Many people think the Zoo slows down during the cooler months, but there are still a lot of opportunities to participate in special programs and to have more of the Zoo to yourself.

Stroller Safaris are informal exploratory experiences for children between the ages of 1 and 4 years old and their accompanying adult. During this program, you’ll use all five senses to connect with nature and animals. Participants enjoy a sensory activity, a meet-and-greet with an animal ambassador and an animal feeding experience during every Stroller Safari, all while forming connections with other little explorers and their adults in your group!

March’s Stroller Safari theme is March Mammal Madness. Participants will learn all about furry friends, including a special group of mammals called marsupials. On St. Patrick’s Day, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s EdVenture team will host a holiday Stroller Safari special that will highlight all things green in the worlds of flora and fauna!

Additionally, if you feel a little burned out on finding new at-home activities for your pre-school-aged child, we have a solution for you! Our Creature Connections program allows you to create and explore with your little ones without having to leave the comfort of your own home! These six-week series take place year-round and each session focuses on a different group of animals. We will provide prompts and activity ideas each week of the session to guide your exploration, as well as supplemental optional opportunities for exclusive “pop-ups” at the Zoo weekly on Wednesdays and Saturdays (advance daytime admission is required), where they can meet the animal they’ve been studying. Up next, participants will learn all about the wonderful world of birds from March 11 through April 21.

Learn more and sign up now (advance registration is required) at cmzoo.org/family-programs/. If you have any questions about either of these or other programs hosted by CMZoo’s EdVenture department, please reach out to [email protected].

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Teen Summer Program has inspired and prepared future biologists and conservationists for decades. Soon, it will welcome new and returning participants for summer 2023. Applications for the highly competitive program for sixth through twelfth graders open Wed., Feb. 1 at cmzoo.org/teenprograms. Applications will only be accepted for two weeks, so nature-loving teenagers should start considering the program now.

From May 19 to Aug. 8, 2023, Teen Summer Program participants will work alongside CMZoo staff to interact with animals, guests, keepers and each other.

“My keeper team is absolutely amazing,” said Teen Program participant and Junior Zoo Keeper, Cami Potter. “I learn so much from them, not only about animals and zookeeping, but also about life and how to be a good person. They’ve taught me about moose hoof care and big cat hunting behaviors, but also how important communication is in a team setting and how to best support people you work with. I know that these lessons and mentorship relationships are really important, and I’m super-grateful for the opportunity.”

In addition to gaining valuable experience working at CMZoo, teen participants learn to be nature’s best stewards with life-changing experiences off Zoo grounds, in Colorado’s wild places and beyond. Teens can expect educational, inspirational experiences, like whitewater rafting, camping, rock climbing, mountain biking, visiting local animal sanctuaries and Associations of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos, and learning to be a leader and an advocate for wildlife and wild places.

“Ultimately, we hope that by offering these experiences that connect the hands, the heart, and the mind to the natural world, these teens will stand up for, and advocate for, the wild places and wild animals of our world,” said Austin Kennedy, CMZoo Extended Education Supervisor. “We focus on leadership training, animal husbandry, interpretation and public speaking, empowerment, and so much more.”

Participants also have the chance to go on an EdVenture Trip with the team, led by EdVenture staff. In 2022, the teens embarked on a weeklong off-grid adventure to the wilderness of Glacier National Park in Montana. In 2019, the teens traveled to Costa Rica for ten days, contributing to rainforest conservation and exploring the natural places and native animals of the Central American country. This year, managers are planning for another excursion full of adventure and nature-inspired leadership learning.

“The most rewarding part of the program is the amazing experiences you’ll gain,” said Xavier Klaphake, Teen Program participant and Junior Zoo Keeper. “I get to do awesome things with animals, like training an elephant or teaching guests about animals they’ve never seen. Also, we go on crazy-awesome social advocacy events with fellow teens, like International Mud Day and Earth Day. We even got to go on fantastic adventures such as the rafting trip or trips out of the country.”

EdVenture staff recommends each teen commits to a minimum of 120 program hours for the season. However, to complete the program, there is no minimum or maximum number of participation hours required.

Applications are open Wed., Feb. 1 until midnight MT, Tues., Feb. 14. The non-refundable application fee is $20, and no late applications will be accepted. Typically, only one-third of those who apply will be accepted.

After the application period, EdVenture staff conducts interviews with candidates, and ultimately accepts about 100 teens to the summer program. Teen Program participant Angelina Gusty has some advice for applicants who make it to the interview round.

“Make sure you speak clearly and make eye contact to show you are interested and want to be here,” said Gusty. “Share your passion, goals and why you want to be a part of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Teen Program!”

CMZoo’s Teen Summer Program is a tuition-based experience, and scholarships are available. Participation in EdVenture trips requires a separate fee.

If a summer timeline won’t work, consider participating in an off-season Teen Program. The Teen Winter Program runs November through February, with applications opening for two weeks each October. The Teen Spring Program is only open to teens who have participated in a Teen Summer or Winter Program. The spring session runs February through May, with applications opening for two weeks each January.

For more information – and to apply between Feb. 1 and 14 – visit cmzoo.org/teenprograms.

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Apart from being adorable and full of sassy antics, the African penguins at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have a big job: to help visitors fall in love with and advocate for wild penguins. Napoleon, Biggs, Ivy and the rest of the flock inspire us to save wildlife and wild places, and their wild counterparts can use all the help they can get.

“Luckily, they have our guests’ and members’ support through our relationship with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB),” said Nicole Chaney, CMZoo conservation and sustainability coordinator. “Coastal birds, including African penguins, face a lot of challenges – especially right now. So, we continue to be exceedingly grateful for the amazing frontline efforts of the SANCCOB team.”

With guests’ and members’ support, CMZoo has previously sent staff to learn from and contribute to African penguin rehabilitation and release work at SANCCOB. CMZoo also provides ongoing support to fund staff for the Robben Island Ranger project, which allows on-site SANCCOB staff to monitor wild African penguin colonies, study them, and to react quickly if the birds need immediate support. As a member of the AZA African Penguin SAFE, CMZoo collaborates with a large team of penguin conservationists to pool resources and unite focuses and support African penguin conservation with the power of multiple organizations.

African penguins are endangered, with multiple ongoing factors negatively affecting their wild populations, including rising ocean temperatures and overfishing. Rising temperatures and changing ocean currents are causing adult penguins to molt during chick-rearing season. This means they’re not waterproof and are susceptible to hypothermia in cool ocean waters. Some have to turn back from fishing excursions without food for their families.

Overfishing has contributed to the decreasing abundance of fish that penguins can hunt in the wild, including small pelagic fish such as sardines and anchovies. Adult penguins raise their chicks in pairs, so while one parent stays with the chick or egg, the other parent hunts for food. With a dwindling food source, the hunting penguins must travel farther to find fish, leaving the parenting penguins without food for lengthy periods. Sometimes the parenting penguin responds as if the hunting parent won’t return, and abandons the chick or egg to find food.

SANCCOB saves abandoned African penguin eggs and chicks, incubates the eggs, and hand-rears the chicks, until they are strong enough for release back to the wild, where they will hopefully help grow the dwindling population. SANCCOB is the only organization in the world currently doing this. SANCCOB reports that hundreds of penguins were saved over the past year, thanks to rescue and rehabilitation efforts. Unfortunately, releases were delayed due to avian flu restrictions.

“In addition to all of these odds stacked against them, African penguins at SANCCOB are now affected by an outbreak of avian influenza within the rehabilitation facility, following an outbreak of the virus in wild bird populations in 2021 and 2022,” said Chaney. “SANCCOB is working hard to limit the spread of the flu while doing all they can to help birds through it. That meant setting up emergency off-site quarantine facilities and recovery teams, paying for expensive tests for the birds, and limiting volunteers and staff. So, more work, and more expenses with less hands.”

As well as providing ongoing funding for a variety of local and worldwide conservation efforts through Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) and the annual Member Conservation Vote, CMZoo has emergency reserves for immediate conservation needs. CMZoo responded to SANCCOB’s call for support in the amount of $5,000, which, along with the support of other organizations, allowed SANCCOB to quickly respond to the outbreak.

Despite extensive quarantine and biosecurity measures in place, the virus did spread among many birds, but SANCCOB reported the virus has not spread rapidly in most of their seabird patients and that many appeared to shed the virus and recover. A temporary off-site rehabilitation facility has been set up so that newly admitted seabirds can be cared for without exposing them to the birds under quarantine. They are optimistic that the penguins undergoing rehabilitation will continue to recover, and that no additional symptoms develop.

In January 2023, 51 healthy African penguins were reintroduced to the wild, despite the mountain of challenges SANCCOB endured. By visiting CMZoo, guests and members allow frontline conservation organizations, like SANCCOB, to monitor and respond to the immediate needs of the most vulnerable species on the planet. Next time you visit the flock at CMZoo, take a moment to recognize how the penguins you see before you are connected to the penguins that conservationists are working to save in the wild.

Special note: CMZoo’s veterinary, animal care and leadership teams are monitoring the local avian flu risk level closely, and have plans in place to protect the birds at CMZoo if the need arises.

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Zoos often talk about the importance of Species Survival Plans (SSP). While it’s hard not to fall in love with baby animals, it’s important to remember why zoos work so hard to bring them into the world. As matchmakers for the zoo animal kingdom, SSP coordinators study genetics of animals in human care and make breeding recommendations to pair potential mates whose offspring would be the most genetically diverse. The babies represent hope for the future of their species.

SSP coordinators are usually volunteers that work for an organization accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), but don’t typically work directly for AZA. They serve as a central resource for zoos that support the SSP, and how each organization is equipped to help. Although the SSP makes the recommendations, each facility decides how they can contribute through breeding and raising young, moving an animal, welcoming a new animal, or providing a quality home for animals that aren’t breeding.

Typically, SSPs make new breeding recommendations every three years. So, it’s no coincidence that zoo enthusiasts might notice the same species of animal moving to and from several zoos around the same time.

But, animals don’t always move to breed. They could move to make space for more offspring or a new partner. An older member of the family might join a new family or a bachelor group of non-breeding males, for example.

CMZoo supports the Mexican Wolf SSP. For many years before these successful breeding efforts, the Zoo housed a bachelor pack of wolves. Later, the SSP placed various unsuccessful breeding pairs at CMZoo. Until Luna and Navarro’s first litter, in 2018, it had been 20 years since wolf pups were born at CMZoo. Our late matriarch, Luna, and her mate, Navarro, contributed six pups to the Mexican Wolf SSP. Phoenix, Shadow, Bluestem, Hope and Lupa were born in 2018 and Uno, a singleton pup, was born in 2019.

For now, CMZoo will contribute to the SSP by providing a quality home for Navarro, Uno, Hope, Phoenix and Shadow. In 2020, Bluestem moved to another facility on a breeding recommendation, and Lupa now lives at an AZA-accredited zoo in New Mexico.

“It’s exciting to welcome new animals and we understand that it can be difficult to see an animal move, but we all have to remember we’re working to save species,” Ashley Arimborgo, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s registrar, who often oversees the coordination between zoos that are transferring animals on breeding recommendations to and from CMZoo. “The great thing is, you can usually keep up with your favorite individuals on other zoos’ social media channels if they move away from CMZoo.”

Once the recommendations are made, organizations decide if they can support the recommendations, and the SSP coordinator connects zoos so they can arrange travel plans. Before a zoo might welcome babies, there are a lot of “Tetris pieces” that have to fall into place.

“Even after animals move to make room for breeding partners and those breeding partners arrive, it’s typically a lengthy process,” said Arimborgo. “Once an animal arrives, our focus shifts from genetics and logistics to individual care and compatibility. Our animal care teams work to make the new arrival comfortable and then might start introducing the potential breeding pair.”

Howdies are opportunities for animals to see, smell and hear each other with a protective barrier in between them. If animals consistently show positive signs of interest in each other, the next step might be to introduce them without a barrier for incrementally increasing periods of time. But, just because they’re genetically compatible doesn’t always mean they are immediately compatible as individuals.

CMZoo’s Pallas’ cats, Bo and Nancy, have a breeding recommendation, but unfortunately haven’t been successful producing offspring, even though they are cohabitating successfully. Another complication in animal breeding is that some species, like Pallas’ cats, have miniscule windows of fertility. Female Pallas’ cats are usually only fertile for a maximum of 46 hours per year, which is really short compared to other cats and animals. Keepers work with them throughout the year to give them the best chances at breeding when the very limited time is right each winter.

“In the end, it’s mostly up to the animals,” said Arimborgo. “We lean on science and expertise in animal behaviors to provide the best possible environment, but those elements alone don’t guarantee success. Or, you could see an immediate connection between the animals and welcome a baby in a matter of months.”

The ring-tailed lemur family in Water’s Edge: Africa welcomed three babies seemingly as soon as they had the chance. In 2020, Allagash and her sister Rogue were introduced to breeding male, Hercules. The following spring and summer, Rogue welcomed Water’s Edge’s first baby ever, Maky, and Allagash welcomed twins, Elo and Anja. Now, with six lemurs on Lemur Island, CMZoo supports the Ring-Tailed Lemur SSP by providing them with a life of care and choice.

There are hundreds of SSPs supported by organizations that care for animals. CMZoo supports many of them, including the Black-Footed Ferret SSP, Giraffe SSP, African Lion SSP, Orangutan SSP, and more. But, not all species have an SSP.

“Regardless of whether an animal is endangered in the wild, there sometimes aren’t enough animals in human care to support an SSP,” said Ashley Arimborgo, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s registrar. “Because genetic diversity is so important to the viable future of a species, if the larger zoo community can’t support breeding, we focus on another species that we could help.”

Next time you’re adoring a cute baby animal at CMZoo, we encourage you to reflect on the importance of its overall existence to inspire people and contribute to the future of its own species.

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A magical experience is waiting for you at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo this winter!

With gorgeous views of Colorado Springs, CMZoo is the perfect place to be outside in nature, breathe fresh mountain air, grab a warm beverage from the Cozy Goat, get tickets at a discounted rate and visit your favorite animal friends.

Almost all of our animals can be seen all year long and the Zoo is open every single day! Animals such as our wolves, moose, Rocky Mountain goats, mountain lions, tiger, leopards, bears and otters thrive in the cooler weather. Animals native to warmer climates, like hippos, penguins, lemurs, primates, giraffe and wallabies, are given the option to go outside if it is a safe temperature. But guests can still see them in their warm indoor spaces, when they choose to stay inside.

Get more of the Zoo to yourself during our slower season, which is also our Value Days admission pricing season! Did you know you can get lower-cost daytime admission tickets through the end of February? Depending on the time of day, adult tickets range from $14.75 to $24.75 and child tickets (ages 3 to 11) range from $10.75 to $20.75. Children age 2 and under are just 75¢. Advance tickets are required. Find tickets and more information at cmzoo.org.

Take some time for you and your loved ones by enjoying a breathtaking adventure with us this winter.

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It’s easy to see how much Omo has grown since his first few months with us, but our 18-month-old hippo is doing a lot more than just gaining pounds. He’s hitting training milestones, getting more independent and growing some impressive tusks and teeth.

Just like when he was born, Omo is still playful, curious and energetic. Within the last few months, Omo has become even more independent and explores – and even naps – on his own away from his mom, Zambezi.

Omo is learning foundational voluntary husbandry behaviors: target and open-mouth training. During target training, keepers ask Omo to move to a specific area, which allows them to visually check him and present him with new enrichment activities, among other things. They might ask him to step onto the scale, for example. (He now weighs over 765 pounds!) Open-mouth training is a first step toward allowing keepers and veterinary staff to check and clean his teeth and tusks, which are now easily visible when he opens his mouth!

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There’s a new addition near the play hills at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: a brand-new shipping container farm, equipped with the latest hydroponic vertical growing technology, including blue and red LED grow lights with specialized wavelengths for leafy green production.

The newly installed high-tech horticulture house is the next step in CMZoo’s goal toward a more secure, autonomous way to source fresh leafy greens for animals. In July 2021, the Zoo established its first shipping container farm, and this second farm is a continuation of the horticulture team’s testing phase.

“We’re excited to learn this new system and to see what works best compared to our existing shipping container farm, which guests can see right next door,” said Julia Zoltowsky, horticulture curator at CMZoo. “This setup looks a lot different, and we have high hopes for improving our production and efficiency with resources like water and energy.”

Guests peering through the glass door at the end of the farm, which is a metal freight container, will immediately notice a big difference: the plants are hanging sideways on vertical panels, rather than sitting upright on horizontal shelves. There’s also a nursery in the new farm, so the horticulture team can grow produce from seeds then transfer them to the hanging grow panels within the same environment.

“The new system is fully automated,” said Zoltowsky. “We use a computer system that gives us a ‘recipe’ for each plant species we’re growing. We input the type of plant in each panel or nursery section, and the system tells us the unique light, water, nutrient and spacing needs, and then delivers those settings on a programmed schedule.”

Anyone who visits CMZoo knows lettuce plays a big role in the Zoo’s success in connecting people to animals, notably the 17-member giraffe herd. Guests can get eye to eye with the giraffe and hand-feed them lettuce every day – whether they’re in their barn or out in their yards – for $3 per lettuce bundle, or $5 for two bundles.

It fluctuates throughout the year, but on average, the Zoo uses more than 3,500 heads of romaine lettuce per month for animal diets. It’s a small part of the giraffes’ diet, but it’s a huge part of the guest experience.

After a satisfactory testing period, the long-term plan is to purchase additional shipping container farms, which will be located in a renovated guest entryway and complement a renovated giraffe habitat. With processes fine-tuned and more farms in place, the Zoo hopes to be able to source approximately 50 percent of the lettuce for its giraffe feeding experience. Even longer term, the Zoo hopes to grow 80 percent of all fresh produce for its animals in farms like this one.

The testing phase allows the horticulture team to learn the high-tech programs, controlled by an iPad on-site and through remote surveillance and software off-site. It will also give them a chance to make sure the ‘recipes’ for each plant are really working, and that the equipment is reliable. There’s a lot to test.

“Part of each plant’s recipe for success includes optimal lighting settings,” said Zoltowsky. “The horticulture team can control the lighting, watering and nutrients remotely, and thanks to cameras inside the shipping container, we can check on the plants without even entering the farm. When things are this high-tech, we anticipate some glitches, but everything is going really smoothly so far.”

At the end of the December, the farm’s first seedlings were moved over to the grow panels, so the first test harvest is well underway. Once the plants are big enough to leave the nursery, they’re moved to a hanging panel which holds the plants sideways with sponges and wicking strips made of thick felt. The plants are held in place by strips of sponge. The panels drip water onto wicking strips that reach the plants’ roots. The plants absorb the water and nutrients that drip down each panel onto the felt wicking strips. At the bottom of the panel, excess water is collected and moved back through the system.

The horticulture team enters data into the computerized system like when seedlings are planted or when they are transferred to a grow panel. The idea is that the system does the rest, including directing the team to harvest on specific dates. The farm has a dedicated Ethernet system and back-up power, so a power or internet outage shouldn’t impact the plants.

“We can see a ton of information through the system, which will hopefully help us be most efficient with our resources,” said Zoltowsky. “Hydroponic growing means you grow plants in water, without soil, so you have more autonomy over how much nutrients go into a plant.”

When plants grow in the ground, farmers work to provide the perfect nutrient balance, which is difficult because there are nutrients in the ground, nutrients in the soil added to the ground and nutrients added throughout the growing process.

“You can test the soil, but it’s hard to find a balance that allows you to grow the plant with exactly what it needs,” said Zoltowsky. “This makes it simple to know exactly what the plant is eating, and that’s how we know our animals are eating safe and healthy produce – because we grew it ourselves.”

The original shipping container farm will continue to be tested. Once the team masters the new shipping container farm, the plan is to dedicate it to lettuce production while the original farm allows them to continue experimenting with growing herbs, browse and other parts of animals’ diets.

“We think we can produce about 3,960 heads of lettuce per month once we’re up and running,” said Zoltowsky. “We want to start slowly while we’re learning this technology, the computer system, and getting new staff on board. We have invested a lot of time and energy into researching the best system for us, and we’re excited to share it with our visitors.”

Guests can see the new and original shipping container farms near the play hills, across from the Grizzly Grill, at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

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Wednesday is our spunky and curious giraffe calf who is learning new things quickly and already starting training!

When Wednesday was six weeks old, Wednesday’s mom, Bailey, had a few off days where she didn’t want to nurse very much. After observing this, keepers stepped in and fed Wednesday milk and grain from a bowl. Bailey seems back to normal and is nursing Wednesday again. Because the keepers needed to step in early, they have been able to start training Wednesday to walk on a scale. Wednesday’s most current weight is 266 pounds.

As she continues to grow and train, Wednesday will learn how to shift spaces and how to touch her nose to a target, and eventually participate in our hoof care program. These important foundational behaviors will help keepers check up on Wednesday’s health and move around the giraffe spaces.

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Countless studies support the positive impact exercise can have on people’s mental health. Experts at Children’s Hospital Colorado, longtime Cheyenne Mountain Zoo partners, say the same is true for kids. Outdoor physical activities have additional benefits, including decreasing stress and anxiety, improving mood and self-esteem, reducing aggression and improving focus. Finding the time to plan regular outdoor activities for a family can be difficult, no matter how much parents want to make it happen. Luckily, CMZoo has a program that can help.

CMZoo’s Outdoor School creates opportunities for kids and families to connect with nature, stay active and engage in creative projects together while enjoying the great outdoors. Outdoor School courses take place throughout the year and include activities like fort-making, nature photography, hiking with toddlers, and celebrating the magic of mud while exploring 40 acres of open space on Zoo property, up above the Zoo.

“We have seen Outdoor School students connect with these wild places best when we offer exploration and nature play in a variety of settings and themes,” said Russell Friedman, EdVenture education specialist at CMZoo. “Some programs are just for kids, some are for families, some have an agenda and some are completely unstructured. The variety means no one gets bored, and we can appeal to people with different interests and levels of comfort outdoors.”

Other courses include basket-weaving, Dutch oven cooking, hiking, animal tracking and more. Last summer, an Outdoor School program ventured off Zoo grounds to Fountain Creek Nature Center, where they learned about water ecosystems.

“Attendees got to play in the ponds and streams to explore a big world of small creatures in a totally immersive way,” said Friedman. “By dipping their nets and hands into the water, and studying living organisms under magnification, these young learners were able to play in and connect with the outdoors in a really memorable and inspiring way.”

The programs also include opportunities for grown-ups to make connections with their kids and other adult friends. One program, called Trekking with Toddlers, gave adults and little ones the opportunity to exercise and explore outdoors in a group.

“As parents watched their little ones run around together, you could see the adults relaxing and taking moments to be present in nature, too,” said Friedman. “These programs have allowed us to provide all ages with opportunities for safe, creative adventures and the chance to slow down and get the benefits of nature, exercise and camaraderie with other participants. It’s fulfilling for them, and for us!”

Outdoor School will continue to provide unique experiences for our guests to discover and rediscover a love for nature with programs that support their mental and physical well-being. Upcoming programs include nature play concepts, such as the Forts and Fires program, which will open for registration soon. Other opportunities to explore creativity and mindfulness through nature crafts and art, like basket weaving and photography, are open for registration now.

Outdoor School programs are constantly being updated and expanded. Check cmzoo.org/outdoorschool to see the latest available courses and to get more information about how to participate.

Learn about age-related exercise recommendations and the benefits of physical activity on mental health for kids from our partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado, here: https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/parenting/parenting-articles/mental-health-benefits-exercise/.

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Atka, our Alaska moose, isn’t fazed by single-digit temps. Moose have adaptations that help them survive the winter, including a thick winter coat and a long nose that warms air before it hits their lungs.

Moose are active throughout the winter months, spending time foraging and roaming in their native habitats, including some parts of Colorado. As you make plans to enjoy outdoor winter activities, it’s important to keep moose in mind. Give them space, learn where they’re most frequently spotted and help keep wildlife wild with these tips.

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