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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and its guests and members are celebrating a huge milestone, having raised $4 million for wildlife and wild places, since the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) program launched in 2008.

Every visitor to the Zoo receives three “quarter” tokens representing the 75¢ Q4C allocation from their admission fee. They can then show support for the legacy projects they love by placing their tokens in the corresponding slots in the Q4C kiosks.

In recent years, CMZoo staff have traveled to Africa, Central America, Indonesia and the prairies of Wyoming and Colorado, to lend their expertise in support of our partner organizations around the world. Our guests’ support is far-reaching. It benefits the organizations we support, their teams, local communities and the animals they protect. It also enriches the lives of our teammates who return to the Zoo to share new experiences and reignited passions for protecting wildlife and wild places.

Before launching Q4C in 2008, CMZoo was supporting conservation, but at a fraction of what is possible now. As more people visit the Zoo each year, we can contribute more money to conservation. In the past few years, CMZoo has collected about half a million dollars per year through Q4C. In the Zoo’s 2021 fiscal year, guests contributed nearly three-quarters of a million dollars. The Zoo’s membership and EdVenture programs also contribute to conservation. CMZoo’s current beneficiary species include giraffe, Panama frogs, orangutans, black-footed ferrets, African elephants and rhinos, Wyoming toads and African vultures.

About Our Current Q4C Legacy Projects

Q4C beneficiary species truly run the gamut, from 18-foot-tall giraffe in Africa, to tiny toads in Wyoming.

Q4C helps support a multi-organizational giraffe conservation project in Uganda, called Operation Twiga. Operation Twiga began in 2016 to give giraffe a better chance of survival by establishing new populations of giraffe in safe habitats, in partnership with Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Uganda Wildlife Authority and others. Operation Twiga V (2020) was a continuation of Operation Twiga IV (2019), which CMZoo staff attended to assist with anesthesia and moving the giraffe. Both giraffe translocations contributed to populations in Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, an historic habitat in Uganda where giraffe hadn’t existed for more than 20 years. Ongoing Q4C funding supports the teams who continue to monitor and protect these newly established wild populations.

Q4C also funds CMZoo’s on-site breeding programs for black-footed ferrets and Wyoming toads. These endangered prairie species were declared extinct in the wild in the 1980s and early 1990s, and are only around today because of decades of recovery efforts from zoos and partner organizations. 18 ferret kits were born at CMZoo in the 2021 breeding season, and six juveniles were released into their natural habitat by CMZoo staff and wildlife partners in the fall. In Spring and Summer 2021, CMZoo staff released 228 yearling “headstart” toads, 58 metamorph toadlets, and 5,338 tadpoles to their native habitat in Wyoming. Summer 2022 breed-and-release efforts are well underway, and later this year, more of these vital species will join their relatives in the wild, thanks to CMZoo guests’ support.

Wyoming toads are symbolic of so many amphibian species in decline all over the world, including Panamanian frogs, which also receive support thanks to Q4C funds and frontline CMZoo staff support. In February 2019, three CMZoo staff members went to Panama to assist the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project by remodifying two feeder insect pods into frog pods. For this 10-day trip, the goal was to set up two shipping containers to house and breed approximately 450 additional frogs brought in from El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center, and later released. This involved disinfecting the shipping containers, painting, installing plumbing and water filtration, assembling racks, and drilling and prepping tanks.

CMZoo’s work to save habitats for orangutans through advocacy for sustainable palm oil production is also largely supported by Q4C. Thanks to that financial support, CMZoo’s sustainable palm oil team consults staff at other conservation organizations on starting their own palm oil programs. The CMZoo sustainable palm oil team continued to focus on international work through the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The team was instrumental in the creation of the WAZA Short Guide on Sustainable Palm Oil and the sustainable palm oil shopping app, which allows shoppers to scan the barcodes of items to learn whether producers have committed to using sustainable palm oil.

Through Q4C, CMZoo also supports a conservation partner called Tsavo Trust – an organization in Kenya that works to protect the last of the big tuskers, which are African elephants with tusks weighing more than 100 pounds. CMZoo’s funds helped Tsavo Trust build permanent housing that allowed staff to live on the land where these critically endangered giants live. It also paid for pilot hours of frontline aerial surveillance that protects rhinos and elephants from poachers seeking their ivory.

The seventh Q4C legacy partner is VulPro – protectors of African vultures. The dedicated staff at VulPro, in South Africa, save vultures who have been injured as wild birds, and rehabilitates them to release. Those that are too injured to survive in the wild find a permanent home at VulPro.

For more information about these projects and Quarters for Conservation, visit cmzoo.org/conservation.

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 2021, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #4 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #3 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 242 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.

There’s a very fluffy, adorably squeaky new kid on the rocks at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Around 3:15 p.m. on Wed., May 4, first-time Rocky Mountain goat mom, Lena, delivered a baby who was on her feet and working out her wobbly legs within minutes.

“Rocky Mountain goat kids are famous for being capable right out of the gate,” said Michelle Salido, lead keeper at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. “They’re native to some pretty demanding habitats, so they have to be hearty to thrive in those elements and that’s what we’re seeing with this little one. She’s getting the hang of her lanky legs, and we’ve already seen her climbing up rocks and on her mom.”

After a short intervention from animal care staff, the baby and mom are bonding well, and guests can see them – as long as they choose to stay visible – in the Rocky Mountain goat habitat.

The animal care team stayed with Lena and her baby through the evening on Wednesday, because they hadn’t seen nursing. The first feeding is really important for a newborn animal, because brand-new mother’s milk contains colostrum, which has important nutrients and antibodies. After about three hours of the kid attempting to nurse unsuccessfully, the team stepped in and hand-fed its first meal.

While feeding the baby a colostrum substitute, the team confirmed that it’s a girl and that she weighs about 8 pounds. After feeding the little one, the team reunited her with her mom and the two have been bonding well since. The baby has been seen nursing consistently since last night, so the team hopes mom and daughter will continue to take it from here.

“It took Lena a little while to get the hang of nursing, which isn’t unusual for a first-time mom, but since then, we’ve seen her really embrace motherhood,” said Salido. “She’s being protective, and she’s letting her daughter snuggle up to her and climb on her. She was really focused on making sure the baby was clean – especially her ears. She was licking the kid’s ears and the baby was making little goat whinnying sounds and wobbling around during the grooming session. They’re so cute.”

Following Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s tradition of not naming baby animals until they’re at least a month old, there are no immediate plans to name the youngster. Fans can follow Lena’s baby as it grows up on the Zoo’s social media channels.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo hosts its 14th annual Run to the Shrine, featuring a waddling African penguin as this year’s event mascot, on Sat., May 14 and Sun., May 15, 2022. Saturday’s event is sold out, but there’s still room to join in the fun on Sunday!

Run to the Shrine is the only time of the year foot traffic is allowed on the road to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun.

The 4-mile up-and-back course offers breathtaking views of Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods, and Pikes Peak as participants run by roaring lions and more through the Zoo, up to the Shrine and back. The challenging course, with a nearly 1,000-foot elevation gain, is good practice for competitive runners gearing up for summer races, and a fun challenge for weekend warriors and families. Runners and walkers are welcome, and jogging strollers equipped with automatic hand brakes and tethers are allowed on the course.

Registration includes Zoo admission for the evening, a commemorative performance T-shirt featuring Ivy, CMZoo African penguin, and access to a post-event celebration at the Zoo’s Lodge at Moose Lake. All proceeds help feed and care for Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s animals. Since the Zoo doesn’t receive any tax support, community events like Run to the Shrine help keep the zoo “running.”

Fast Facts

Run to the Shrine at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
5 to 8 p.m.
Saturday, May 14 (SOLD OUT)
Sunday, May 15

4-mile run/walk through the Zoo, up to Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, and back to the Zoo
Advance registration is required.
Register now at cmzoo.org/run.

Run to the Shrine is sponsored by Children’s Hospital Colorado and Colorado Springs SCHEELS.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said a heartfelt goodbye to one of its longest residents on Friday night. 29-year-old Honey, a female Asiatic black bear, started showing signs of sudden illness and pain on Friday morning. After a thorough exam in the Zoo’s veterinary hospital, the difficult but humane decision was made to euthanize her, after serious age-related conditions were discovered.

Honey came to CMZoo with her sister, Beezler, when the pair were just shy of a year and a half old. In their nearly 28 years here, they have touched the hearts of many keepers and millions of guests. Asiatic black bears are currently housed in only four North American zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

“I had walked by their exhibit for years, but until I met and started working with them a couple of years ago, I never realized how cool they were,” said Courtney Rogers, lead animal keeper for the sisters. “Even though they were sisters and lived together all their lives, Honey and Beezler had very different personalities. We often described Honey as a ‘sweet old lady,’ but she could also be super assertive at times.”

At the time of her passing, Honey was the oldest-known Asiatic black bear currently living in human care, tied with her sister. Her age met the median life expectancy of females of her species, which is 29.3 years.

“Caring for Honey and Beezler was what made me realize I really love bears,” said Erika Furnes, another animal keeper for the bears. “They inspired me to champion an Asiatic black bear research and recovery program in Vietnam, which will receive funding thanks to our Zoo members this year. The sisters did their jobs perfectly, which is to make people fall in love with them, and in turn, inspire conservation action for their relatives in the wild.”

In addition to general husbandry training, the bear sisters also participated in some unique training and enrichment to help them with specific ailments due to their advanced age.

“After keepers noticed that Honey had some cloudiness in one eye, veterinary opthamologists recommended eye drops for her twice a day,” said Rogers. “Honey quickly learned to put her face through a modified blood draw port in her den. She was very good about holding still to let us put in the eye drops, and in return, she got a special treat of eating applesauce straight from the pouch.”

Honey was also very patient during other cooperative husbandry behaviors, such as voluntary blood draws where she would place her front paw into a specially designed sleeve.

“Honey was shorter than Beezler, so we had to make a makeshift ‘booster seat’ for her, in order for her to get in position to put her paw through the port,” said Rogers. “She not only learned to use the booster, which was a tire filled with hay, and present her paw, but she also waited patiently when the vein proved more difficult for the vet team to find than usual.”

The relationship between the sisters and their unique personalities were part of what made the pair so special.

“Honey was the more laid-back of the two,” said Furnes. “She was a slow eater, which I could relate to, since I’m the slowest eater in my family. Beezler would often get to treats first, but when Honey really wanted something, she would stand up to Beezler and protect her portion with her paws. Sometimes, they would alternate stealing lettuce from each other – Beezler would swipe some into her pile, but then Honey would swipe it back. And they’d continue, back and forth.”

Other than the occasional squabbles over food, the sisters had a close relationship and typically chose to spend time together. Even though they had the option for separate sleeping dens, keepers usually found them sleeping near each other in the same space in the morning.

“Honey was very tolerant of Beezler,” said Rogers. “We set up a physical therapy room for them to help keep them mobile and active, despite the advancing arthritis they both had. There were toys and treats everywhere – even up high, where they would really have to work to reach them. One time, we saw Beezler use Honey’s back as a ladder to reach some snacks. Honey allowed her to do it, and was rewarded when Beezler knocked the treats down to Honey.”

Keepers are keeping an extra-close eye on Beezler, as she adjusts to Honey being gone. Beezler spent time with Honey on her final day, even cleaning her paws off for her. This morning, Beezler came right over to keepers in the morning, and her behavior seemed normal. She received a lot of special enrichment today, including water in her pool and fresh mud puddles to wallow in. Keepers will continue to give her extra attention in the coming days and weeks, to help make the transition easier for her.

Honey was a wonderful ambassador for her species, and she will be greatly missed.

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 2021, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #4 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #3 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 241 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.

Join Jason, elephant animal care manager at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and Malaika for an update.

In case you missed our previous communications, Malaika has a history of health challenges, and has had far more good days than bad ones in her life. Last Thursday, we told you she was dealing with worsening mobility issues and a fluctuating appetite, which started in early February. We were really concerned about her at the end of last week.

On Sunday, we shared that she seemed to be brightening, and she was eating more. Her appetite has increased significantly over the last few days, and she has eaten nearly her normal amount of food every night since Sunday, which is great.

Her team continues to monitor and address her ongoing mobility issues. We’re hopeful because she seems to be on the right track, but we do know from this experience how quickly things can change for her. We’re cautiously optimistic, and her care team is working hard to encourage her to keep eating, drinking and moving.

Thank you for your continued support and compassion as our team navigates this complex situation. For now, we’re breathing a little easier, and we’ll let you know if we see any significant change in her either way.

To learn more, visit cmzoo.org/malaika.

Back to The Waterhole

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact moment a story begins, but the end of the story could be near for Malaika [muh-LIE-kuh], a 36-year-old female African elephant. We think this story started for us about 17 years ago when the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Board decided to build a facility especially for aging female elephants, but that doesn’t make anticipating a loss any easier.

As humans, we deal with death from a young age. Our first experience may be with a beloved pet. At some point we all lose someone close to us. All loss is painful, but we know that some goodbyes are going to hurt especially bad.

This is true for our Zoo family, too. We know we are going to grieve deeply when it’s a certain animal’s time to go. Malaika is one of those animals. Combine an entire organization in various stages of grief with the logistics required for the sheer size of the animal we’re focusing on now, and you have an extremely complex and delicate situation.

Malaika has a history of health challenges, and has had far more good days than bad ones in her life. But, recently, she showed us signs that it might soon be her time to leave us, including worsening mobility issues and a fluctuating appetite.

After not eating regularly for a couple of days, Malaika’s appetite returned on Wednesday morning, when she ate, among other things, 11 blueberry bagels. Keepers said she seemed a little brighter.

By Wednesday evening, we were back to being more worried than ever for her. A couple of hours later, there was another light, when she ate again. Thursday morning, she ate and drank a little bit more. The situation is changing by the hour, and we are prepared for the worst while we reflect on her life and her mortality.

“Malaika loves people, and Malaika is easy to love,” said Annie Dinwiddie, senior elephant keeper. “She has social opportunities with the other elephants, but she usually chooses to be close to us keepers. It’s like she has adopted us as her own herd, and she’s really tuned into us.”

Malaika is a sensory elephant. She notices immediately if Dinwiddie is wearing a new lotion or used a different soap. She’ll give Dinwiddie a certain look, then she’ll slowly breathe in the new smell while looking at her keeper as if she has many questions about it.

“Malaika will hold out for the best training rewards possible,” said Jake Jachim, elephant keeper. “She loves training, but sometimes she’ll do the behavior we’ve asked for, and she’ll sense that she has a choice in how she’s being rewarded. I have seen her smell a reward in her keeper’s hand and completely bypass it for what was in their other hand. Like, ‘thanks, but I’ll take this instead.’”

Malaika, who came to CMZoo in 2008, loves to knock down trees and pick up giant logs to throw them across the yard. She also loves making noise. If you’ve been lucky enough to hear an elephant trumpeting during a visit, there’s a good chance it was Malaika.

Even while she’s not feeling well, her keeper team knows they can count on resilient Malaika to participate so they can care for her. Dinwiddie remembers after what could have been a life-threatening fall that Malaika took in 2019, she kept fighting. After working for hours to stand back up with her team’s help, Malaika was exhausted, but still allowed her keepers to give her oral medications.

With the support of her team and specialized equipment, Malaika has fought her way through two potentially fatal falls – once in 2018 and again in 2019. During her previous episodes, we held on tight to hope, as we do now. We were realistic that Malaika might not make it through those challenges, but nearly three years after her most recent rescue, she’s still here helping people fall in love with elephants.

It may sound morbid to some, but preparing for death is part of taking care of animals. It is part of what it means to be their forever caregivers. The team has been preparing for the inevitable death of an aging elephant since we built the facility in 2013 – and well before that, when the CMZoo Board decided to go down this road of caring for aging elephants.

For now, Malaika’s future is uncertain, but her team is prepared to make the most compassionate decisions for her, empowered with the training and equipment we need to face whatever comes our way. We meet at 4:30 p.m. each afternoon to discuss what happens if there is a situation during the evening and who can get back and how fast. We consistently practice our emergency response protocols to lift an elephant that falls and can’t get up, or for a humane euthanasia decision.

While planning the design of the Wilgruen Elephant Center, the Zoo made a conscious decision to meet the demand for specialized staff and equipment to care for aging elephants, including a crane system in the barn. More than 20 cross-discipline Zoo staff members, including animal keepers, veterinary staff, and operations, maintenance and grounds personnel, team up for rescue lift efforts. Some specialize in rope work, others focus on operating the hoist, and others document the entire process so we can learn from it later. The Zoo also depends on Colorado Springs Fire Department’s Heavy Rescue Team for supplemental support. The Heavy Rescue Team receives on-site elephant rescue training in advance of an emergency, and they’re always on stand-by.

Our veterinary and animal care teams are working to keep Malaika as comfortable as possible. She is taking oral medications and receiving other treatments for discomfort. We also work closely with Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital to consider all treatment options for Malaika.

There are countless other Zoo professionals vital to an event like this. For example, we recently hired a career and life coach at the Zoo who provides on-site coaching support as our teams move through grief. When you care for as many animals as we do, loss is part of life.

We’re holding onto hope that Malaika will get through this, but we just don’t know what the next few days or weeks hold for her. If she does recover, it wouldn’t be the first time an aging animal has given us a scare and then lived happily for many more years. Still, we know it’s possible that it may soon be time to say goodbye to Malaika, if she takes another turn for the worse.

When the time comes, we have a beautiful final resting place in the mountains for her, thanks to a donor who has been planning with us for many years. For every foreseeable turn, there’s a plan in place for Malaika.

We’ll continue monitoring Malaika closely, during the day and overnight, and will keep you posted as we have any updates to share. Please join us in rooting for Malaika, and in celebrating the special ways this beautiful animal has touched your life and so many others.

ANNUAL HOLIDAY LIGHTS CELEBRATION CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY, JANUARY 1, 2022 – 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 third year in a row. This is the sixth year running that Electric Safari has ranked in the top ten.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 31st annual month-long celebration of the season continues through Saturday, Jan. 1 (except Christmas Eve, Friday, Dec. 24), featuring 50 acres of twinkling lights, 60 artisan-made light sculptures and breathtaking nighttime city views. New this year, giant illuminated animal inflatables, including a 30-foot tall inflatable giraffe duo, add to the holiday celebration.

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. Water’s Edge: Africa, 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.

Advance e-tickets are required for members and the general public, and they are going fast! Members and their accompanying paying guests are granted early admission with a reserved ticket from 4 to 5 p.m. Admission closes at 7:30 p.m. Electric Safari ends at 8:30 p.m. Some entry times and nights are sold out; check availability and reserve tickets now at cmzoo.org/electric.

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

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

NAMED THIRD BEST ZOO LIGHTS IN U.S. IN 2020, ELECTRIC SAFARI IS AGAIN NOMINATED FOR NATIONAL USA TODAY READERS’ CHOICE RANKING – More than 50 acres of twinkling lights, 60 artisan-made light sculptures, breathtaking nighttime city views and the nearby sound of roaring lions can only mean one thing in Colorado Springs: Electric Safari is back. New this year, giant illuminated animal inflatables add to the holiday celebration.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 31st annual month-long celebration of the season will begin Friday, Dec. 3 through Sunday, Dec. 5, and continue Friday, Dec. 10 through Saturday, Jan. 1, excluding Christmas Eve. Members and their accompanying paying guests are granted early admission with a reserved ticket from 4 to 5 p.m. General admission is from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Electric Safari ends at 8:30 p.m.

Electric Safari is free for CMZoo members, and members can attend as often as they’d like! To manage on-site parking throughout the event, advance timed tickets are required for members and the general public. Get tickets and more details at cmzoo.org/electric.

Attendees will enjoy lit trees, structures and sculptures, installed by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s grounds team over four months. Brand-new larger-than-life illuminated animal inflatables will decorate the Zoo this year, making extra special backdrops for holiday photos. If all of those beautiful lights don’t un-Scrooge even the Grinchiest of holiday grumps, a cup of hot cocoa and a visit with Santa ought to do the trick.

Kris Kringle will be in Safari Lodge through Dec. 23 to hear holiday wishes, collect lists and pose for free photos. The Mountaineer Sky Ride will be open (weather permitting) for incredible once-a-year views of the holiday nighttime glow of Colorado Springs from the mountainside.

Grizzly Grill, Cozy Goat, Pizza with a View and Elson’s will be open to serve food and beverages. The Thundergod gift shop is open every night to serve hot cocoa. Guests can roast s’mores and sip hot cocoa at Rocky Mountain BBQ Co on Saturdays and Sundays. Dippin’ Dots in Rocky Mountain Wild will be open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to serve hot cocoa. Warming outdoor heaters throughout the Zoo help keep visitors warm in between the indoor animal exhibits.

Electric Safari was named Third Best Zoo Lights in the nation the last two years, by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, and has once again been nominated. Supporters can vote once daily at cmzoo.org/lights through 10 a.m. MST on Monday, Dec. 6. Winners will be announced Friday, Dec. 17.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has earned an incredibly rare clean report of inspection and its seventh consecutive five-year accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). In nearly 50 years of accreditations, CMZoo is only the fourth organization to earn a ‘clean’ report, which means there wasn’t a single major or minor concern reported.

Today, Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers joined Cheyenne Mountain Zoo President and CEO, Bob Chastain, to recognize the Zoo’s staff. Watch highlights from the recognition, here:

“The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, said, ‘We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit,’” said Dan Ashe, AZA president and CEO. “Congratulations to the entire team at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. AZA accreditation is the world’s most rigorous and comprehensive standard for a modern zoo or aquarium. Achieving a completely clean accreditation inspection is extremely rare and reflects a constant commitment and dedication to excellence.”

In the zoo and aquarium profession, the AZA accreditation is considered the gold standard. There are approximately 2,800 animal exhibitors licensed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), but only 242 are accredited by the AZA.

To maintain accreditation with the AZA, organizations must apply and be inspected every five years. CMZoo has been consistently accredited since 1983. The accreditation process includes a lengthy application and a multi-day on-site inspection by the Accreditation Commission, a team of accomplished zoo and aquarium professionals. The Accreditation Commission inspected 342 standards during their on-site review of the Zoo.

“This is one of those milestones that people outside of the Zoo profession may not realize is a huge deal,” said Bob Chastain, CMZoo president and CEO. “Our organization is led by a series of guiding sentiments, which we call our ‘We Believe’ statements. We believe our animals deserve the best home we can provide. We believe we can make the world a better place, and that the work we do and the way we treat people matters. We believe in holding ourselves to standards that put us above reproach. We believe people are the key to the future of wildlife and wild places. We believe every guest’s experience, from gate to gate, is crucial to our success. This accreditation wasn’t earned overnight. Six previous AZA accreditations and our dedicated staff have led us to this really amazing achievement.

“Another of our ‘We Believe’ statements is, ‘We value laughter as good medicine,’” said Chastain. “To put this clean accreditation into perspective, when I asked Dan Ashe, AZA president and CEO, for his comments about how rare this is, he joked, ‘A completely clean inspection report is so unusual, and so unlikely, it brings one word to mind — bribery!’ All kidding aside, this is rare, and we are so proud to achieve this high level of accreditation that has set a new standard of excellence for us.”

During accreditation inspections and through continuous monitoring between inspections, AZA’s rigorous, scientifically based and publicly-available standards examine the zoo or aquarium’s entire operation, including animal welfare, veterinary care, conservation, education, guest services, physical facilities, safety, staffing, finance, master and strategic planning, and governing body.

“Receiving a clean accreditation report is extremely rare, and it’s something Cheyenne Mountain Zoo staff, members and guests should take great pride in,” said Denny Lewis, AZA senior vice president of Accreditation Programs. “For nearly 25 years, I have been a part of the process to inspect about 250 zoos and aquariums in five-year rotations, and a clean report is very impressive – a rare gem. AZA first began accrediting zoos and aquariums in 1974. Since then, this is only the fourth completely clean inspection. It speaks to the high level of animal care and welfare, conservation programming, education and guest experiences that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo consistently provides.”

About Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. AZA is the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and 12 other countries. Look for the AZA accreditation logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in saving species and your link to helping animals all over the world. To learn more, visit www.aza.org.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

TRICK-OR-TREAT AND VISIT THE ANIMALS DURING SEVEN NIGHTS OF HALLOWEEN FESTIVITIES – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will feel the Halloween spirit when little ghouls and goblins attend Boo at the Zoo, starting Saturday, October 16, 2021. This Colorado Springs Halloween tradition is a fun way for families to trick-or-treat and enjoy Halloween festivities in a unique environment. Boo at the Zoo is Oct. 16-17, 23-24, and 29-31 from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Advance timed e-tickets are required and available at cmzoo.org/boo.

In addition to visiting select animal exhibits and trick-or-treating, frightfully fun attractions include a lighted pumpkin patch, a kid-friendly spooky haunted house, Ghoulish Graveyard and Pirates Cove. Attendees can also enjoy rides on the Mountaineer Sky Ride, weather permitting. The Sky Ride provides breathtaking views of Colorado Springs at night and a lift to two additional trick-or-treat stations at the top.

An elephant-sized amount of candy (4.5 tons) will be handed out at trick-or-treat stations throughout Boo at the Zoo. The Zoo’s candy supply is purchased from companies that are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), which is committed to the use of sustainable palm oil and the protection of orangutan habitats in the wild. To find your own Halloween candy that’s orangutan-friendly, download CMZoo’s sustainable palm oil shopping guide at cmzoo.org/palmoil.

The Zoo will close for daytime admission on Boo nights at 3 p.m. Boo at the Zoo will go on, rain, snow or shine. As an all-weather venue, refunds and exchanges will not be honored for weather-related reasons. Be sure to bundle up on cold nights and enjoy a Colorado evening on the mountain!

SELECT ANIMAL EXHIBITS ARE OPEN, INCLUDING:
– African Rift Valley giraffe building
– African lions
– Australia Walkabout Budgie Buddies and wallaby building
– Encounter Africa elephant/rhino barn
– Goat Experience
– The Treehouse in My Big Backyard
– The Loft
– Scutes Family Gallery
– Water’s Edge: Africa

RESTAURANTS OPEN DURING BOO AT THE ZOO
– Grizzly Grill
– Pizza with a View
– Elson’s Place
– Cozy Goat (beverages only)

COSTUME REQUIREMENTS
For the safety of all guests, full-face costume masks and costume weapons may not be worn by guests 12 years of age or older. Masks worn by guests 11 years of age and younger must have openings that allow the eyes to be seen and that do not obstruct peripheral vision. Balloons are not allowed inside the Zoo (even as part of a costume) for the safety of our animals and wild animals.

TRICK-OR-TREAT BAGS
Support the Zoo’s efforts to reduce waste by bringing your own trick-or-treat bags!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Volunteers are crucial to the success and safety of Boo at the Zoo. Positions include handing out or delivering candy, directing traffic and staffing the haunted house. All volunteers must be at least 13 years old. Volunteers ages 13-17 must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or school advisor at all times. We will not assign specific positions until the evening of the event. Curious about volunteering for Boo at the Zoo? Visit cmzoo.org/boo.

FAST FACTS
Boo at the Zoo at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Dates: Oct. 16-17, 23-24, 29-31, 2021
4 to 8:30 p.m.
Advance timed e-tickets are required
www.cmzoo.org/boo

Boo at the Zoo is possible thanks to our generous partners, Black Bear Diner, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs Pediatric Dentistry, Earl & Earl Attorneys at Law, GFL Environmental, Les Schwab Tire Centers, and your Colorado Springs Toyota dealers, Larry H. Miller Toyota Colorado Springs and Larry H. Miller Liberty Toyota Colorado Springs.

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 2021, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #4 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #3 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 241 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of very few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.