Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Author at CMZoo

It was a big year to celebrate for black-footed ferret (BFF) conservation enthusiasts. Including Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s kits, 417 BFF kits were born into the program. That’s the most kits born in a single year program-wide in a decade!

Led by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Black-Footed Ferret SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, breed-and-release programs at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Phoenix Zoo, Toronto Zoo, Louisville Zoo and National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center work together to save the species. CMZoo contributed 21 kits this year and released 12 kits and 2 beyond-breeding-age adults into wild conservation habitats in Colorado.

Once the kits are old enough to live independently – around 3 months old – they are transported from the conservation center at CMZoo to BFF ‘boot camp,’ in Fort Collins, where they spend time in a pre-release pen that simulates the opportunities and challenges they’ll encounter in the wild. When they prove they can hunt, find shelter and survive in the pre-release pen, they are cleared for wild release. Ferrets that don’t graduate from boot camp are brought back to support breeding efforts or serve as ambassadors for their species, if they’re too old to reproduce.

In November, CMZoo staff and board members traveled to protected prairie lands in Pueblo, Colo., to see the ferrets run free into their new home.

“We invite staff from all departments to participate in releases, and we especially aim to bring staff from The Loft and EdVenture department, who can share their inspiration when guests asks about Rouge – a BFF that lives in The Loft,” said Jeff Baughman, field conservation coordinator at CMZoo. Baughman manages the BFF breeding program at CMZoo and has attended annual releases for nearly 20 years. ”The experience is rewarding, and it inspires us to inspire others to care for wildlife and wild places, and continue our work contributing to conservation efforts.”

Native to prairies stretching from Mexico to Canada, BFFs were thought to be extinct in the 1980s. During Western frontier explorations in the early 1900s, cargo ships from Europe and Asia inadvertently brought sylvatic plague to North America. The spread of the plague bacteria by fleas among prairie dogs (and other animals), combined with poisoning and eradication programs led by newly settled farmers and ranchers who saw prairie dogs as pests, drastically reduced the prairie dog population. Because prairie dogs are their main food source, BFF populations declined dramatically along with them.

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. 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.

Because they or their offspring could be released to the wild, every effort is made to keep the BFFs born and raised at CMZoo as wild as possible. So, they are not visible to CMZoo guests. Guests can visit Rouge, a former breeding male that now lives in The Loft.

Prior to the CMZoo releases last month in Pueblo, the sites were managed for sylvatic plague through oral bait vaccines for prairie dogs living on these sites and dusting to eliminate plague-carrying fleas. Sylvatic plague transferred by fleas is now prairie dogs’ primary threat – and BFFs need prairie dogs as their primary food and shelter source. BFFs and other prairie species live in abandoned prairie dog tunnels.

“Being in the field with people who advocate for BFFs but haven’t released them before takes me back to my most inspiring black-footed ferret release at a ranch in New Mexico in 2008,” said Baughman. “On our way to the ferret release area we drove through a huge herd of powerful bison. It helped me imagine a time when bison, swift foxes, burrowing owls, prairie dogs and black-footed ferrets were abundant together in the prairie.”

“We released them before dusk and after sunset we went back to spotlight and monitor the first ferret we had released,” said Baughman. “To our surprise, it was above ground with two swift foxes. They looked almost the same size from a distance and their interaction seemed more curious and playful than threatening. It was as if they were old friends reunited after a long time apart. It looked like they were dancing on the prairie, under the moonlight, as they have done for thousands of years. The bison, the swift foxes and the prairie were truly magical. That was a day that I will remember forever.”

Bison have a similar story to the black-footed ferret. They were nearly eradicated to extinction and are now recovering with the help of people dedicated to them. Baughman sees them as proof that animals can possibly recover, and if people work together, they could potentially bring back some of the prairie ecosystem to its original splendor.

“Zoos have been so instrumental in those recoveries,” said Baughman. “The work we’ve been doing at CMZoo for 42 years, helping black-footed ferrets recover, helps the entire ecosystem because prairie species need each other.”

At the core of the prairie’s survival is the prairie dog. Prairie experts estimate that 170 prairie species depend on the prairie dog – and bison make life richer for the prairie dogs, which in turn support the BFFs. Bison graze differently than livestock. They cut the grass instead of uprooting it, which benefits natural vegetation, healthy drainage and nutrient-rich soil for the mostly herbivorous prairie dogs. The bison’s literal heavy presence also loosens soil, which prairie dogs dig to create tunnels that house their colonies and later become homes for BFFs and other species, like box turtles and burrowing owls.

“It is a complicated balance that we want to support without getting too involved in,” said Baughman. “Ultimately, we want a future that doesn’t need our breed-and-release program because it’s sustaining itself in the wild.”

Until then, Baughman and his inspired team will continue the work with the support of CMZoo guests and members. Back at the conservation center up above CMZoo, the meticulous yearly cycle of preparing for another breeding year has already begun. They recently welcomed new breeding females and males and are moving them through the simulated light cycle that triggers their natural instinct to breed in the spring. After such a successful breeding year, program partners are optimistic about 2024.

Every CMZoo guest helps support this important program because 75 cents from every admission goes to Quarters for Conservation, which helps fund BFF conservation and other important efforts around the world. Since 2008, Q4C has raised nearly $5 million for these programs. To learn more about the black-footed ferret breeding program and CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program, visit cmzoo.org/conservation.

Back to The Waterhole

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s members are taking the joys of birdwatching to another level – and the biggest benefactors are the birdies.

In March 2023, as part of the annual CMZoo Member Conservation Vote, members chose to fund the purchase and installation of three cutting-edge technology bird-tracking towers that will support a growing global network of conservationists. To understand birds’ obstacles and declining populations, scientists need to study their migration paths, stopover sites, summer breeding and over-wintering locations.

Birders have tracked bird movements for decades by banding and releasing individual wild birds and hoping to catch them again later to document their ages and locations. While it is and has been a beneficial science, it provides data based on single moments in time, rather than providing a full picture of a bird’s migration and movements.

With the Motus Wildlife Tracking System (Motus), unassuming towers and tiny bird ‘backpacks’ work together to collect ongoing data via radio telemetry. The lightweight and unobtrusive tracking ‘backpacks’ come in a variety of sizes fit for birds, bats and butterflies – and some are even solar powered. Conservationists just need to catch a bird once to attach a tracker that ‘pings’ the towers when it flies by. The towers are peppered across North, Central and South America and in several parts of Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia.

“Colorado and the Rocky Mountain corridor have some Motus towers, but not as many as other migration flyways,” Rebecca Zwicker, animal care manager at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Zwicker and other CMZoo staff presented the Motus tower project for members’ consideration in 2023. “If you build it, they will come. We need more towers to encourage researchers to put the backpacks on the birds. Without more receiver towers, it’s not worth tagging the birds with these state-of-the-art trackers. We’re really looking forward to seeing our first backpacked bird’s data pop up on our tower – hopefully by this spring during the Great Migration.”

Members funded the purchase and installation of three Motus receiver towers. The first CMZoo member tower – a 10-foot tall mast with two perpendicular antenna facing Colorado Springs from the Zoo – is reminiscent of an old-school TV antenna. It is a permanent structure on the south side of the Lodge at Moose Lake.

“It’s in a really great spot because the towers have an unobstructed view above the trees,” said Zwicker. “We put it here because we wanted members and guests to see it and to ask questions about it. A digital display board in The Loft will collect the data from tagged birds that fly by our tower. That board connects to Motus.org, where the data is compiled and shared globally on a daily basis.”

Each tower can track a 5- to 8-mile radius of birds carrying the Motus telemetry tags. The second CMZoo member-funded tower will soon be installed at Fountain Creek Nature Center, so the two towers’ tracking radiuses should overlap. The third tower will later be installed in an undecided location, once CMZoo conservationists learn best practices for the first two towers.

“One of the beautiful parts of contributing to this conservation collaboration is that most towers’ data is available to anyone,” said Cassie Spero, animal keeper in The Loft and part of the Motus team at CMZoo. “Conservationists will use this data to understand species and propose important habitat protections. But, if you’re working on a research project for school, or you’re tracking migrations out of personal curiosity, the data will be there for you.”

The Zoo does not have current plans to band or ‘backpack’ any birds and will leave that to the wild bird banding experts. CMZoo’s strength as conservation advocates lies largely in its ability to reach so many people with opportunities to support conservation partners and collaborative efforts, like Motus. By adding more towers to the fledgling Colorado network of receivers, Zoo members are helping lay the groundwork for enormous progress in bird protections.

“Birds enhance our natural world – not just with their beauty and the magic of their presence,” said Zwicker. “They bring a little wonderment to your day, but they also serve important roles in our natural world – across all ecosystems as pollinators, clean-up crews, seed dispersers and food sources. It’s a really feel-good effort and it makes me grateful that our members have allowed us to join this global community committed to the conservation of the beautiful birds of the world.”

Every membership and every visit to the Zoo is conservation in action. In addition to the nearly $5 million raised through admissions for the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation legacy conservation partners, since 2015, CMZoo’s Member Conservation Vote has provided $675,000 of membership revenue to support field conservation worldwide.

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

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

Bird enthusiasts at home can try their hands at birdwatching for Colorado winter birds by playing with these CMZoo Colorado Backyard Bird Bingo cards!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is mourning the passing of a truly iconic animal: Juju, a 43-year-old female Western lowland gorilla. After a significant decline due to kidney disease and other age-related ailments, her care team made the compassionate decision to euthanize her today.

A month ago, Juju underwent an immobilization and treatment to address a downturn in her health. At that time, they unfortunately discovered late-stage kidney disease and held onto hope that she could live a comfortable life for longer than this. After a recent rapid decline, they ruled out additional care under anesthesia because it is always risky and is not a long-term solution for good welfare. It was clear to Juju’s team that her best care option was to give her a peaceful passing without pain.

Juju came to CMZoo at the age of 2, in September 1982. She was one of the Zoo’s longest residents, and many Zoo members, staff and guests made connections with her, thanks to her confident role in the gorilla troop.

“She was such a leader in the group, and she made it clear to her keeper team that she was the one in charge, too,” said Amy Tuchman, senior animal keeper. “I remember once scattering food from the roof into the gorilla yard with a colleague who didn’t know her preferences as well. She was sitting on the hill with her hand out, catching food from us when he threw her a carrot – not her favorite. She threw it right back at him with such intention.”

Juju was a big presence in so many ways, including her volume. She was extremely vocal, often grumbling loudly – a sign of a satisfied gorilla – when she got a favorite piece of produce. She was also gentle and playful with her gorilla bestie, Roxie, a 47-year-old female.

“She had the most incredible relationship with Roxie of any two gorillas I’ve ever seen or heard about,” said Carrie Supino, animal keeper in Primate World. “Occasionally, we’d get the rare benefit of catching them in the middle of tickle fights where they’d wrestle with each other and make happy play faces, which for two ‘old ladies’ was always such a heartwarming thing to see.”

Juju wasn’t just playful with Roxie; she would also engage in play behaviors with her keepers.

“Sometimes, she would come over to the mesh near keepers and grumble her happy grumble and want you to play with her,” said Debbie Fenton, senior animal keeper. “Gorillas can be ticklish and when Juju wanted to be tickled, she would stand up, put her back against the mesh and raise her big arms, so you could tickle her through the fencing under her arms and on her back as she ‘laughed’ in her own gorilla way.”

A truly multifaceted individual, Juju was also an excellent participant in voluntary husbandry training, which she learned at the Zoo through positive reinforcement, a training method by which animals have the choice of whether to participate, and get their favorite treats when they choose to engage. This training helps animals live healthy lives full of choice and care when they are healthy, and allows them to receive lower-stress care when they need medical attention. Juju’s repertoire of training skills allowed her to calmly receive an anesthesia injection when she recently presented her shoulder to keepers, which they interpreted as her asking for help when she was not feeling well at the end of October.

“She was always eager to train, even when the training was for a more difficult behavior, like receiving an injection or, more recently, getting a blood pressure reading on a finger cuff or participating in a cardiac ultrasound,” said Ashton Asbury, animal keeper in Primate World. “She learned voluntary blood pressure reading and cardiac ultrasound behaviors in just a few sessions, which is phenomenal.”

The median life expectancy of a female Western lowland gorilla in human care is 39 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Primate World is closed today to allow staff and the remaining gorilla troop of four to process her passing. Because gorillas are tightly bonded social animals, caregivers plan to give the gorillas, Goma, Kwisha, Asha and Roxie, the opportunity to view Juju after her passing. The animal care team will closely monitor the troop’s individual behaviors and social dynamic, and will make adjustments to care plans, if needed. Please keep Juju’s keepers and troop members in your thoughts as they process the loss of such an iconic CMZoo presence.

“Juju was a special gorilla,” said Jon Wild, lead animal keeper in Primate World. “Her strength and leadership within the troop, her ability to delight guests by wearing a blanket or scarf while carrying a boot and the relationships she developed with her troop and caregivers are just a few examples of her remarkable impact on those around her. She has helped me, and many others, be a better animal keeper and a better person. Thank you, Juju, for allowing me into your world.”

ANNUAL HOLIDAY LIGHTS CELEBRATION CONTINUES THROUGH MONDAY, JAN. 1, 2024 – USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards today announced that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Electric Safari ranked third in the national Best Zoo Lights category for the fifth year in a row. This is the eighth year running that Electric Safari has ranked in the top ten.

The top ten Best Zoo Lights finalists are, in order of rankings:
1. PNC Festival of Lights at Cincinnati Zoo
2. Lights Before Christmas at Toledo Zoo
3. Electric Safari at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
4. Holiday Nights at Zoo Montana
5. U.S. Bank Wild Lights at Saint Louis Zoo
6. Christmas at the Zoo at Indianapolis Zoo
7. OKC ZOO SAFARI LIGHTS Presented by OG&E
8. Zoo Lights at San Antonio Zoo Powered by CPS Energy
9. Wild Lights at Detroit Zoo
10. WildLights at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 33rd annual month-long celebration of the season continues through Mon., Jan. 1, 2024 (except Christmas Eve, Sun., Dec. 24), featuring 50 acres of twinkling lights, 90 artisan-made light sculptures and breathtaking nighttime city views. The Zoo’s holiday collection of larger-than-life illuminated animal inflatables returns for its third year and – special for 2023 – the Zoo is adding holiday lights to the sky!

At 7:30 p.m. every night of Electric Safari (weather permitting), guests can see a drone light show from nearly anywhere in the Zoo. The holiday-safari themed show will last around 15 minutes. Get prime viewing spots (first come, first served!) from the elephant boardwalk, Lodge at Moose Lake or Giraffe Plaza.

Electric Safari is the only event in Colorado where you can:
– see over 90 one-of-a-kind light sculptures
– visit select animal exhibits
– hand-feed a giraffe herd ($3 per lettuce bundle or $5 for two bundles)
– watch a nightly holiday-safari themed drone light snow at 7:30 p.m. (weather permitting)
– visit Santa (through Dec. 23)
– explore 50 acres of twinkling lights and dancing light displays
– see larger-than-life illuminated inflatable animals
– cozy up around fire pits and warming stations throughout the Zoo
– get the best nighttime views of Colorado Springs from the side of Cheyenne Mountain

Advance timed tickets are required for both members and non-members. Zoo member tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance. Everyone visiting the Zoo must have their own advance e-ticket, including children age 2 and under. Timed tickets from 4 to 5 p.m. are for Zoo members and their paying guests only. Electric Safari opens to the public at 5 p.m. and the event ends at 8:30 p.m.

Guests can save $5 per ticket by visiting on a non-peak night! See the 2023 Electric Safari pricing calendar, get tickets and learn more at cmzoo.org/electric.

Electric Safari wouldn’t be complete without visiting select animal exhibits. Electric Safari offers paid feeding opportunities with CMZoo’s famous giraffe herd and budgie flock. The hippo building, the giraffe barn, the elephant and rhino barn, the African lion relaxation room, Rocky Mountain Wild (except grizzly bears), Asian Highlands, Scutes Family Gallery and Budgie Buddies are open.

Electric Safari is an important fundraiser for CMZoo, which doesn’t receive any tax support. Your ticket to Electric Safari helps us fund animal care, Zoo operations and improvements, and conservation projects. Please join us in thanking our generous supporting Electric Safari partners, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Toyota, and U.S. Bank.

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 #4 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 $4.5 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.

A MESSAGE FROM BOB CHASTAIN, CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO PRESIDENT & CEO – You may recall that several months ago, we reported that an out-of-state animal rights group sued the Zoo and me as CEO for the release of our five elephants to a sanctuary of this group’s choosing. For the past five months, we have been working with former Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers’ law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to defend us in this important case. The Zoo’s board of directors selected this firm, in particular, because of their national presence and Mayor Suthers’ long history with Colorado Springs and the state of Colorado, having served as the state’s Attorney General and then as the city’s mayor.

On Dec. 3, 2023, 4th Judicial District Judge Eric Bentley denied this group’s petition and sided with CMZoo and our right to care for our elephants in their own home. Judge Bentley went on to say that even if he accepted every fact this group presented as truthful and accurate (as he is required by law to do), they still did not have a legal case against the Zoo. To further make sure he followed every point of law and was above reproach in his court opinion, he detailed their argument in full to demonstrate his complete understanding of the case for 27 pages. Furthermore, he stated that if anyone had earned the right to speak on the best interest of the elephants, it would not be this out-of-state group, but instead, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, who has dedicated itself to these amazing animals.

Judge Bentley said in his ruling, “This is not just a technicality. There is a legitimate question in this case as to who properly speaks for the elephants (or, in other words, who gets to be the “elephant Lorax”) – the NHRP, which represents that it wants to improve their lives by moving them to an accredited elephant sanctuary, or the Zoo, which has fed them, nurtured them, and taken care of them for many years. It appears to be the Zoo, and not the NHRP, that has the more significant relationship with Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou, and Jambo.”

While this is a victory in this frivolous case against a community treasure, where more than 800,000 people come every year to enjoy time with each other in the presence of some of the world’s most inspiring creatures, there is likely more to come from this small group of extremists, who are clearly using this as a fundraising tactic and to change Colorado law. One need to look no further than their IRS Form 990 to see this.

What comes next: In Colorado, there is an appeal as of right to the Colorado Court of Appeals. Such an appeal could likely take up to a year. If they lose again, they would have an option to petition the Colorado Supreme Court to hear the case.

It is unfortunate that the judge denied the Zoo’s request for attorney’s fees. While it is a relief to get over this first hurdle, it is sad to know that we will continue to pay significant legal fees to further defend ourselves after this group has lost so many times and wasted so much of the court’s and four different accredited zoos’ time. This out-of-state group makes money off of our distraction from our mission of saving animals from extinction.

Even Judge Bentley said in his ruling, “…it is unfortunate that this case pits two organizations against each other that perhaps ought to be on the same side. As noted above, the role of zoos has evolved, and today zoos, including the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, play a leading role in wildlife conservation efforts and education. (E.g., https://wildwelfare.org/the-conservationmission-of-zoos-nabila-aziz/). The Zoo is known, in particular, for its work with giraffes, for which it is nationally recognized. (https://www.cmzoo.org/conservation/giraffe-conservation/).”

I would like to personally thank you for your continued support, and encourage you to keep sharing the good work we do with your friends and family in the community. With our community rallying around us, we plan to continue to win this battle on behalf of our elephants.

FELINE CAPTURED MILLIONS OF HEARTS THROUGHOUT HIS LIFEFTIME – An adored member of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo animal family died from complications of advanced kidney disease late last week. Following his diagnosis earlier this year, we knew Bhutan’s time with us was limited, but it was still heartbreaking to lose him.

Bhutan, a 15-year-old snow leopard, passed away due to a respiratory event caused by muscle breakdown from the kidney disease. This type of disease is common in all felines, big and small, exotic and domestic. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ median life expectancy for snow leopards in human care is 15.1 years.

No matter when we would have had to say goodbye to Bhutan, it would have been too soon. But he was able to live a full lifetime of adoration and care here at CMZoo. In his 14 years with us, he touched millions of hearts with his characteristic tail and feet, and his bouncy personality.

Not all of the animals at the Zoo are as universally loved as Bhutan was. Most Zoo staff are reluctant to name favorites, but truth be told, Bhutan (or “Boots,” as he was affectionately called by his keepers) was at the top of the list for many.

After asking our staff to share their memories of “Boots,” we wanted to share just a sampling of the touching responses we received.

Paulette Provost, groundskeeper, said “Over the years, I have had the honor of seeing Bhutan every morning during my cleaning route. As a groundskeeper, I am responsible for cleaning Scutes Family Gallery, so I was able to visit with him every day. Playing peekaboo with him always filled my soul with joy. I never in a million years thought I would make a friend with a snow leopard! What I know is that not only myself, but everyone else in our Zoo family feels that the world is a bit dimmer without his funny and gentle presence. I will miss him.”

Basia Dann, lead animal keeper in Asian Highlands, said “Bhutan was the best at building a community. I watched him recognize old caretakers, Zoo members who would come visit, docents and volunteers dedicated to educating people about snow leopards and various members of the multi-faceted operations teams at the Zoo. He always had a chuff to give in greeting. He knew and cared for his people fiercely. Whether you were away for your weekend or hadn’t seen him in years, he always seemed to remember and be happy to see you and give thanks for the role you played in his life.”

Amy Tuchman, animal keeper in African Rift Valley and former animal keeper in Asian Highlands, said, “Snow Leopards were ‘it’ for me throughout my entire childhood. I studied them, had tons of pictures, but never actually saw one in real life until I moved to Colorado. Then in 2015, my craziest dreams came true, and I actually got to start working with one! Bhutan. He was sassier than I would have guessed and always had a lot to say but I admired how he was always so true to himself. He kept everyone on their toes and I loved all the games he wanted to play. To gain his trust was a huge accomplishment and he really was the one animal that made me absolutely fall in love with training. He was so smart and fast and up for anything, literally. I asked him to climb a tree one day and he just went for it and it was so much fun that we decided to add it as part of his show. He was exciting and had a huge presence and he will be greatly missed here by so many.”

Courtney Rogers, registrar and former animal keeper in Asian Highlands, said, “Everyone works so hard to be the bridge between the animals we care for and the people who meet them, but Boots didn’t always need our help to make lasting impressions. It was easy to spot the people who knew him…they knew his favorite resting spots in each of his exhibits, knew he’d come say hi if you waited long enough (and he felt like it), could tell when he was excited to hear his keepers walk by. If you think he recognized you and that you had a special relationship with him, well, it’s probably true.”

Snow leopard wild populations are listed as “vulnerable” and “decreasing,” according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. Bhutan’s genetics are extremely valuable to the Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan, but he always preferred a solo life and was not successful breeding with a female. Bhutan’s sperm is valuable because he doesn’t have offspring and has an extremely high sperm count. His sperm has been collected and is kept in a “frozen zoo.” If the need arises, conservationists can pair Bhutan posthumously with a genetically valuable female snow leopard.

It’s that magical time of year when many people search for the perfect holiday gifts for friends and family. Whether you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience or a truly unique stocking stuffer, these options are sure put a smile on every face on your list.

Plus, when you purchase something from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, you know your funds are helping us continue our important work. As a nonprofit that doesn’t receive any tax support, we rely on admission, memberships, events and special programs like these to continue our work.

Animal Art Holiday Ornaments

The Loft animals and their keepers have been painting the perfect stocking stuffers or gifts for your holiday party gift exchange. These 3” x 3” canvases with twine hangers are one-of-a-kind, because they were painted by an animal ambassador! Skunks, birds, reptiles, a ferret and even an opossum added their artistic touches to the ornaments by participating in voluntary training with their keepers. Some animals walk through paint and onto the canvasses, leaving their adorable footprints in a variety of flashy colors. Others slither through the paint and some even hold the paintbrushes themselves! These ornaments are only available for purchase in person – while supplies last – in The Loft, now through the end of Electric Safari.

VIP Tours

If you really want to spoil someone, give them the adventure of a lifetime: a CMZoo VIP Tour! During this private tour, your group of up to five people will experience three behind-the-scenes animal encounters of your choosing, plus a meet-and-greet with one of our ambassador animals in The Loft and a super-sized giraffe feeding. You can help train a sloth, get up-close with the grizzly bears, say hello to the hippos or choose from our many other animal encounter options. Along the way, one of our experienced guides will tell you all about the Zoo, our animals and our conservation impacts around the world. When your tour ends, enjoy the rest of the day at the Zoo, because admission is included. Visit cmzoo.org/viptour to see our animal encounter options, to get all the details and to sign up.

CMZoo Annual Membership

How about a gift that keeps on giving all year long? Memberships can be purchased as gifts! CMZoo members can take advantage of free daytime admission (with advance ticket reservations), discounts on programs and merchandise, free members-only summer nights, free Electric Safari visits in the winter and more. Visit cmzoo.org/membership or email [email protected] for more information.

Tickets to Electric Moonlight and Electric Safari

Give the gift of memories made by purchasing tickets to a holiday special event at the Zoo, and be early to the gift-giving season! In December, we have options for an adults-only date night (there will be a lot more than milk and cookies on the menu) or a festive evening on the mountain with the entire family.

Electric Moonlight returns to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Thurs., Dec. 7 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. This event is just for our 21-and-up guests, complete with holiday lights, live music and food and drink samples from local vendors, restaurants, distilleries and breweries (while supplies last). Plus, an elf told us that jolly old Saint Nicholas will be there to hear holiday wishes from the grown-ups! Tickets are limited and this event may sell out in advance. Tickets are available at cmzoo.org/em.

Starting Dec. 1, the Zoo opens its gates in the evenings for Electric Safari, where all ages can explore the Zoo and enjoy the wonder of 50 acres of twinkling lights, illuminated enormous inflatable animals, a nightly drone light show and more than 90 handmade light sculptures on display throughout the Zoo. Until Dec. 23, Santa Claus will be at Electric Safari to meet guests and listen to holiday wishes. This event is a magical way to get into the holiday spirit on the side of Cheyenne Mountain, where the views of the city lights below the Zoo can’t be beat. Electric Safari runs Dec. 1-3, 8-23, and Dec. 25-Jan. 1, 2024 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. CMZoo members have access to early-entry tickets from 4 to 5 p.m. Electric Safari is free for members, but everyone needs to reserve an advance timed ticket at cmzoo.org/electric. (Drone show not available on Sat., Dec. 2. Drone show and inflatables are weather dependent.)

Small group events and programs also make great gifts! See all of our options at cmzoo.org/events.

Animal Grams

Do you know someone who would love to open their front door to a skunk, tortoise, ferret, frog or otherwise? Surprise them with a CMZoo Animal Gram! Our EdVenture team will come to your home or workplace with a very special guest: an animal ambassador from The Loft or My Big Backyard. Each Animal Gram includes a 5- to 10-minute visit from an animal and staff, an animal art piece and photo opportunity. Get all of the information at cmzoo.org/animalgrams.

Adopt an Animal

Gift an adoption of a hippo, giraffe, moose or another animal of your choosing that we’ll mail to you or a loved one. Our adoption packages start at just $35, but if you’re looking to give an extra special stocking-stuffer check out our Wild Adopt packages ($55-65) to bring home an adorable, cuddly plush of your very own! All of our adoption packages include a certificate of adoption, an animal fact sheet and a photo of the animal at CMZoo. Each adoption directly supports the care of all our animals. Order by 3 p.m. MST on Fri., Dec. 15 to ensure delivery before Sat., Dec. 23, 2023. You can find our array of adoption packages at www.cmzoo.org/adopt.

Carve Your Memories in Stone

What’s even better than coming to CMZoo to see your favorite animals? Coming to see your very own tile – and your favorite animals! We recently launched our new blue tiles in Water’s Edge: Africa! Join our new community wall of names and carve your memories into stone. Our tiles offer a unique way to honor, celebrate, and make lasting memories for your loved ones. Each tile purchase also directly supports CMZoo and the care of our animals. For $250, you can personalize a 6-inch by 6-inch porcelain stone tile. Every tile allows your message to be two lines, each line with 12 characters available, totaling 24 letters and spaces (special characters are each an additional $15 fee). You can choose from the following animals to engrave on your tile: hippo, penguin, pelican, lemur, warthog or crane! Create your unique message and purchase your tile at www.cmzoo.org/tiles.

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This fall’s warmer temperatures have been welcomed by a lot of Coloradans, but there are four chirpy rascals in Rocky Mountain Wild that would choose a snow day over any other kind of day. For North American river otters, Pivane (pah-VAWN-ay), Enapay (eh-NAW-pay), Darwin and Newton, it’s past due time to bring on more white fluffy stuff.

“They’re always curious and energetic, but they’re extra enthusiastic in the snow,” said Kristen Cox, senior animal keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild. “They’re some of my favorite animals to watch in the winter months – especially after a fresh snow. It seems like they have ‘zoomies’ for the entire day.”

A group of otters on land is called a romp. A group of otters in the water is called a raft. There’s no official term for a group of otters in the snow, but it would probably be some synonym for joy. At least, that’s what people feel when watching them in the snow. It’s impossible not to smile, watching them slipping, sliding, wrestling, chattering and scampering up hills and down otter-made toboggan runs that span their habitat.

“When we get at least a couple of inches of snow, the otters usually make a snow slide,” said Cox. “They run to the top of the hill and jump onto their bellies with their front legs tucked back and just bomb down the hill. They’ll take the same path, so it gets pretty slick after a while, and I think they really like how fast they can get going.”

In between sledding sessions, they can be found swimming, sleeping, snacking, training for important voluntary husbandry behaviors and engaging in novel enrichment. Their climate-controlled pool is open year-round and their extremely thick fur coats over healthy layers of fat keep them warm. They’re comfortable in the water even on the chilliest of winter days. North American river otters are believed to have more individual hairs per square inch of their bodies than most humans have on their whole heads. Their outer coat is coarse and their inner coat is soft and fluffy, creating a barrier so thick that water hardly touches their skin.

All of that otter gusto requires rest and fuel, so naps and snacks are another big part of their days. The four otters typically prefer to pile up together for mid-day rests, usually inside one of their hollow logs or in a hay bed in their yard. Enapay sometimes prefers his own space, so if an otter is sleeping solo, that’s probably him.

The otters are meat-eaters, primarily, with fish being their preferred dish. Smelt, trout and capelin top the list. They also get ground meat, shrimp, small rodents and crab. Hard-boiled eggs are a coveted treat that’s scarfed down, shell and all, with no regard for table manners.

Since 2-year-old brothers, Darwin and Newton, moved to CMZoo in May 2022, their care team has been focused on creating an environment that they and 13-year-old brothers, Enapay and Pivane, could all feel confident sharing. Now that they’ve achieved a cohesive bachelor group and the brother pairs are together full-time, animal keepers are prioritizing refreshing or starting voluntary husbandry behavior training. The otters are extremely eager to train, which is communicated through a series of chattering squeaks, chuffy huffs and intense stares of focus.

Enapay and Pivane, who Cox has been training with since they arrived at CMZoo in April 2011, are the best students in the romp. In addition to presenting their paws, receiving voluntary injections, stationing in various locations, coming when called and opening their mouths for dental checks, they are also trained for voluntary blood draws. During blood draws, keepers ask them to take turns placing themselves in the training tube – a half-pipe fastened to a fence – and to present a webbed paw through the fence. They get lots of fish throughout the sessions, while the CMZoo veterinary team delicately draws blood from a vein in their arm.

“When they see us approaching, they dart to the training panel and jump all over each other, trying to get in the prime location in the training tube,” said Cox. “It’s usually Enapay who plants himself in the training tube first. Sometimes he falls asleep in there. He knows good things happen when he goes into the tube, and I think he wants to be there – awake or asleep – just in case we’re going to train.”

The team doesn’t need to draw blood regularly, but it’s an important behavior for the aging otters to have in their wheelhouse. The median life expectancy for North American river otters in human care, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, is 12 years.

When the time comes and the boys start slowing down, their care team will be able to run blood tests that can help them diagnose and address any issues. Learning this behavior before they need it means the otters could participate in their health care in a lower stress scenario, without anesthesia.

“They still act like they’re five years old,” said Cox. “They don’t need any medications at this point, but we’re prepared if the day comes when they need our help. For now, we’re grateful they seem to be in good health, and we work hard to ensure every day is jam-packed with fun for them.”

Following in their honorary big brothers’ paw prints, Darwin and Newton are learning important voluntary behaviors, too. Newton recently mastered voluntary injection training. Darwin, the most vocal and confident of the four, is working on it, too. Next up will be presenting their paws for blood draws and checks, stationing – when keepers ask them to move to a specific location and stay there – and opening their mouths for dental checks.

Even their keepers who work with them daily admit it is difficult to tell the four apart, but there are some subtle differences that otter fans can note, and try their best to identify. Pivane and Enapay are lighter brown when they’re dry. Enapay has two darker fur dots above his nose. Pivane has a whiter snout and he’s bigger than Enapay. In the spring, they shed their winter coats and they all look lighter in color, compared to their darker brown winter coats. Darwin has a thinner snout. Those tips might help, if the otters slow down long enough for guests to notice the differences.

“Otters are just the best,” said Cox. “I think we can all learn from them. Every day is the best day of their lives. They’re carefree. They communicate well. They’re honest with each other and they don’t hold grudges. If you like to be happy, otters give you a lot of reasons to be happy.”

Next time Mother Nature graces Colorado with snow, channel your playful inner otter and enjoy a day at the Zoo. CMZoo is open every day of the year and Value Days reduced admission begins December 1. Grab an e-ticket (advance tickets are required) at cmzoo.org and a hot cocoa from Grizzly Grill, and spend a moment letting Enapay, Pivane, Darwin and Newton put a smile on your face in Rocky Mountain Wild.

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Juju, a 43-year-old female Western lowland gorilla, is adjusting to a new care plan after a health scare at the end of October 2023. She has experienced phases of discomfort that her team supported her through in the past. But, this time, she seemed to have less specifically-located pains and more general discomfort.

After a few days of what appeared to be headaches, lethargy, reduced appetite and behavioral changes, like choosing to spend time alone in her den rather than with the group, Juju’s care team decided they could best help her with an immobilization.

“Gorillas are incredibly intelligent,” said Joanna Husby, animal care manager in Primate World. “Juju knows that when we have immobilized her to address health concerns in the past, we have first asked her to go into her den and take a voluntary injection to begin anesthesia. This time, without us asking, she chose to go into her den and started presenting her voluntary injection behavior, putting her shoulder up against the mesh toward us. I think she understands that the injection would be the first step towards us helping her feel better, so it’s like she was communicating that she wanted our help.”

During the immobilization, Juju received IV fluids while the team did an ultrasound, took x-rays, drew blood and collected urine for diagnostics. Sadly, those results revealed that Juju is in late stage kidney disease. It appears to have progressed rapidly, as it was not evident in her previous tests only two years earlier. The disease is unfortunately not reversible, so the team is now focused on preventing it from getting worse while keeping her comfortable.

To achieve that, her team needs to manage her blood pressure and reduce or eliminate medications that can cause kidney damage. The medications that need to be adjusted are also the medications that have kept her physical pain at bay. So, in addition to finding a blood pressure medication that she can tolerate, the team needs to find new ways to manage any discomfort.

Juju’s team has changed her pain medications or their dosages started an oral blood pressure medication, and she seems to be improving. Over time, the team hopes that she will be willing to train for voluntary blood pressure checks and voluntary blood draws, so they can monitor her kidney blood values without the need to immobilize to get that information.

“We’re seeing subtle improvements in Juju,” said Husby. “She’s spending time with the troop, eating and drinking normally and appears to be more stable when moving around. We recognize we can’t put a gorilla on dialysis, which is what a human with this stage of kidney disease would likely be encouraged to do, so our treatment options are somewhat limited, but they seem to be helping.”

The median life expectancy of a female Western lowland gorilla in human care is 39 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. With that in mind, Juju’s care team is working to give her as many good days as possible, while balancing the risks and benefits of future immobilizations. Putting an animal under anesthesia is always risky, but if the team sees Juju decline in a way they believe they can help under anesthesia, another immobilization is not out of the question.

Juju’s team tracks quality-of-life markers that help them identify if and when they need to escalate her care, including her appetite, activity level, social interactions with other gorillas, mobility and interest in training and enrichment.

“She’s interacting well with the troop and participating in voluntary behaviors, like EKG readings that help us monitor her heart, which can also be impacted by high blood pressure,” said Husby. “We’re cautiously optimistic about the progress she has made over the past couple of weeks, and she has an excellent team of humans and gorillas surrounding her with care and camaraderie.”

Roxie – a 47-year-old female gorilla who Juju has the closest relationship with – has been staying close by, and was especially attentive before Juju’s immobilization.

“We’re going to make the best decisions for her and the social dynamic of the troop as a whole,” said Husby. “We know them all so well that we can make changes quickly to address Juju’s health and the troop’s well-being. She could decline rapidly or we could be lucky and have her with us for many more years. We’re holding onto hope for the latter.”

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Ewaso Lions is a longtime member-supported conservation organization in Kenya dedicated to conserving lions and other large carnivores by promoting coexistence between people and wildlife. They provide local communities with conservation advocates, transportation, veterinary equipment and vaccinations for pet dogs, among other things. Since 2017, CMZoo members have sent more than $80,000 to support their important conservation work through the annual Member Conservation Vote.

In October, Dr. Jessicah Kurere, the lead veterinarian for Ewaso Lions’ domestic animal mobile veterinary unit, spent a few days on the mountain to inspire, educate and even practice some veterinary techniques that could help animals in the wild.

In the U.S., many learn about the plight of iconic African animals, like African lions, elephants and giraffe, and it can be hard to understand why they aren’t better protected. By connecting with people like Dr. Kurere, more animal advocates can start to understand how difficult it must be for communities to live with these animals, no matter how revered they are in other parts of the world.

“In Colorado, we share recreational and living spaces with wild bears and mountain lions, so we can understand the struggles that might arise when human-wildlife conflicts inevitably occur anywhere in the world,” said Amy Schilz, senior animal behaviorist at the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Schilz worked with the African lions at CMZoo for 10 years before embarking on her journey at The Center, and has maintained a relationship with the team at Ewaso Lions. “In Kenya, they’re choosing to live with wildlife and share the landscape. If we consider the number of bear-human conflicts we hear about in our home state and relate that to native African animals and the pastoral farming communities that live amongst them, it’s easier to understand.”

Ewaso Lions works to help locals understand, respect and coexist with native African species. According to Ewaso Lions, the African lion population has declined by 43% in the last 20 years and lions now occupy only 8% of their historical range in Africa. The estimated number of lions across Africa is approximately 20,000. In Kenya, the national population now numbers less than 2,500 individuals. This reduction in lion numbers is primarily due to habitat loss and conflict with humans, typically when lions kill people’s livestock.

During her visit, Dr. Kurere met with staff, Teen Program participants and docents, sharing stories of helping livestock injured by lions from her mobile vet clinic, complete with a flip-down exam table that hangs from the side of the van. In addition to the conservation programs detailed below and others, Ewaso Lions jumps in to assist wildlife in emergencies. They dig wells for wildlife during droughts and rehabilitate struggling grasslands, which attract hoof stock to wildlands and thus, lions away from communities and toward those food sources, hopefully helping to restore the natural ecosystems that animals and people need to thrive.

“Hearing her passion and the stories from the field brings us all closer to the important work our Zoo members are supporting,” said Schilz. “Dr. Kurere told us about an entire pack of African painted dogs that contracted canine distemper and passed away, and the work they’re doing with Kura’s Pride vaccinations is helping to address that.”

In between updating staff on the progress of Ewaso Lions, Dr. Kurere worked closely with big cat keepers in African Rift Valley, sharing what she knows about wild lion behaviors and assisting with voluntary blood draws on Abuto, CMZoo’s 12-year-old African lion patriarch.

During blood draw training, the team asks Abuto to enter an open-ended mesh tunnel, which he always has the choice to leave if he wants to. Communicating the steps with Abuto throughout the process– and feeding him lots of yummy snacks – the team asks him to position himself so he can present his tail through a small port at the bottom of the mesh.

“It was very different from what I am used to, but very exciting,” said Dr. Kurere. “I was fascinated with the trust and ease he presented his tail for blood draws. That makes it very easy to give him medical exams. It was my second time to draw blood on a lion, but certainly the first-time drawing blood on a wild carnivore wide awake!”

Dr. Kurere has been assisting a local veterinarian in Kenya on clinical cases in lions and other wildlife, and this experience with Abuto is another way she’s continuing to gain more skills in wildlife clinical practice.

The benefit to wild lions doesn’t end there. Because Abuto and the rest of the pride – 16-year-old matriarch, Lomela, and their 8-year-old daughter, Elsa, and son, Aslan – inspire new African lion advocates every day by connecting with CMZoo guests. Furthermore, through the CMZoo members who have developed relationships with CMZoo’s lion pride and voted to support Ewaso Lions in the annual Member Conservation Vote, they are making a direct impact by supporting Ewaso Lions’ imperative conservation efforts.

Ewaso Lions hosts a variety of programs that monitor and protect wildlife, connect communities to conservation and lift up underserved populations, and provide veterinary care to local pets, livestock and wildlife.

Mama Simba – which means “Mothers of Lions” in Swahili – is one of their programs, which provides a platform for traditional women to reclaim their place as the owners and protectors of wildlife, through environmental literacy, lion habitat recovery activities, engagement and awareness work on coexistence and culture.

Warrior Watch is a community-led program that engages Samburu warriors – a group traditionally neglected, overlooked or blamed for wrongdoing – in conservation decision-making. The program builds on the warriors’ traditional protection role by increasing their ability to mitigate human-carnivore conflict. The Warriors serve multiple communities, informing herders of lion presence so they can avoid certain areas, averting depredation. This network also monitors threatened species and records conflict incidents over a wide-ranging area. Following lion attacks on livestock, Warriors encourage herders not to take retaliatory action and work with them to prevent future livestock attacks.

Lion Kids Camp are five-day camps that teach tomorrow’s conservationists about peaceful wildlife coexistence. Most Kenyan children, despite living in close proximity to world famous national parks and reserves, have never had the chance to observe wildlife at close range. Instead, they are exposed to negative interactions between wildlife, livestock and people, which shape their perceptions of wildlife. The program empowers a new generation of wildlife ambassadors by engaging young people in environmental education and long-term conservation values.

Kura’s Pride provides vaccinations for local pets, with a goal to reduce the spread of diseases like canine distemper and rabies among beloved pets and wildlife.

“At our Zoo, we have the privilege of knowing Abuto as an individual and witnessing how incredible he is,” said Schilz. “Dr. Kurere and the Ewaso Lions team are saving the world’s wild ‘Abutos.’ I picture every single lion being as beautiful and amazing as he is, and that’s who she and our members are protecting. She’s our hero, and no matter how old you are, it always reignites your passion to save wildlife and wild places when you meet your wildlife heroes.”

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