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The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo family is celebrating the long life of the eldest member of the Zoo’s reticulated giraffe herd, Riyadh, today. Since her birth at CMZoo in 1990, she made countless connections with guests, members and fans, who would delight at her small-but-mighty personality and regal nature.

As she grew older, Riyadh began showing normal signs of aging, including dealing with arthritis. Over the last several months, she responded well to medications and seemed to be comfortable. But yesterday, her keepers noticed she wasn’t bearing weight on her hind right leg. With the CMZoo vet team, they made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize Riyadh, as her treatments were no longer providing enough relief for her to continue having a comfortable quality of life.

“Despite the fact that we’ve been mentally preparing for this time to come, it’s still sad to say goodbye,” said Rachael Hahn, animal keeper for giraffe and Riyadh’s primary trainer. “This was the right decision for her, and I’m so glad she was able to spend her last day in the beautiful Colorado sunshine.”

Riyadh was loved for her small stature and confident personality. She was much shorter than the majority of the herd, and was often mistaken for a calf.

“People really fell in love with her because she was easy to tell apart from the rest of the herd,” said Amy Schilz, senior lead keeper for giraffe. “Those who didn’t know her sometimes thought she was a baby, and she would benefit by getting extra lettuce from guests who wanted to feed ‘the little one.'”

“She was also one of our giraffe that was more willing to let guests give her scratches on her neck, which was a special experience that not every giraffe will allow,” said Diana Miller, senior animal keeper for giraffe. “For some reason, she was hesitant to let keepers touch her neck, but she didn’t mind at all when guests would pet her.”

Her shorter legs made her easy to identify in the herd, but didn’t impact her confidence if she was ever nudged by a larger herd mate.

“She was hilarious to watch interact with the other giraffe because of how tenacious she was,” said Hahn. “She could get whatever she wanted, despite her size. Most of our giraffe get out of the way when Mahali, who’s one of our tallest giraffe, comes around. But not Riyadh! She would push him around to get the best browse or whatever she wanted. All of the other giraffe got out of the way for Riyadh.”

The keepers describe Riyadh as having a “regal” way about her – so much that they had nicknamed her “Princess Ri.”

Riyadh helped the newest herd member, 2-year-old Panya, settle in to the herd, spending nights with Panya in a stall separate from the herd while Panya, who has a shy demeanor, adjusted to her new surroundings.

“Panya and Riyadh developed a strong bond,” said Miller. “It seemed like they found a soulmate in each other, since they’re both smaller in stature.”

Riyadh, pictured here in Sept. 2019 sharing the side yard with Viv, was known for her small stature and unique markings

Throughout her life at CMZoo, Riyadh contributed to her species as a well-loved animal ambassador and through her individual reproductive contributions. Riyadh gave birth to eight healthy calves, leaving a legacy of six healthy grandcalves and one healthy great-grandcalf. Two of Riyadh’s daughters, 19-year-old female giraffe, Twiga, and 22-year-old female, Muziki, are still members of the herd at CMZoo.

Riyadh participated in voluntary training that allowed our vets and staff to help giraffe in human care and in the wild. All giraffe in our herd can choose to participate in trainings that allow vet staff to perform research on hoof care and even build a life-saving plasma bank.

“Riyadh was a little difficult to train in the beginning,” said Schilz. “She would outsmart me on every maneuver! Once we figured out a way to give her full control over everything that was happening, we started to make headway. She learned to touch a target stick, which was our cue that we could touch her hooves or do some other contact that we needed. If she gave us ‘permission’ by using the target stick, we were good. But she could still throw out a stern ‘side-eye’ look, if she didn’t approve of something we were doing.”

Once Riyadh and her keepers figured out the key for her training, she became a training superstar. She was often the giraffe that helped teach other giraffe professionals from around the world how to train during CMZoo’s annual Giraffe Care Workshop. Since she was smaller, she was less intimidating for participants to work with, and she was solid in responding to cues, even for those who didn’t have a relationship with her or have as much experience with training giraffe.

“Even as her primary trainer, she taught me so much about training and caring for giraffe,” said Hahn. “She was just so smart! She was super special.”

She also helped to pioneer groundbreaking care for our herd, as she was one of the first to voluntarily accept shoes on her hooves as a treatment for her arthritis. She also voluntarily allowed a veterinary ophthalmologist to take her eye pressure readings using a puff of air (non-contact tonometry) – something many humans have trouble tolerating.

In the past 30 years, there has been an estimated 50 percent decline in wild reticulated giraffe populations. Giraffe Conservation Foundation estimates only 15,780 reticulated giraffe remain in the wild.

Riyadh’s role as an ambassador for her species helped countless CMZoo guests fall in love with giraffe, inspiring them to take action to protect her wild relatives. CMZoo has partnered with the Giraffe Conservation Foundation to support conservation efforts. One recent example is Operation Twiga, a giraffe translocation project in Uganda, Africa. The Zoo’s visitors and members contribute significantly to those efforts through Quarters for Conservation, a program by which 75¢ of every Zoo admission is allocated to conservation. Annually, Quarters for Conservation raises half a million dollars for conservation partners around the world.

We have BIG NEWS on #WorldPenguinDay! Our first five African penguins have arrived! Since our temporary closure, we’ve continued work on Water’s Edge: Africa, our new home for hippos, penguins, warthogs, lemurs and more. We’re happy to report the new exhibit’s first residents are settling in.

In this video, meet CMZoo African penguins Pomona, Safara, Alex, Rudo and Rufaro! You’ll also see a behind-the-scenes sneak peek at their medical checks, their first dip in the indoor pool and their first time taking in the beautiful views from the mountainside. You’re also getting the first public glimpse at the penguin pools in all their leakless glory!

The issues with the hippo pools haven’t been resolved yet, but we’re continuing work on them and will keep you posted on any hippo-sized news. We can’t wait to have you all back to meet the penguins in person!

UPDATE: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s reopening date has been changed from April 1, 2020 to April 17, 2020. This is an update to the Zoo’s official statement from March 16, 2020, which you can find below.

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, we believe we have multiple responsibilities to our community, in addition to our responsibilities to the natural world. Our unique atmosphere allows friends and family to spend quality time together, while providing our guests an opportunity to spend time in the outdoors, which has been shown to improve both physical and mental well-being. All of these were reasons that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo remained open to the public through today.

While we had support from city and county government officials to remain open with our already strong precautionary measures, the time has come to support our country’s decision makers and unite behind a common goal. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is announcing a temporary closure of its public operations in response to today’s request by President Donald Trump to join together to suppress the COVID-19 virus. The closure will be effective tomorrow (Tuesday, March 17, 2020), and we are already beginning to plan our reopening on April 1, 2020, assuming that the current 15-day guidance has not been extended. As soon as possible, we want to provide a beacon of hope for our community in this unusual time.

During the closure, the Zoo’s staff will keep busy, not only providing our excellent standard of care for our animals, but also with other important work around the Zoo. The closure will provide Zoo staff with the opportunity to continue to prepare for Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation inspections scheduled for this summer, which is something that happens once every five years. Staff will also focus on detailed preparations for the opening of the Zoo’s new hippo and African penguin exhibit, Water’s Edge: Africa, which we hope will open sometime in May. We are thankful to be able to keep all of our Zoo family employed through the 15-day closure.

All public EdVenture programs originally scheduled through March 31, 2020 are canceled or will be rescheduled, including Spring Break Camp, Stroller Safaris, WildNights, ZOOMobile outreach programs, birthday parties and any other public programs. Please email [email protected] or call (719) 424-7827 for information about refunds or other questions.

While the Zoo is closed, the public is encouraged to stay virtually connected to our animals through our social media channels and website. On nice days, fans of our giraffe herd will continue to be able to watch the herd shift into their outdoor yard via the Zoo’s YouTube channel or at cmzoo.org/giraffecam. Zoo staff also will also continue to provide updates on our animals through our social media feeds: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

Any further updates on the status of the Zoo’s closure will be updated via the green “alert” message on our home page at cmzoo.org.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2019, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #6 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #5 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 233 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

Here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, we believe we have multiple responsibilities to our community, in addition to our responsibilities to the natural world. Our unique atmosphere allows friends and family to spend quality time together, while providing our guests an opportunity to spend time in the outdoors, which has been shown to improve both physical and mental well-being.

On Friday, March 13, 2020, Governor Jared Polis issued guidance to cancel events and gatherings of more than 250 people. He clarified with Colorado cultural attractions, however, that outdoor venues can operate with larger numbers of guests as long as they don’t have more than 250 people in a single gathering space or building.

In an effort to fulfill the community’s need for activities during a stressful time and the need to be able to get outdoors for mental well-being, we are implementing the following changes to our daily operations, out of an abundance of caution, through at least March 30, 2020. As the situation with COVID-19 and community spread is constantly evolving, we will remain nimble to make other changes, as the situation warrants.

We are currently open for daytime admission during our normal hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last admission at 4 p.m., with the following precautions in place:

We are partnering with El Paso County Public Health and following guidelines set forth by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Governor Polis’ Office of Community Engagement.
Zoo staff will be maintaining increased disinfection protocols for high-touch areas throughout the Zoo.
We are encouraging guests to follow Governor Polis’ recommendations for social distancing, including allowing six feet between parties while enjoying the Zoo. Our open-air environment gives Zoo guests ample ability to enjoy the Zoo while keeping comfortable distances from other parties.
Also in accordance with the Governor’s recommendations, we will limit the number of guests in any Zoo building at any time to 250.
To ensure that we self-regulate our daily guest count, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will not use off-site parking during this time. This will prevent the need for shuttling guests on buses from an off-site location, and it will automatically limit our daily attendance. This may mean that you will be turned away if we are at capacity for our on-site parking lot. Please follow our parking signs for updates on our parking availability. Please also stay patient and flexible – we can often accommodate additional guests by mid-afternoon as earlier guests depart and free up space in our parking lot.
In addition to the numerous public restroom facilities with permanent hand-washing sinks found throughout the Zoo, we will be adding temporary hand-washing stations throughout the Zoo as they become available.
Our food concession areas are implementing additional rigorous protocols to increase their already frequent cleaning routine, creating new practices that will distance guests from areas where food is being prepared and other additional protocols to increase food safety.
The Zoo’s historic carousel will not operate during this time.

As you know, the situation with COVID-19 in our community and around the world is fluid and ever-evolving. Visit our website home page at cmzoo.org and click the “alert” link at the top of the page for the most up-to-date information on any changes to our operations that we may need to make.

We are working hard to be a resource for the community during this truly difficult time, and we believe these precautions will help us do that. But, we can’t do it alone. We need your help to reduce risk. Please actively follow the social distancing guidelines outlined above while you’re enjoying the Zoo, and stay vigilant with the precautions you and your family can take, like washing your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds at a time. Cover your cough. Limit touching your face. Above all else, make responsible decisions for the community and visit us another time if you’re feeling ill, or have been outside of the country or in contact with someone carrying the virus in the last 14 days. We and our animals will enjoy seeing you when you’re feeling better.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo received an early Valentine’s gift as a second black howler monkey in just under a year was born yesterday.

Four-year-old howler monkey Charlie gave birth to her second baby on Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7:14 a.m. An early-morning staff member was doing a routine check on Charlie and saw the beginning of the birthing process. Keepers say mom and baby are bonding quickly, and early indicators, like the baby’s curled tail, are showing that the baby is healthy and strong. The gender likely won’t be confirmed for several months.

Charlie gave birth to her first baby, Louie, in March 2019. Charlie showed strong maternal instincts immediately after Louie’s birth, and keepers say she has been exhibiting those same behaviors with this new baby, such as grooming and maintaining chest-to-chest contact. Like most primates, the baby will spend its first several weeks of life clinging to mom, and then the young monkey will begin to explore its surroundings on its own.

Even though big brother Louie seems curious about the new addition, touching the baby’s tail while it was wrapped around Charlie’s back, he has been giving mom and baby the space they need to bond.

After Louie’s birth, first-time father Howie seemed unsure of the baby and kept to himself for the first few days.

“Howie’s reacting very differently to this baby,” said Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Monkey Pavilion keeper Debbie Fenton. “He is incredibly calm and sure of himself this second time around. The entire family was able to stay together all day yesterday and remained in the same space last night, too.”

The happy family of four will continue to stay together in Monkey Pavilion, and Charlie has access to a back den area, as well. Since Charlie prefers to be in the main black howler exhibit, guests may have the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the newborn and its family members.

Charlie and Howie were recommended to breed based on their genetics as part of the Black Howler Monkey Species Survival Plan, managed by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. This baby’s birth is contributing to a program that is working to help guarantee 100 years of genetic diversity for the species in accredited organizations.

Keepers will keep a close eye on Charlie and her baby, and will be happy to share their joy with Zoo members and guests who come to visit.

“We are so excited that Louie will have a sibling to grow up and play with,” said Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Monkey Pavilion keeper Erika Furnes. “He enjoys playfully wrestling with his parents, and we can’t wait to see the two young howler monkeys play together once his younger sibling is old enough.”

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s only mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 233 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just ten operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

Running a zoo requires a substantial amount of water. There are guest facilities, water features in animal habitats, cleaning and sanitation, horticulture, food and beverage services, maintenance and, of course, human and animal water consumption to consider.

Leaning on his background in horticulture, environmental education and ecology, and his involvement in global conservation projects, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo President and CEO, Bob Chastain, decided to make Cheyenne Mountain Zoo the first ‘water neutral’ zoo in the world. So, he worked with the experts at Trout Unlimited (TU) to offset the Zoo’s water usage through a unique new program.

“We use about 16 million gallons of water a year,” said Chastain. “In the last several years through our own internal programs, we’ve reduced our water usage by about half, but we still use a lot of water. We live in a drought state, so I wanted to find a way to give that water back, so to speak, to the rivers in Colorado. With Trout Unlimited’s help, we can do that.”

A nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of habitat for trout and salmon, Trout Unlimited (TU) operates a program in the Rio Grande basin of southern Colorado. Under the program, TU arranges for releases of water from storage reservoirs to augment river flows for the benefit of trout populations and the riverine environment. For water year 2020, which runs from Oct. 1, 2019 to Sept. 30, 2020, Trout Unlimited will release 51 acre-feet of water from storage to the Rio Grande River or its tributaries on the Zoo’s behalf. The Zoo donated $15,000 of conservation funds to Trout Unlimited to support these releases.

Chastain is an outdoorsman. He likes to spend time rafting, fishing, hunting and hiking in the wild places along the Arkansas and Rio Grande Rivers. Over the last few summers, he has noticed a distinct decline in river water levels between early and late summer.

“I was rafting the Arkansas River late last summer and the difference in just a month and a half, since I had last rafted it, was dramatic,” said Chastain. “That got me thinking that if there was some way to contribute to water levels when they’re low during the winter months, we could make an impact.”

Roughly ninety percent of Colorado’s water supply is used by farmers and ranchers, according to Trout Unlimited, and this agricultural water use drives rural economies. Rivers also support many important functions in our state: feeding diverse ecosystems of plants and animals; generating tourism and making an economic impact on local business through its fishing, hunting, camping and whitewater sports; and transporting water from reservoirs to those who need it.

“Water rights use and administration in Colorado is extremely complex and each basin operates differently. TU’s approach is to use local staff who engage with water users and facilitate opportunities to do more with a critical and limited resource,” said Kevin Terry, Trout Unlimited’s Rio Grande Basin Project manager. “For instance, TU can inform water users on the needs of the environment and fishery, identifying partnership opportunities that farmers and ranchers can take advantage of if it works for their operations. The whole effort is like a giant dynamic puzzle, and TU brings expertise relating to specific pieces, which helps the water community of the Rio Grande be strategic and holistic in efforts to maximize the benefits of our precious water.”

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is supporting Trout Unlimited’s program to partner with water users and incentivize them to re-time portions of their water for delivery during the winter months when possible. Restoring stream flows below working reservoirs during the winter months, while simultaneously satisfying water-user needs, creates a better balance of water delivery for the environment, and the people who rely on it.

“We are grateful for our partnership with the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo,” said Terry. “With forward-thinking partners like the Zoo, TU is greatly improving habitat conditions for trout in the Rio Grande basin.”

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

About Trout Unlimited

Trout Unlimited is a national non-profit organization that works to protect, reconnect and restore habitat for coldwater fisheries.

Simply by visiting the Zoo, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members and guests contribute to important global conservation work.

“Watching the devastating bushfires in Australia from our living rooms in Colorado can leave you feeling helpless and wondering what you can do to make a difference,” said Bob Chastain, CMZoo president and CEO. “It’s important to note that from every membership and every ticket to the Zoo, we set aside funds to support frontline conservation fieldwork around the world, and specifically now, in Australia. We want people to know that coming to the Zoo is conservation in action.”

Since starting in November 2019, the bushfires in Australia have devastated more than 27 million acres, claiming more than 30 human lives and more than a billion animal lives.

This week, CMZoo members voted to send $20,000 to Zoos Victoria’s Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund, in Australia. The funds support long-term care for bushfire-impacted animals, including supplementary feeding and habitat restoration, in conjunction with the Australia Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Parks Victoria, and associated recovery teams. Donations from Zoo employees, board members, docents and an internal Zoo match program raised $6,900 in support of Zoos Victoria, making the collective donation $26,900.

“We have been closely watching the devastation in Australia and working to find the best ways to support the recovery,” said Dr. Liza Dadone, CMZoo vice president of mission and programs. “Last week, we asked our members if we could send a portion of their annual Member Conservation Grant funds to Zoos Victoria. Our members’ collective supportive response was immediate.”

Each year, CMZoo members vote for conservation projects to receive a share of $75,000 allocated from membership revenue. The $20,000 donation comes from that membership revenue. In March, members will vote to guide CMZoo’s decisions about which other projects to support, as they do every year. Since 2015, including this contribution, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Member Conservation Grants have provided $395,000 of membership revenue to support field conservation worldwide.

“Because our members regularly visit Australia Walkabout at the Zoo, they have formed meaningful connections with the animals they’ve seen in these heartbreaking news stories out of Australia,” said Emma Repp-Maxwell, CMZoo membership and annual gifts manager. “As a leader in conservation, we’re committed to helping people make those connections, and taking it a step further by providing opportunities for our members to contribute to the amazing work being done to save and protect the animals left.”

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Bob Chastain, CMZoo president and CEO, is back with an update on Water’s Edge: Africa! From the indoor penguin pool, Bob gives the details about the pool and underground excavation, soil testing (good news!), and reconstruction of the hippo and penguin pools. The next step is additional water testing, which involves measuring how much the pools’ water levels are dropping overall, and establishing how much of that water is evaporating, rather than leaking. It’s a complicated process when you consider the intricacies of the pools, the indoor and outdoor elements and multiple surfaces.

Although we don’t yet have an opening date, we’re still looking at bringing hippos and penguins home as early as March, so stick with us. We’ll keep you posted as we progress through this next testing phase.

Thanks for your continued support!

A team of eight veterinary professionals from Powers Pet Emergency and Specialty gathered in the veterinary hospital at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Thursday. They were eager to help remove a foreign object from the stomach of a nine-month-old female mountain lion and donate their time to save her life.

They cleared their schedules at the practice to help Adira, who has had a tough start to her life. She was orphaned in the wild at just six weeks old, along with her sister Sequoia and brother Sitka. Although they were fortunate to find a safe home at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, their misfortune continued when Adira’s sister, Sequoia, passed away unexpectedly Sunday night while recovering from a spay surgery. Because Adira received the same surgery, the CMZoo veterinary team, led by Dr. Jon Romano, CMZoo head veterinarian, conducted an additional post-op exam on her and found something unexpected. While doing an x-ray on her, they saw a foreign object in her stomach, which was completely unrelated to her previous surgery. That unintended discovery likely helped to save her life.

The Zoo’s internal veterinary team immediately sprang into action to secure the professional assistance needed to help Adira. Dr. Brianna Backlund, a veterinary internal medicine specialist and skilled endoscopist, and Dr. Brandy Cichocki, veterinary surgeon, answered the call with their expert support teams and specialized equipment.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is relieved to report that Dr. Backlund’s team successfully removed a 19”-long rubber-coated electrical cord from Adira’s stomach. Although Dr. Cichocki’s surgical team was thankfully not needed, they were on hand in CMZoo’s vet hospital in case there were any complications with the endoscopy procedure.

“When I walked into the hospital, I was impressed with the medical team assembled in front of me,” said Bob Chastain, president and CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. “Watching them work with the scope and getting to see the actual removal of the cord was fascinating. I am so appreciative that partners in our community care enough about an individual mountain lion that they would devote their entire day to saving her.”

Adira’s care team traced the cord back to a scale they used to ensure the cubs were gaining weight appropriately when they were about six months old. The scale is a heavy, industrial model, and was kept in the cubs’ den with the cord secured under a fence and out of reach of the cubs – or so they thought. One night in October, the scale became a toy for the cubs, and after they dragged the approximately 40-pound scale away from the fence, they attacked the cord and ripped it apart. In the morning, keepers scoured the area and were convinced they had recovered all of the cord, but Adira obviously had one piece stashed away where they couldn’t find it. As any parent of a young child or any pet owner can attest, children and animals are prone to investigating and ingesting things they shouldn’t. When things happen that aren’t supposed to happen, we’re fortunate to have generous community partners, like the professionals at Powers Pet Emergency and Specialty, to donate their time and expertise to help.

“Dr. Backlund’s expertise in driving an endoscope allowed us to avoid a more invasive procedure for Adira,” said Dr. Romano. “It wasn’t a simple removal because the cord was quite firm and inflexible. Dr. Cichocki’s team was on standby to perform emergency surgery if needed, which would have been especially risky because Adira’s body was already trying to heal from the spay surgery. We’re grateful we could remove the cord without taking more extreme measures.”

After the cord was removed, Adira’s care team took x-rays to confirm there weren’t any additional pieces of cord left behind. They also used the scope camera to check Adira’s stomach for ulcers or lesions, which can sometimes form in the stomach after the presence of a foreign object.

“We did see some very mild ulcers, which we believe are a reaction to the presence of the cord,” said Dr. Romano. “We gave her antacids and anti-nausea medication that should clear up those minor lesions. A bit of good news is that while she was under general anesthesia, we gave her spay surgical site another inspection, and it appears to be almost completely healed.”

Adira has returned to her den in Rocky Mountain Wild and was reunited with her brother, Sitka. Keepers say Adira is calmer when Sitka is with her. Vet and keeper staff will continue to monitor Adira as she recovers from both procedures.

To see a portion of the scope video from Adira’s endoscopy, click here.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

About Powers Pet Emergency & Specialty

As greater Colorado Springs’ leading 24/7 veterinary emergency and specialty hospital, Powers Pet Emergency & Specialty provides a standard of care you simply won’t find anyplace else in the region. With emergency and critical care services available 24 hours a day, plus advanced care by board-certified specialists in surgery, internal medicine, neurology/neurosurgery, cardiology, rehabilitation, radioiodine therapy and diagnostic imaging, Powers is a trusted one-stop partner to pet parents and the region’s primary care veterinarians. You can find Powers Pet Emergency at 5886 Tutt Blvd., Colorado Springs, Colo., 80923. For more information, call 719-473-0482 or visit powerspetemergency.com.

Animal Care Teams Address Additional Complications with Female Sibling

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is mourning the unexpected loss of female mountain lion, Sequoia, who passed away Sunday night after post-surgical complications from being spayed.

Because of Sequoia’s sudden, rare and unanticipated reaction to her recovery, veterinary staff suspected one potential cause may have been an allergy to her sutures. With genetic allergies in mind, CMZoo performed an additional examination yesterday on Sequoia’s sister, Adira, who had the same surgery earlier this month. During that examination – which was intended to give us a better look at how Adira is recovering from the surgery – we were pleased with her healing, but we saw, on x-ray, something that looks like wire or rope in Adira’s stomach. Further investigation will be required before we will know whether it may harm Adira.

The object may pass naturally. Adira’s best hope is to avoid another surgery while she’s still recovering from the first one. If the object is dangerous and Adira needs surgery to remove it, the risk of losing her is elevated, no matter what we do.

Sequoia and Adira were spayed on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2020. The surgery requires incisions between the protective muscles on the animal’s abdomen. Although this is a common procedure, any surgery requiring anesthesia is complex and the recovery can run into complications, especially with wild animals that can’t be examined as closely in the days following surgery. Although complications are rare, they are possible, and can be very serious.

The animal care team made the decision to perform spay surgeries on Sequoia and Adira because unspayed big cats are more likely to experience health problems later in life, such as cancer and hormonal imbalance that can cause infection. The mountain lions also needed to be spayed to avoid attracting wild mountain lions to their exhibit during times of estrus, which can be dangerous for animals and our guests. Our third mountain lion sibling, male Sitka, was neutered on the same day that the females were spayed. The neutering procedure is less complex than the procedure for females, and Sitka appears to be recovering well.

“We first noticed swelling around Sequoia’s incision mid-last week, which isn’t unusual,” said Dr. Jon Romano, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo head veterinarian. “We treated her with anti-inflammatory medications and antibiotics and continued daily checks while limiting her physical activity. I personally assessed Sequoia on Saturday night and was satisfied with her progress. Sunday morning, we discovered her surgical site had opened up overnight.”

Sequoia’s team rushed her to the veterinary clinic, where they addressed her complications. She survived the emergency surgery, but remained in critical condition and unfortunately passed a few hours later.

“Sequoia’s passing has shocked us,” said Bob Chastain, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo president and CEO. “Even after 25 years in the profession, this doesn’t get easier. It is a reminder that no medical procedure is simple or without risk. As humans in this day of advanced medicine where miracles are performed every day, this is a sobering reminder.”

Sequoia made an enormous impact in her short life. She brought the CMZoo family and the Colorado Springs community a sense of hope and joy. We welcomed her to the Zoo, as she was taken in after being orphaned with her siblings in the wild. Our hearts melted when the kittens formed a relationship with aging mountain lion, “Grandma” Kaya, in her final months. And now, we mourn her together through this tragic chapter. Keepers will continue monitoring Sitka and Adira through their post-surgery recoveries.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s only mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 233 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.