News Archive

Mashama, 9-year-old reticulated giraffe, is known for his outgoing personality and energetic presence in the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo giraffe herd. Lately, though, Mashama has been dealing with some foot and leg issues. “We’ve discovered that Mashama has sprained ligaments and a fracture in his right foot,” said Dr. Liza Dadone, CMZoo head veterinarian and VP . . .

In anticipation of Mother’s Day, we’re celebrating some of the animal matriarchs who live with their offspring at CMZoo. Take a walk down memory lane as we remember their adorable babies and check in with the moms and their growing offspring today.

Providing excellent health care for the hundreds of animals at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo comes in many forms. Depending on their individual needs, animals might receive special diets, exercise plans, laser therapy treatments, vaccines, medications and more. Their health care plans often involve injections, both proactively in the form of annual vaccinations, and reactively with medications . . .

This morning, a team of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo staff used specialized equipment to successfully assist Malaika, a 33-year-old African elephant, who was found lying on her side during an overnight check. If an elephant can’t get up on its own and is down for too long, it can cause stress to its internal organs and can be fatal. The team responded in the early-morning hours to mobilize a specialized crane-and-hoist system in the barn to help the elephant to her feet, since she was unable to stand on her own.

Eve is a vocal, active, seven-year-old female siamang gibbon who lives in Primate World at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. She came to the Zoo nearly two years ago, as a non-breeding companion partner for Wayan, who is 11 years old. Now, she is adjusting to another major life change, and is demonstrating her species’ resiliency, once . . .

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to a very special Bornean orangutan named Hadiah. 22-year-old Hadiah is mom to four-year-old Ember and has called Cheyenne Mountain Zoo home since she was born here on June 8, 1996. With her gentle affection and engaging demeanor, she is a legendary guest and staff favorite. She makes eye contact, . . .

IT’S ALL ABOUT BALANCE FOR AGING MEERKAT BOMANI Our meerkat population grew three times last year with the addition of three litters of pups. If one of the eldest CMZoo meerkats, Bomani, is any indication, they have long and healthy lives ahead of them. Bomani, a 13-year-old male slender-tailed meerkat, has lived at Cheyenne Mountain . . .

Animal Encounter Abuto, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s seven-year-old male African lion, often wows guests with his remarkable roar, striking mane and impressive intelligence. He has many roles, including ambassador, inspiration and patriarch. Abuto is father to males Aslan and Boma, and to female Elsa, who were all born at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on June 25, 2015. . . .

Guests and staff alike are enamored with CMZoo living legend Laredo, a Rio Grande turkey. At nearly 18 years old, Laredo is the oldest documented living turkey in the United States, and probably in the world. The average lifespan of a turkey is between five and seven years. Despite his unbelievable age, 19-pound, three-foot-tall Laredo’s . . .

Golden Years Seeing LouLou, a 36-year-old female African elephant at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, participate in one of her daily care routines is like witnessing a pedicure of gigantic proportions. Annie Dinwiddie, senior elephant keeper, points her target pole toward a horizontal rod and gently says, “foot.” Three-and-a-half-ton LouLou gracefully places her twelve-inch diameter round pad . . .