizes Nile hippopotamuses as a species vulnerable to extinction in the wild, estimating less than 150,000 remain in their native habitats. Their primary threats are habitat loss and illegal and unregulated hunting. Hippos are hunted for ivory, which is found in hippopotamuses’ canine teeth, and meat.

After Biko clears quarantine, guests will be able to see him at Water’s Edge: Africa, which is now home to three hippos, 11 African penguins, two common warthogs, three ring-tailed lemurs and roughly 30 guinea pigs. The design of the exhibit removes as many barriers as safely possible between guests and the animals, including the outdoor penguin beach that gives penguins access to waddle right up to guests. The outdoor hippo space features a knife-edge pool that puts guests eye-to-eye with the hippos, overlooked by lemur island – an outdoor/indoor space for lemurs to climb high onto trees with incredible views of Colorado Springs. Encouraging guests to participate in nature play, the exhibit also features a nature trail with natural obstacles like a log forest and boulder area, perfect for testing your traversing skills. The nature trail leads to a one-of-a-kind rope suspension bridge that leads guests over the outdoor hippo yard, for up-close overhead views of hippos unavailable anywhere else in the world.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

It finally feels like summer! The weather is warm, the Zoo is open, and camp is in full swing. Summer Camp at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a uniquely wild experience, and this summer is no different. Well, it’s a little different.

There are new guidelines in place to help keep staff, guests and campers happy and healthy during their visit. With smaller camp groups, we have been able to make our camp programs match guidelines put in place by our local and state health departments and the Centers for Disease Control. These smaller camp groups also mean that camps have sold out very quickly. There are a few spots left, but they likely won’t last long!

If your child did not get the chance to sign up or your family has decided that you feel safer at home, we have a camp option for you! Summer Camp in a Box is a new way to experience camp activities from the comfort of home. We take all the fun pieces of camp, pack them into a box and send camp to you! You can still connect with the Zoo and enjoy hands-on activities, guided virtual tours, virtual animal encounters and create fun animal enrichment!

Camp in a Box allows you to pick and choose your campers’ activities. You pick the content, we gather all the materials and send it home. It is a great blend of hand-on activities supplemented with virtual content. The goal is to still connect campers with wildlife and wild places, even if it means from your own backyard.

To start building your Summer Camp in a Box, visit cmzoo.org/virtual to get started!

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Learn all about Ohe, newest member of the reticulated giraffe herd at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Back to The Waterhole

To celebrate the recent release of 148 Wyoming toads to the wild, we’re looking at a year in the life of our toads, which are bred at CZOo in an effort to help recover this species once considered extinct in the wild.