Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Author at CMZoo

GUESTS WILL ENJOY FOOD, DRINKS, LIVE MUSIC, A HOLIDAY SAFARI DRONE LIGHT SHOW, AND VISITS WITH THEIR FAVORITE ANIMALS AND SANTA – Make plans for an adults-only mistle-toast to the season at Electric Moonlight from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 5, at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. There’s nowhere else you can sip cocktails, sample food, enjoy live local music, feed a giraffe and visit Santa in an adults-only atmosphere on the side of a mountain!

Electric Moonlight incorporates all of the magic of Electric Safari, like 50 acres of twinkling lights displays, 90+ hand-made light sculptures, enormous animal inflatables, and a drone light show, plus the additions of live music and all-inclusive food and drink samplings (while supplies last). Guests can also take in the lights from new heights on the Mountaineer Sky Ride ($3 per rider). Even Santa will be here to listen to grown-ups’ holiday wishes! Inflatables and drone show are weather dependent.

In between sampling delicious food and drinks, donated by local restaurants, breweries, distilleries and more, guests can enjoy scheduled animal keeper talks and demonstrations. Select animal habitats will be open for guests to visit, including the giraffe barn, where guests can hand-feed the 16-member giraffe herd for $3 per lettuce bundle or $5 for two bundles. See lists of open animal areas, musicians and attending vendors at cmzoo.org/em.

This event is popular and is subject to selling out. Don’t wait to secure your spot at the last 21-and-up special event of the year at cmzoo.org/em.

Attendees can get into the holiday spirit and feel good about purchasing a ticket to this important fundraiser for the Zoo. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of the only AZA-accredited nonprofit zoos in the country that does not receive tax support, so every ticket helps fund animal care, Zoo operations, improvements and conservation.

Quick Facts
• 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thurs., Dec. 5, 2023
• Advance tickets are required and must be purchased at cmzoo.org/em. This event is likely to sell out.
• Electric Moonlight features:
— live music throughout the Zoo
— food and drink samples from Front Range restaurants, breweries, distilleries and more (while supplies last)
— more than 50 acres of twinkling lights
— more than 90 hand-made light sculptures
— giant illuminated animal inflatables (weather permitting)
— a holiday-safari themed drone show (weather permitting)
— access to the Mountaineer Sky Ride (weather permitting; $3)
— access to the historic carousel (weather permitting; $2 per person)
— access to most of the Zoo’s animal exhibits, including paid giraffe and budgie feedings
— scheduled animal keeper talks and demonstrations
• This event is for adults, ages 21 and older, only. No children or infants will be allowed in.
• Each ticket includes a souvenir sampling cup and spork so guests can sample food and drinks located throughout the Zoo. Local breweries, distilleries and restaurants will have samples available for guests while supplies last.

This waste-wise event is supported by 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 2024, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #5 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY’s 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 more than $5 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 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.

26 NIGHTS OF ELECTRIC SAFARI START ON FRI., DEC. 6 – AND TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE TODAY! – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is preparing the mountainside with millions of lights for the 34th year of Electric Safari. Twenty-six nights of mountainside lights starts on Friday, Dec. 6, and tickets are available starting today at cmzoo.org/electric.

Plus, Electric Safari is nominated for ‘Best Zoo Lights in North America’ – and Zoo fans can vote daily through Dec. 2 at cmzoo.org/lights. Electric Safari was named Third Best Zoo Lights in North American for the last five years by USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Fans of the Zoo can vote once daily at cmzoo.org/lights until the contest ends, at 10 a.m. MT on Mon., Dec. 2. Top-ten national rankings should be announced that week!
VOTE FOR BEST ZOO LIGHTS

This year, attendees can expect more than 50 acres of twinkling lights, 90+ hand-made light sculptures, giant illuminated animal inflatables, a holiday-safari drone show, plus breathtaking nighttime city views from the side of the mountain.

Electric Safari opens on Fri., Dec. 6 and runs through Wed., Jan.1, 2025 – except Christmas Eve. Zoo members can get early entry, from 4 to 5 p.m. General admission is from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Electric Safari ends at 8:30 p.m.

Electric Safari is free for CMZoo members, and members can attend as often as they’d like! To manage on-site parking throughout the popular event, advance timed tickets are required for members and the general public. Capacity is limited and some nights will sell out. Get tickets and more details at cmzoo.org/electric. Guests can save $5 per ticket by visiting on a non-peak day, detailed on the Pricing Calendar at cmzoo.org/electric.

Attendees will enjoy lit trees, structures and sculptures, installed by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s grounds and events team. Larger-than-life illuminated animal inflatables and a nightly holiday-safari themed drone light show (both are weather dependent) will decorate the Zoo, making the perfect setting for extra-special holiday memories. If all of those beautiful lights don’t un-Scrooge even the Grinchiest of holiday grumps, a cup of hot cocoa and a visit with Santa ought to do the trick.

Kris Kringle will be in Safari Lodge through Dec. 23 to hear holiday wishes, collect lists and pose for free photos. Take a spin on the historic carousel for $2 per ride, or hop on the Mountaineer Sky Ride for incredible once-a-year views of the holiday nighttime glow of Colorado Springs from the mountainside (both are weather permitting).

Electric Safari wouldn’t be complete without scheduled animal demonstrations and keeper talks! Guests can also visit select animal exhibits. Electric Safari offers paid feeding opportunities with CMZoo’s famous giraffe herd and budgie flock. See an animal schedule, feeding prices and open animal exhibits at cmzoo.org/electric.

Grizzly Grill, Cozy Goat, Pizza with a View and Elson’s Café will be open to serve food and beverages. The Thundergod Gift Shop is open every night for Zoo-themed gifts and hot cocoa.

Electric Safari is supported by our partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, U.S. Bank and Toyota. For more information, visit: cmzoo.org/electric.

Electric Safari Fast Facts
• Electric Safari is from 5 to 8:30 p.m. nightly from Fri., Dec. 6 through Wed., Jan. 1, 2025 – except on Christmas Eve. Early entry for members and their paying guests starts at 4 p.m.
• Advance timed tickets are required for members and the general public.
• Tickets are limited and some nights will sell out in advance.
• Electric Safari is free for Zoo members. Members must reserve timed tickets, and can attend as often as they please.
• Santa will greet Electric Safari guests nightly through Mon., Dec. 23. Bring letters and take photos!
• Electric Safari features:
— more than 50 acres of twinkling lights
— more than 90 hand-made light sculptures
— giant illuminated animal inflatables (weather permitting)
— a nightly holiday-safari themed drone show (weather permitting)
— access to the Mountaineer Sky Ride (weather permitting; $4 for members; $5 for general public)
— access to the historic carousel (weather permitting; $2 per person)
— access to most of the Zoo’s animal exhibits, including paid giraffe and budgie feedings
— nightly scheduled animal keeper talks and demonstrations
— get more information and tickets in advance at cmzoo.org/electric
• Vote for Electric Safari, nominated in USA TODAY’s Best Zoo Lights in North America, daily at cmzoo.org/lights through Mon., Dec. 2.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

From the tallest giraffe to the smallest axolotl, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to a diverse variety of animals with a common thread: the Zoo’s dedication to their care. Arguably, one of the most charming species at the Zoo is the guinea pig. In Water’s Edge: Africa, a vibrant muddle (a group of guinea pigs) thrives in the cavy equivalent of a ‘Barbie Dream House.’

“Like all animals, guinea pigs need an enriching environment to flourish,” Grace Sullivan, lead keeper in Water’s Edge: Africa says. “In addition to monitoring our animals‘ needs, our job is observe how animals interact with their environments and maintain them to support our animals’ needs.”

The muddle’s care team provides activities that support their independence, choice and control with opportunities to explore, socialize, and exercise in ways they find rewarding. Guinea pigs are extremely social animals. They’re curious and energetic. With 17 guinea pigs ranging from young to geriatric at CMZoo, Sullivan and her team work to address the individual needs of each.

Yzma [YEEZ-muh] is among the standout residents of this muddle. The 6-year-old cinnamon-colored guinea pig, with charming full-body cowlicks, is one of the original members of the CMZoo guinea pig herd, having arrived at the Zoo in 2020. As the eldest, she has learned to participate in her own health care, taking oral medication to ease age-related issues like arthritis.

Yzma, an aging guinea pig, approaches a keeper to voluntarily receive her oral daily anti-inflammation medication.

Guinea pigs have a short lifespan, usually around five years. With habitat adjustments, medications and voluntary husbandry checks, like scale training, the team works to maximize their quality of life during that time. Recognizing the changing needs of older guinea pigs, the Water’s Edge: Africa team introduced the ‘Silver Whiskers Program.’

“When we first notice a health decline in a guinea pig that’s getting older, we start them on the Silver Whiskers Program with a thorough medical exam,” Grace says. “That data sets a baseline for them, and we can rely on it to support them as they age gracefully.”

Checking teeth, joints and blood values allows the team to monitor and address health changes with solid data to guide welfare decisions. The team also tracks quality-of-life measures, like weight, mobility, social activities and interactions with their environments.

Guinea pigs in their golden years get exclusive access to the ’Silver Whiskers Dining Room,’ where they need not compete with much younger, faster eaters, like 2-year-old Brenda.

Long-haired, black-and-white Brenda is known for her speed and dominance in the herd. She’s usually first to investigate new enrichment or nudge another guinea pig out of the way to get what she wants. Tiny and feisty, Brenda taught keepers that some guinea pigs don’t want to interact with humans, and she’ll give a healthy guinea pig ‘head toss’ at anyone who needs reminding.

Another key character in the herd is short-haired, brown-and-black, brown-and-black, short-haired Grandpa. The one-year-old guinea pig is known for his ability to start a ‘popcorning’ party in the herd. Popcorning is a display of excitement among guinea pigs, and it looks just like it sounds: a sudden, vertical leap – usually displayed a few times in a row. A popcorning muddle is a remarkable sight.

First-time visitors exploring Water’s Edge: Africa for hippos and penguins might be surprised to find themselves captivated by the antics guinea pigs. CMZoo frequenters know the cavies are worth their own visit to the Zoo.

“It is really fun to get to know our members and guests through our interactions about the guinea pigs,” Grace says. “When guests see us engaging with the guinea pigs, they realize that they’re given the same freedoms and care as larger animals like hippos or lemurs, and they share updates they’re making to their own guinea pigs’ habitats. That makes me happy to know our muddle is inspiring welfare improvements for pets, too.”

The guinea pigs will continue to explore their yards during the winter months, when it’s sunny and free of snow. If they’re staying cozy in their climate-controlled hut, guests can see them through their clear front door.

Back to The Waterhole

Shorter days and holidays are approaching. For many humans, that means unusual eating traditions, a shift in activity and an effort to maintain healthy habits. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo partners, Children’s Hospital Colorado, share advice for helping your family stay healthy during the holidays.

At CMZoo, shorter days and cooler temperatures trigger changes to some animal care programs that support animals’ instinctual seasonal adjustments. Some animals, like giraffe, hippos and great apes, don’t experience many seasonally triggered changes. Keeper teams who care for animals native to more seasonally diverse regions make adjustments.

In the fall and winter months, African penguins focus mostly on nesting and eating. Sunlight impacts their nesting, molting and breeding cycles. As days get shorter, they instinctively choose a mate and begin settling in for snuggle season. The longer nights also trigger their annual molt – when they lose all of their feathers at once and grow a brand-new waterproof set.

“Molting is a big event for the flock,” Sabrina Eccher, animal keeper in Water’s Edge: Africa, says. “Hormonal changes due to less sunlight in the winter typically trigger molting in early spring or summer, and they eat a lot less while they’re molting. To prepare for molt, they bulk up by eating more in the weeks before.”

Supporting the penguins’ instinct to eat more is another example of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s commitment to environmental enrichment. The goal is to prepare their habitats with resources that will keep them busy, stimulated and comfortable. Keepers offer more fish at hand-feedings and take it a step further by providing the penguins with opportunities to hunt live fish in their outdoor pool on their own time.

Penguins may increase activity with nest-building and hunting, but grizzlies tend to slow down. Recent scientific studies reveal that grizzlies in the wild don’t hibernate, contrary to popular belief. Smaller creatures, like toads, squirrels and marmots, hibernate to sleep through the months of cold temperatures and limited food resources. During hibernation, animals don’t typically wake up for months. Bigger native animals, like bears, raccoons and skunks, can gain enough weight to carry them through the cooler season without hibernation. However, the seasonal switch impacts them in other ways.

“Bears and other larger animals go into torpor in the winter, which is a hormonal physiological and behavioral change triggered by the changing seasons,” Jenna Schmidt, animal keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild, says. “In torpor, body systems slow down and animals may sleep more, but they still wake up. In the summer and fall, our grizzlies want to eat, eat, eat. When it starts to cool down, they’re less interested in eating and have less energy, but they’re still pretty active at the Zoo.”

CMZoo’s iconic 19-year-old grizzly bears, Digger and Emmett, will turn 20 in January. Having cared for the bears since they were around two years old, keepers have their winter routine down to an art – and each bear reacts differently.

“Digger typically starts sleeping in longer and doing activities with less enthusiasm before Emmett does,” says Jenna. “Digger usually gains more weight than Emmett, and he grows his winter coat before Emmett.”

In fall and winter, grizzlies start dismissing less desirable food items that they would eat in the summer. In the winter, protein and sweet fruits and veggies are more enticing to them. They have been known to decline training sessions when offered a lower calorie item in the winter. It has to be worth their energy because they naturally have less energy in the winter.

Sunflower seeds? Yes.
Celery? No, thank you.

Keepers know which food items will encourage them to participate in husbandry care, so the team can still perform health checks on the aging bears. The bears instinctually prioritize preserving energy. They’ll sleep in later and spend more time making and sleeping in several bear-made beds throughout their two yards and overnight space.

“We give them lots of hay this time of year, and they use it make comfy beds,” Jenna says. “Digger likes to dig and make the beds, and Emmett prefers to ‘work smarter, not harder’ and snag a Digger-made bed for himself.”

Unlike bears, mountain lions eat less in warmer seasons, and more when it cools down.

“In the winter, Adira, Koda and Sitka, our mountain lions, are expending more energy to stay warm, so they’re eating more,” Kelsey Walker, senior animal keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild says. “They’re typically more energetic in the cooler months, which we interpret is driven by their instinct to hunt and eat.”

Maintaining a healthy weight is critical to an animal’s overall health. So, keepers and veterinarians at the Zoo work hard to find the balance between satiating an animal’s increased appetite while preventing unhealthy weight gain for the animal.

“The mountain lions are typically slimmer in the warmer months, and we see them choosing to eat less than we provide when it starts to warm up,” Kelsey says. “When it gets cooler, we incrementally increase their diets, so they don’t feel they need to compete with each other for resources, and they feel satisfied and warm.”

Mountain lions aren’t fazed by subzero temperatures or snow. In the mountain lions’ three yards and indoor den, they have lots of opportunities to stay warm. Guests can see them sunbathing on their rocks, creating a kitty cuddle puddle in their canyon or lounging on their heated boulder that overlooks part of the moose yard. Pro tip: when it snows, notice which rocks are clear of snow and ice. The heated rocks melt snow faster than the other rocks do.

CMZoo is open every day of the year, and visiting during the winter months is a different adventure compared to summer Zoo days. Plan your winter adventure at the Zoo, and see if you can notice how penguins, grizzlies and mountain lions look and behave differently.

Back to The Waterhole

Tsavo Trust helps protect the remaining Big Tusker Elephants. Photo courtesy of Tsavo Trust. — Tsavo Trust helps protect the remaining Super Tusker Elephants. Photo courtesy of Tsavo Trust.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, its members, visitors and donors are celebrating another conservation milestone. In mid-September, the Zoo surpassed $1 million donated to its African elephant and black rhino conservation partner, Tsavo Trust, since establishing a partnership in 2016.

Tsavo Trust was founded in 2012 to help protect the last of the ‘Super Tuskers’ – African elephants with tusks so large they nearly scrape the ground. It is estimated that 25 Super Tuskers remain, and the majority of these individuals reside in Tsavo National Park, in Kenya, where Tsavo Trust is based. Today, Tsavo Trust protects African elephants, including Super Tuskers, Eastern black rhinos and more.

“Modern accredited zoos, like Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, are invaluable partners in our mission to protect elephants and rhinos in their natural habitats,” said Richard Moller, co-founder and CEO of Tsavo Trust. “CMZoo is an essential bridge, connecting the passion of people in the U.S. for wildlife conservation with the vital work we do on the ground here in Kenya. Through their support, visitors to the Zoo have a meaningful way to directly impact conservation, knowing their contributions go to trusted, effective organizations. Thanks to CMZoo’s dedication to saving wild elephants and rhinos, we’ve been able to expand our capacity, allowing us to protect even more wildlife in critical need.”

CMZoo helps fund clean water wells at Tsavo Trust HQ and nearby communities.

Every visit and every membership supports Tsavo Trust and the Zoo’s other legacy conservation partners, through the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) program. In addition, elephant and rhino feeding opportunities, offered daily in the summer months, raise around $75,000 annually for Tsavo Trust. With support from the Kratt Family Fund, CMZoo continues to support Tsavo Trust’s mission by funding ongoing infrastructure development and community outreach projects.

For an agile and resourceful organization like Tsavo Trust, a million dollars can go a long way. The funds are helping expand Tsavo Trust’s field headquarters, so they can protect more wildlife in Tsavo National Park – a wildlife hotspot about the size of Switzerland.

Funds through CMZoo have supported:

• construction of a mechanic workshop to service anti-poaching aircraft and ground vehicles
• construction of two water boreholes for subsistence use for Tsavo Trust HQ and the community
• construction of sand dams to preserve drinking water for wildlife in the drought-stricken park
• purchase of anti-poaching helicopter
• construction of a helicopter and fixed wing aircraft hanger
• construction of on-site staff housing
• construction of a guest house for additional fundraising opportunities
• funding for staff salaries, anti-poaching pilot hours, administration and operations

CMZoo helps fund infrastructure expansions at Tsavo Trust

“We’re providing millions of miles of anti-poaching surveillance for African elephants, black rhinos and the wildlife and communities that share that part of Kenya,” Nicole Chaney, CMZoo conservation manager, says. “What our guests, members and donors have been able to contribute is incredible. What Tsavo Trust can do with that support is even more impressive.”

According to Tsavo Trust, in full collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and other conservation partners, Tsavo Trust has played a vital role in reducing elephant and bushmeat poaching by at least 70% from 2013 to 2023. Joint Tsavo Trust and KWS activities have resulted in 7,555 hours flown covering 897,903 kilometers. That surveillance led to them making 1,521 arrests and removing 9,164 snare traps used for hunting.

Tsavo Trust rangers display snare traps removed from Tsavo National Park.

Tsavo Trust and KWS collected 995 elephant tusks, eliminating them from the ivory trade, which is still a leading cause of elephant poaching. Tsavo Trust has located, removed and protected 744 elephant carcasses, preventing poaching by getting to elephants who have passed naturally before others can collect their tusks.

“We’re not satisfied housing animals purely for public education purposes; the animals deserve expert, compassionate care, and they need to provide a way for people to make a direct conservation impact,” Nicole says. “The elephants at CMZoo and our partnership with Tsavo Trust are an excellent example of how that works.”

Back to The Waterhole

Bowie, one-year-old panther chameleon, has unique adaptations. From his eyes that can see the ultraviolet spectrum and rotate independently to his tongue that’s double the length of his body, Bowie is a great ambassador for teaching guests about these incredible chameleons. Don’t forget to stop by Scutes Family Gallery and visit Bowie during your next trip to CMZoo!

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CMZoo has been pioneering innovative farming techniques in zoos since introducing its first shipping container farm, in 2021, followed by a second, in 2022. Today, only a few zoos are using hydroponic systems like these.

By producing their own fertilizer, the CMZoo horticulture team is saving money and resources while gathering essential data to fine-tune their methods, and yield amazing harvests.

The team is close to reaching full potential with crops like kale and lettuce, while continuing to make small improvements. The team is also growing beets, turnips, cabbage, dandelions and wheatgrass. The long-term goal is to expand, eventually sourcing 50% of the lettuce for the giraffe feeding experience and 80% of the Zoo animals’ lettuce from these farms. Next time you visit CMZoo, check out what’s growin’ on in the shipping container farms located across from Grizzly Grill!

Back to The Waterhole

On Thurs., Oct. 24, the Colorado Supreme Court will hear oral arguments from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s legal counsel and the NonHuman Rights Project (NhRP) on the frivolous elephant lawsuit filed against CMZoo last summer.

As our community already knows, at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, we take excellent care of our beloved elephants. The NhRP’s case is not about our elephant care. Their goal is to establish a court precedent granting habeas corpus to any animal. Our elephants are just the next target on their list of failed attempts at setting this precedent.

NhRP is an out-of-state extreme animal rights organization known in the Zoo profession for wasting credible organizations’ time and money with misguided lawsuits. This manipulative fundraising act aims to upset and mislead people who care about animals.

Our community of animal advocates sees through their attempts, and our community has continued to show up for elephants. By visiting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, every guest makes a direct impact on wildlife conservation. Since 2008, our guests and members have raised more than $5 million for conservation around the world, just by visiting the Zoo. We recently surpassed a huge milestone for elephant conservation: $1 million raised to help our conservation partner, Tsavo Trust, protect African elephants in Tsavo National Park, in Kenya.

NhRP is claiming that the five female African elephants who have been in our care for decades should ‘go free,’ but also claims they should go to a sanctuary, where they would remain in human care. Transport to another facility, whether it’s called a sanctuary or a zoo, would not remove them from human care. It would force them to endure a potentially stressful move and resettling, possibly with other elephants, in a new setting with a new care team. At their ages, and with their various age-related ailments, a move like this would be cruel. But, again, NhRP, is not concerned about our individual elephants’ care.

Our elephant care team knows the needs of our elephants, and tailors specific health and exercise programs based on each elephant’s needs and preferences. Suggesting they’d be better off at a sanctuary is simply incorrect. Popular opinions about what’s considered best for elephants in general or in the wild are not what’s best for Jambo, Missy, LouLou, Kimba or Lucky.

For example, wild elephants are social animals, but our elephants didn’t grow up in large herds, and they don’t want to be in them. Unrelated females, like our five African elephants, typically do not socialize in the wild. Our elephants have lived their entire lives in smaller herds, and they do not have the skills or desire to be in a larger herd. We know, because we have tried. We have offered them a variety of group settings, and we do not force them to share direct space with other elephants when they have shown us they don’t want that.

Unfortunately, NhRP doesn’t care about their unique circumstances and needs. We do, so we continue to fight on our elephants’ behalf. The legal arguments our attorneys plan to share on Oct. 24 will prove the District Court was right when they dismissed this case at the district level. Because the case is not about our elephants’ care, as NhRP would lead you to believe in their promotional materials, our legal position is simple.

Habeas corpus is a legal protection for humans to claim for themselves. When a human isn’t capable of asserting their own writ of habeas corpus, a court-recognized “next friend” can file a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of another human.

In the unlikely event that a court ever decided that animals could be protected from “unlawful imprisonment” by habeas corpus, a “next friend” that knows them very well would be allowed to do it for them. When this case was dismissed in El Paso County District Court, the judge reasoned that between the Zoo and NhRP, it was clear NhRP was not a “next friend” of our elephants, and if anyone had earned that right, it was Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Another requirement of habeas corpus is that the benefitting party will ‘go free.’ Our elephants cannot ‘go free,’ because they cannot survive without human care and medical attention.

Each of these arguments separately should be enough for our elephants to remain with us, but the underlying truth is that they are not unlawfully detained, under Colorado law. Our elephants are incredible creatures, and they deserve the full protection of our federal, state and local animal welfare laws. As an Associations of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited Zoo, we provide that protection and care. When Colorado legislature recently banned elephants in traveling circuses, they expressly allowed elephants to continue to be sheltered in AZA-accredited zoos. By definition, this means our elephants are not unlawfully detained, which is the basis of NhRP’s frivolous lawsuit — and a direct disregard of the important protections our state legislators have put in place.

NhRP has attempted this same lawsuit with several other reputable zoos. NhRP lost their case in New York. They lost in California. They were dismissed in Colorado Springs and Hawaii. We hope Colorado isn’t the place that sets the slippery slope in motion of whether your beloved and well-cared-for dog or cat should have habeas corpus and would be required to ‘go free,’ at the whim of someone else’s opinion of them.

Our community has been surprised that NhRP chose to attack Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, of all places. We have consistently ranked as a top-five zoo in the nation by popular vote. We just celebrated raising $5 million for frontline conservation efforts, including over a million dollars for African elephants. Our national recognition as a leader in animal care and conservation is likely what drew their attention to us. Our latest accreditation was historic. In nearly 50 years of AZA accreditations, CMZoo was only the fourth organization to earn a ‘clean’ report, which means there wasn’t a single major or minor concern reported – including in the strenuous review of our elephant care program.

We likely will not know the Court’s decision on this case for several weeks or months, so don’t be surprised if we don’t update you for a while. In the meantime, we’re focused on animal welfare, conservation and our historic update to African Rift Valley. If you’re looking for a way to support the Zoo, support us by visiting any day of the year (we’re open year-round), or consider attending a special event, like Electric Safari, in December.

We’re grateful for our community’s unwavering support throughout the past 16 months of this, and we are hopeful that we can soon put this waste of resources to rest.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

ADVANCE, TIMED-TICKETS REQUIRED FOR ALL SEVEN NIGHTS OF HALLOWEEN FUN – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will feel the Halloween spirit when little ghouls and goblins attend Boo at the Zoo, starting Fri., Oct. 18, 2024. This decades-long Colorado Springs Halloween tradition is a fun way for families to trick-or-treat, enjoy Halloween festivities in a unique environment and support a great cause.

Boo at the Zoo is Oct. 18-20 and 25-27, plus Halloween night, Thurs., Oct. 31 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Advance timed e-tickets are required and available at cmzoo.org/boo. Capacity is limited and some nights are close to selling out.

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 and carousel, weather permitting.

An elephant-sized amount of candy (4.5 tons) will be handed out at 25+ trick-or-treat stations throughout the Zoo. Candy 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.

Orangutan fans can support companies that have committed to using responsibly sourced palm oil by downloading the free globally available mobile app, PalmOil Scan. The mobile app allows shoppers to scan product barcodes and see immediately how that company ranks in prioritizing sustainable palm oil. Learn more at cmzoo.org/palmoil.

The Zoo will close for daytime admission on Boo dates at 3 p.m. 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!

HALLOWEEN-THEMED ANIMAL ENRICHMENT AND DEMONSTRATIONS:
• Fri., Oct. 18 and Fri., Oct. 25:
5 p.m. – African Lion Enrichment (Lion Relaxation Room, African Rift Valley)
6:30 p.m. – Wallaby Pumpkin Enrichment (inside wallaby building, Australia Walkabout)

• Sat., Oct. 19 and Sat., Oct. 26:
5 p.m. – Meerkat Enrichment (meerkat yard between giraffe and African lions, African Rift Valley)
6:30 p.m. – Hippo Keeper Talk and Feeding (inside hippo building, Water’s Edge: Africa)

• Sun., Oct. 20 and Sun., Oct. 27:
5 p.m. – African Lion Enrichment (Lion Relaxation Room, African Rift Valley)
6:30 p.m. – Wallaby Pumpkin Enrichment (inside wallaby building, Australia Walkabout)

• Thurs., Oct. 31 – HALLOWEEN:
5 p.m. – Meerkat Enrichment (meerkat yard between giraffe and African lions, African Rift Valley)
6:30 p.m. – Hippo Keeper Talk and Feeding (inside hippo building, Water’s Edge: Africa)

SELECT ANIMAL EXHIBITS ARE OPEN, INCLUDING:
• Giraffe building
• African lions
• Budgie Buddies
• Wallaby building
• Encounter Africa elephant/rhino barn
• Domestic Goat Experience
• 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)
• Thundergod Gift Shop

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
Dates: Oct. 18-20, 25-27 and 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, 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 2023, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #5 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 more than $5 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 238 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.

This summer, the black-footed ferret (BFF) breeding program at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo saw a record number of kits born: 37. Conservationists tested multi-partner breeding to see if females could conceive and whelp kits from different dads in the same litter, and to see if having multiple breeding partners impacted the number of kits born overall.

Out of seven females in the trial, two had litters with two fathers represented. Of the twelve breeding females in the CMZoo program, eight had babies this year.

“That’s a really high rate of reproduction, and we saw a higher rate of successful birth with the females that participated in the multi-male study, compared to those that didn’t,” says Jeff Baughman, Wyoming Toad and Black-Footed Ferret Program Manager at CMZoo. “We’re not getting ahead of ourselves, but the results are promising because there’s potential to increase the genetic diversity and sheer number of kits one female could contribute to the recovery population.”

BFFs have incredibly few breeding opportunities. Females are only typically reproductive from 1 to 4 years old, and they only breed once per year – during a 72-hour window. In human care in the past, females spent all three breeding days with the same male. In this trial, they spent the first 24 hours with one male, the second day with another, and the final 24 hours with a third male.

Because female BFFs are induced ovulators, the act of breeding with the first male could trigger ovulation that could possibly make the second and third males’ breeding more successful. However, some females successfully bred and conceived with their first partners, according to the genetic testing.

“It’s always good to replicate a study to see if you can recreate the same results,” Jeff says. “We’d want to use the same trial methods with different breeding females, and we’d want to compare several seasons’ results before we made any official recommendation for or against multi-partner breeding. For now, this is exciting because it’s the first time we can prove that female black-footed ferrets in human care can successfully conceive and whelp kits with different fathers in the same litter.”

BFFs were considered extinct until the 1980s. On Sept. 26, 1981, a ranch dog named Shep caught a BFF. Shep’s catch led to the discovery of a small population of the elusive animals in Meeteetse, Wyoming. That population became the hope for the recovery of the entire species.

Since then, zoos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center and other organizations have banded together to breed, prepare, release and monitor BFFs to increase the population. CMZoo joined the fight to save ferrets in 1991, when its BFF breed-and-release program began. In the last 33 years, 647 kits have been born on Cheyenne Mountain. The Zoo is a major contributor to recovery efforts, releasing BFFs to protected wild places in Colorado every year.

Some of the kits with the most underrepresented genes in the breeding population will stay in human care, as part of the breeding program, so they can pass on their underrepresented genes to another generation. Others go to boot camp, to see if they have the skills to thrive the wild. In mid-September, all surviving CMZoo kits and four adults (two of which are mothers, going to ‘boot camp’ with their kits) will start their 35-day pre-conditioning journey in a semi-wild environment at the National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Fort Collins, Colo.

Of those, some are released and some – who do not prove they can hunt, seek shelter and protect themselves in the wild – return to human care, to serve their species in breeding programs or as ambassadors in zoos and other educational settings.

Samosa is the newest black-footed ferret ambassador in The Loft, where guests have a rare opportunity to see this native and critically endangered species up-close at our Zoo.

“Samosa is a great representative of the species,” Jeff says. “She’s energetic and bold, but unfortunately dental issues prevent her from hunting successfully in the wild. As she’s past breeding age, she won’t participate in the breed-and-release program, so we’ll take care of her in The Loft for her remaining natural years.”

Sept. 26, the date Shep discovered the foundational BFF population in Wyoming, was later named Black-Footed Ferret Rediscovery Day – a day BFF advocates celebrate annually. At CMZoo, guests can meet Samosa in The Loft and participate in a variety of activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sat., Sept. 28 and Sun., Sept. 29, 2024.

Black-Footed Ferret Rediscovery Day details:

Sat., Sept. 28 and Sun., Sept. 29, 2024
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Stations will be set up in Scutes Family Gallery, in My Big Backyard near the Tree House and outside The Loft. Activities will include:

Coloring stations – make a black-footed ferret mask and color a prairie scene

Prairie Jenga – learn how the prairie ecosystems depends on all its residents to thrive

Matching game – match cards representing different elements of the prairie

Board game – learn about the black-footed ferret life cycle

Scavenger hunt – locate prairie species

Keeper talk – enjoy a black-footed ferret keeper talk at 11:30 a.m. in The Loft

Advance daytime admission tickets are required, and all BFF Rediscovery Day activities are included with admission. CMZoo memberships and admission directly support black-footed ferrets through the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation program, which, since 2008, has raised $5 million for frontline conservation efforts, including breeding and releasing BFFs.

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