Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s conservation team recently returned from Panama. The trip highlighted CMZoo’s commitment to support ongoing research, education and breeding efforts for amphibians facing threats in the wild.

As part of the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation (PARC) project, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is actively involved in saving 12 top-priority species of Panamanian amphibians threatened by an infectious fungus called chytrid.

Thanks to the breed and release work done with Wyoming toads, CMZoo and its partners have played an important role in helping support PARC. While the CMZoo conservation team was in Panama, they shared valuable knowledge and provided a case study to help further release strategies and future planning. With the sharing of information and financial support, we are excited to help develop future release plans for PARC.

Amphibians worldwide are facing a mass extinction, and by visiting CMZoo, you’re supporting teams focused on finding solutions. This trip was funded by our Quarters for Conservation program. Every time you visit the Zoo, you are making a difference for Panama frogs and many other species around the world.

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Looking at Jumbe [JOOM-bay], Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 2,800-pound Eastern black rhinoceros, visitors might assume that his demeanor matches his stature. On the contrary, according to Annie Dinwiddie, senior keeper in Encounter Africa who has worked with Jumbe for nine years.

“He’s actually really gentle,” said Dinwiddie. “I have worked with three black rhinos and two greater one-horned rhinos, and they’re all amazing, but there’s something special about Jumbe. He has this look where he tucks his upper lip in, and he makes eye contact with you, and you kind of just see each other quietly. You can tell he’s really observant.”

20-year-old Jumbe, who came to CMZoo in 2012, is an Eastern black rhino – a species of rhino native to Africa whose most distinguishable feature is its prehensile top lip. Eastern black rhinos’ ‘pointy’ lips help them strip leaves and bark from shrubs and trees in their native landscapes, whereas white rhinos’ flat lips help them most efficiently mow grass in their native African savannahs.

CMZoo guests who participate in Jumbe’s seasonal rhino feeding opportunities know his pointy lips well. At noon every day from March through October (weather permitting), guests can line up in Encounter Africa for a paid opportunity to hand-feed Jumbe. By extending his top lip to wrap it around the produce being offered, he gently accepts it – and usually leaves guests with a slobbery goodbye.

“To be that close to a rhino is a life-changing experience for most of our guests,” said Dinwiddie. “The slobber is part of the fun!”

Jumbe’s snack times also help guests make a direct connection with rhino conservation. The $10 cost to participate supports CMZoo’s black rhino and African elephant conservation partner, Tsavo Trust.

Being messy is a way of life for Jumbe, who loves a good mud wallow, which his keepers provide whether he’s inside or outside. He lies down on his side in the mud and rolls around until he has a thick coat of cool, protective mud all over. When he’s inside, he has the option of a hands-on mud bath, courtesy of his keepers.

“Jumbe loves to get a bath, and we happily oblige,” said Dinwiddie. “He walks into a stall where we have access to him from every angle through bollards. We reach in and scrub him with long brushes, warm water and vet-approved soap. After that, we get big handfuls of mud, and he walks over so we can rub it all over him. Sometimes he makes quiet happy little squeaks and really leans into the bollards so we can reach all of his favorite spots.”

Dinwiddie says he likes to get scrubbed between his toes and will even lift his feet up one at a time to tell them where to scrub. If a mud bath isn’t on the day’s agenda, you can bet daily scratches are. Jumbe also likes to be scratched behind his ears and in his armpits, which feel velvety soft compared to the rest of his body, which feels a bit like a cantaloupe.

“Jumbe consistently chooses to spend time with people when it’s an option, and we always have plenty of activities for him to choose to do,” said Dinwiddie. “He’ll be enthusiastically tossing a huge barrel around, or stacking huge tires on his horns, or mud wallowing, but if he sees us, he almost always comes over to see what we’re doing.”

That doesn’t mean he’s longing for attention, though. Jumbe, like the preference of wild male black rhinos, is solitary at the Zoo. Because his genetics are well represented in the assurance population of black rhinos, it’s highly unlikely he’ll be recommended to breed. Apart from his keepers, he seems to enjoy socializing with his elephant neighbors.

“We have seen him and Jambo, one of our six African elephants, standing on either side of bollards next to each other,” said Dinwiddie. “Jambo will smell Jumbe with her trunk, and Jumbe will nudge her with his horn, and they just seem to be enjoying the tactile interaction for a few minutes. But, we don’t think he would enjoy sharing the space with the elephants. He still enjoys having his own space and being able to interact when he chooses to.”

Eastern black rhinos are one of five remaining species of rhinoceros, along with two species native to Indonesia, the Javan and Sumatran rhinos, which each have only 70 or fewer wild individuals remaining. The greater one-horned rhino is native to India and Nepal, with around 4,000 wild individuals remaining. White rhinos are native to Africa and have around 15,000 in the wild. Eastern black rhinos, like Jumbe, are native to Africa with around 6,000 individuals in the wild.

“For most people in the U.S., he’s the only rhino they’ll ever see,” said Dinwiddie. “Even people who visit Africa multiple times aren’t guaranteed to see them, so we’re very aware of what a special opportunity it is to work with or meet Jumbe.”

Tsavo Trust works to protect the last of the big tuskers, which are African elephants with tusks weighing more than 100 pounds, and Eastern black rhinos, in Tsavo National Park, in Kenya. Funds raised through Jumbe’s snack times and scheduled daily seasonal elephant feedings help pay for pilot hours of frontline aerial surveillance that protects rhinos and elephants from poachers seeking their ivory and horns.

Along with funding from the Kratt Family Foundation, CMZoo guests’ support has helped build permanent housing that allows staff to live on the land where these endangered giants live. It has funded the construction of a vehicle maintenance building and special projects in local communities.

“By feeding Jumbe, you’re making a connection with him, and you’re directly supporting his wild counterparts,” said Dinwiddie. “That’s why we’re here, and Jumbe can inspire guests to care for wild rhinos better than any of the rest of us can.”

One way to prevent further destruction of Indonesian habitats where rhinos live is by supporting companies that use sustainable palm oil, rather than using unsustainable palm oil production. Download the free WAZA PalmOil Scan app, launched by CMZoo, Auckland Zoo and Chester Zoo, under the direction of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) last summer, and scan products before purchasing them. (Learn more and download the app at cmzoo.org/palmoil.)

Jumbe’s attentive gentle nature makes him an excellent voluntary training participant. He participates in target training, positioning his body in different ways so keepers can get closer looks at different parts of him, x-rays, presenting his horn, injection training and blood draws.

“One of the first things I trained with him on was a blood draw,” said Dinwiddie. “He quickly picked up what we were asking him to do. He presents one of his front legs so we can draw blood from a vein where his skin isn’t as thick. He has been such an exemplary student that we’ve been able to share our training methods with other people who care for rhinos. We communicate with him, and he communicates with us throughout the sessions.”

During blood draw training, Jumbe puts his foot on a black mark on the ground. When he is ready to move on to something else, he knows he can move his foot off that mark, and his trainers will end the training session. His favorite training rewards, or reinforcers as they’re known in the zoo profession, are apple, banana and carrots dipped in peanut butter and jelly, or blueberry bagels – all in vet-approved treat-sized amounts.

“He’s truly amazing, and I just can’t imagine a world without rhinos,” said Dinwiddie. “Rhino and elephant conservation can be complicated. It can be de-motivating because the problem can feel so big that it’s overwhelming, but all of us can make a difference. People can directly support Tsavo Trust by visiting our Zoo, and we can teach them not to purchase rhino products. The leading cause of decline for all five rhino species is horn poaching and habitat loss. We have to stop the demand for rhino horns by educating people that rhino horns don’t contain medicinal materials. Their horns are made of keratin, and are literally no different than a fingernail.”

Next time you’re at CMZoo, stop by Encounter Africa to wave hello to Jumbe and plan your day to line up for a scheduled seasonal feeding opportunity. Even if you don’t make it to feed Jumbe, you’re supporting black rhino conservation by visiting CMZoo. 75¢ from every admission supports local and worldwide conservation efforts through our Quarters for Conservation program.

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Our new shipping container farm recently produced its first crop!

The container is equipped with the latest hydroponic vertical growing technology, including blue and red LED grow lights with specialized wavelengths for leafy green production. In this first harvest, the CMZoo horticulture team looked for uniform shape and size in each plant, signs of disease or deficiency, any dead or damaged leaves, and ways to best transplant the next crop.

Through surveying the weight, time, and resources of this first crop, the horticulture team was happy with the success of the beautiful harvest and is already fine-tuning the farm in preparation for the next harvest.

This harvest is the first of many tests of the fully automated computer system that tells the CMZoo horticulture team the recipe of light, water, nutrient and spacing needs for the specific plant species. After a period of testing, the goal is to add more shipping container farms sourcing 50 percent of the lettuce for the giraffe feeding experience. An even longer-term goal is to grow 80 percent of lettuce for Zoo animals in farms like this one.

The next time you visit CMZoo and feed our giraffe herd, you might be feeding them lettuce straight out of our own farm!

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Five Rocky Mountain goats call CMZoo home. Twinkie (17), Yazhi (12), Albert (8), Lena (3) and Blanca (9 months) make up the herd seen high up in their customized habitat made up of cascading rock formations. This steep habitat mimics the terrain Rocky Mountain goats experience in the wild.

Their unique hooves have two toes with a soft center that acts as a kind of climbing shoe. Keepers help our goats get the best grip on the rocks through important voluntary hoof care training.

Our goats also participate in target training and scale training. When keepers ask the goats to touch or move to a target, they are rewarded with their favorite treats. This training allows keepers to weigh them on a scale, administer vaccines or other medications, and check their hoofs for overgrowth or foreign objects.

Next time you visit CMZoo, stop by the Rocky Mountain goat exhibit and watch members of the herd scale rocks with their nimble hooves!

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In Partnership with Children’s Hospital Colorado

Some cuddle, some snore, some sleep on all fours. No matter how we do it, getting quality sleep is an important part of every healthy routine, whether you’re a human or an animal! Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado recently shared advice for parents considering what kind of sleep is best for their babies. There are lots of options for helping human infants sleep well, just like there are many different ways animals at the Zoo sleep!

Orangutans might be the most particular sleepers at the Zoo. In the wild and in human care, they make new nests to sleep in almost every day. They usually assemble one nest for a midday nap and another more elaborate nest for their longer sleep at night.

To build nests at the Zoo, orangutans gather large amounts of bedding such as grass hay, wood wool, blankets, big paper bags and tree branches into a pile. Then, they sit in the center of the pile and pat, weave, rearrange, sort and layer the materials until their nest is just right. They typically build nests on the ground and on their tree-high platforms to sleep, but also rest in hammocks, big tubs or separate den rooms.

Young orangutans practice building nests for years before they start sleeping in their own nests as adults. Kera, CMZoo’s 4-year-old female Sumatran orangutan who lives and sleeps with her mom, Sumagu, practices nest building many times each day, but still shares mom’s nest to sleep.

“Orangutans learn by observing others, so Kera has watched Sumagu build nests since she was born and makes her own,” said Dina Bredahl, animal behavior assistant and longtime primate keeper at CMZoo. “Kera routinely flings her nesting materials to destroy her nest when she’s finished building so she can start all over again. Practice makes perfect!”

Like many humans aim to do, orangutans sleep for around eight to 10 hours a day. Tujoh, CMZoo’s 28-year-old male Northwest Bornean orangutan, seems to like the soothing sound of running water when he drifts off to sleep.

“We noticed that Tujoh would tinker with his drinking fountain each night until he made it run consistently,” said Bredahl. “So, we installed a small pool that circulates water and gives him the trickling water sounds that he seems to enjoy for a good night’s rest.”

CMZoo’s giraffe don’t need much sleep. They only rest or sleep for two to five hours a day! Most members of the tower only sleep for one-to-three hours at a time. Some giraffe stand up to sleep, others lie down and some do a combination of both.

“The giraffe who lie down will twist themselves up into what looks like a big pretzel, and rest their heads on their hips with their legs either straight out or folded underneath them,” said Savannah Woods, African Rift Valley keeper. “I’ve also seen Mahali lying down to sleep and using Lakeisha’s back to rest his head while she’s standing next to him.”

They often sleep together in groups at night, but some take midday naps, like 4-year-old male Ohe, who can frequently be seen snoozing in the yard for a brief moment of shut-eye.

Big cats, on the other hand, sleep off and on for most of the day. Taking frequent cat naps allows them get plenty of rest while still maintaining awareness of their surroundings. Mountain lions sleep for up to 17 hours per day! They prefer cool, shady spots in the warmer seasons and sunny rocks during the cooler months. CMZoo’s mountain lions, Sitka, Adira and Koda, can often be found enjoying one of their heated rocks in the winter or the covered, cool spots under trees in their habitat in the summer months.

“Mountain lions are typically solitary in the wild, but have also been observed in social groupings,” said Courtney Rogers, senior keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild. “Our three mountain lions have been together from a young age, so they’re comfortable around each other and have become famous for their big cat ‘cuddle puddles,’ where they sleep in a big pile together by the glass guest viewing area.”

Mountain lions aren’t the only animals that sleep next to each other. Omo, CMZoo’s one-year-old Nile hippo, and his mom, Zambezi, often sleep in a big spoon, little spoon position. That’s only when they’re on land, though. CMZoo’s four hippos usually head to their pools around 2 a.m. to sleep the rest of the night away.

“Omo is getting more independent these days, but he used to use Zambezi as a raft when he was smaller,” said Al Carrier, Water’s Edge: Africa senior keeper. “They still rest their heads on each other sometimes. Hippos are really cool because they sleep mostly underwater and their instincts bring their noses to the surface to breathe every 5 minutes or so, without them waking up.”

Each night, CMZoo’s hippos sleep for about 10 hours and nap for around another three hours during the day. Because they’re so large-and-in-charge, hippos are usually deep sleepers. If something wakes them up while they’re underwater, they can communicate through ‘hippo laughs’ that sound like a snort mixed with an old car horn, without surfacing, to let the rest of the pod know there’s a disturbance.

Wolves, known for their pack behaviors, also sleep near each other but rarely cuddle up once they grow out of puppyhood. That’s not an indication of a lack of bonds, though, for CMZoo’s pack of five Mexican wolves, Navarro, Shadow, Phoenix, Hope and Uno.

“When our wolves wake up in the morning after sleeping for much of the night, they greet each other with lots of face licks and wagging tails, even though they’ve been sleeping near each other the whole time,” said Rogers. “They seem to be light sleepers, always listening and smelling for potential danger. If one hears a noise and wakes up, they often will do a barking vocalization that can also alert the others.”

Wolves sleep around eight hours in a 24-hour period, usually lightly, with a long rest at night or after a big meal and with short naps throughout the day. Uno, CMZoo’s three-year-old female Mexican wolf was seen sleeping deeply when she was a pup, though.

“When they’re young, they often cuddle with their mothers,” said Rogers. “We would see Uno climbing up on top of her late mom, Luna, to sleep right on top of her in the den. She’s also the only one I’ve seen ‘twitching’ in her sleep, like dogs do. We can’t know for sure if she was dreaming, but it looked like she was running in her sleep, so maybe she was.”

Next time you’re at CMZoo, see how your sleep compares to the animals you visit!

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is preparing for the arrival of a female Amur tiger, Mila [MEE-luh], in early March and the departure of a male African lion, Boma [BOH-muh], in late March. The two moves support their respective Species Survival Plans, but aren’t necessarily immediate breeding recommendations. Organizations accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) often work together, like this, to provide the best homes available as animals mature and develop different needs, like additional space or new social opportunities.

Mila, who will turn two on May 1, will travel to CMZoo from Toronto Zoo, where she was born and has lived with her mother, Mazy, until recently. Tigers are typically solitary in the wild, so Mila is prime to embrace the world as an independent young adult tiger, but she’s still a little young to become a mom herself. CMZoo’s tiger habitat in Asian Highlands has plenty of space to make a home for Mila.

Chewy, CMZoo’s nearly 8-year-old male Amur tiger, and Mila will certainly be aware of each other’s presence in the tiger building, where they’ll have separate dens, or in the yards they will take turns exploring. However, there are no immediate plans to introduce the tigers.

For animal transfers, keeper teams from both zoos typically work together to make animal moves as low stress as possible for all involved. They share information about an animal’s favorite treats, enrichment items, trained behaviors, den setups, behavioral tendencies and more. This helps the animal’s new care team provide the best possible welfare once the animal arrives.

“This is Mila’s first-ever move, so we want to make it as positive an experience as possible for her,” said Rebecca Zwicker, animal care manager in Asian Highlands. “She has been Toronto’s sweetheart, so we’re happy to welcome her to our community where we know she’ll be equally admired and respected with a life of choice, opportunity and care.”

Mila’s team will follow her lead as she learns the new faces, spaces and smells at CMZoo. Once she arrives, they’ll focus on building trusting relationships with her through training, enrichment, positive reinforcement and lots of her favorite activities and meals.

“There’s no need to rush things,” said Zwicker. “We’ll be excited to share her with guests as soon as Mila shows us she’s ready.”

Unlike tigers, African lions are social animals. As they mature, they sometimes outgrow their family units. Seven-year-old Boma, who was born at CMZoo in 2015 and has been living with his brother Aslan for the last several years, is showing signs he’s ready for his own pride.

Boma is moving to another AZA-accredited organization in California, where he will be the only male in the pride. Because Boma’s genetics are well represented in the assurance population of African lions in human care, this move is unlikely to result in a breeding recommendation.

“A huge part of our role as keepers is to provide the best possible environments for our animals,” said Rachael Hahn, African Rift Valley senior lead keeper. “When you see an animal is telling you it’s time for something new, we embrace the fact that there’s a reward for them that far outweighs the risk. Of course, it’s hard to say goodbye when an animal moves on, but we really think this new place and pride are going to be perfect for him.”

To prepare him for his road trip, the African Rift Valley animal care team has been familiarizing Boma with his travel crate and making sure he’s in tip-top shape to make the trip. Boma’s keepers at CMZoo have been in contact with his new care team in California, so they can welcome Boma and be aware of his tendencies, preferences and motivators.

“Boma is probably our most confident lion,” said Hahn. “I can just see him strutting into his new home with his impressive presence and quickly winning the hearts of the team and the respect of his new pride.”

With Boma leaving, African Rift Valley keepers are working to provide Aslan with social opportunities, too. Four African lions will remain at CMZoo: the patriarch, Abuto, the aging matriarch, Lomela, their daughter, Elsa, and their son, Aslan. The long-term plan is for Elsa and Aslan to share space, with interbreeding preventions in place, and for Lomela and Abuto to share space. The introduction plan will be ongoing, so guests may see groups of two or three lions together as the care team works to support the changes in the pride.

Guests who want to wish Boma well on his new adventure should do so before Mon., March 27. CMZoo will provide social media updates on Mila’s arrival, including when guests might be able to see her in Asian Highlands, as she settles in.

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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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