News Archive

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is in full assessment and recovery mode today after an unprecedented storm caused human and animal injuries, including two animal deaths, and major vehicle and infrastructure damage throughout the property. The staff is operating under their typical incident command system for emergencies to address the most urgent needs for both animals and operations, all while dealing with heartbreak from two animal deaths and personal property damage.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is heartbroken to announce the death of Penny, the giraffe calf. Little Penny was just shy of her two-month birthday when the humane, but extremely difficult, decision was made to euthanize her today.

Favorable strides in the management of endangered Wyoming toads were made this spring and early summer as CMZ experienced a robust egg-laying season, followed by the release of hundreds of year-old toads into the wild. Wyoming toads are currently listed as “extinct in the wild” by The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. On May . . .

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is continuing care for its 10-day old giraffe calf, which was the 200th to be born in the Zoo’s history. The calf was found splayed the stall she shared with her mom, Muziki, on Wednesday morning around 8:15 a.m. Since then, the Zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams have been partnering to provide the best possible decisions for the calf’s well-being.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a baby Sumatran orangutan, born at 9:28 p.m. last night. The baby is the third offspring for 30-year-old mom, Sumagu (soo-mah’-goo), and 27-year-old dad, Baka (bah’-kuh).

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is proud to announce the 200th successful giraffe birth in its history! The female calf was born last evening to a worldwide audience, as the birth was live streamed on YouTube and Facebook. The calf is the fifth offspring for 20-year-old mom, Muziki (moo-ZEE’-kee), and the fourth to be sired by dad, Khalid (pronounced cull-EED). The calf joins our existing herd of 17 giraffe, bringing us to a total of 18.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo hosts its 10th annual Run to the Shrine race this Saturday, May 19. Online pre-registration is closed; however, participants can still register at the event with a credit card. The annual Run to the Shrine fundraiser is the ONLY day of the year foot traffic is allowed on the road to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun.

At the end of their conference-planning meeting last night, eight teenagers from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Youth Leadership Action Board rewarded themselves with a quick visit to check on potential mom-to-be Luna, our 10-year-old Mexican gray wolf. They had no idea they would get the thrill of a lifetime to witness the birth of the Zoo’s first wolf pup litter in 20 years! The teens were able to identify two squirmy little pups around 8:30 p.m., and Luna’s labor produced more pups throughout the night and into this morning.

The due date for Muziki, a 20-year-old female giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, is now within a week, and 10-year-old Laikipia’s due date will follow shortly after. These two calves will be the 200th and 201st giraffe calves born at the Zoo, and the public is welcome to watch the birth live online at cmzoo.org/birthcam.

Vulture conservation has been a focus at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for nearly a decade, and while strides have been made toward protecting them, this critically important species still hovers on the brink of extinction. They need our help more than ever. The Association of Zoos & Aquariums has just voted to include African vultures as one of their SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) projects, thereby creating an opportunity for more united conservation efforts. Currently, 12 zoos across the country are committed to partnering with African conservation organizations in order to address the African vulture extinction crisis.