Animal Health Archives

At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, one extra-fluffy black bear quietly captures the hearts of guests and staff from her peaceful home above the play hills near Grizzly Grill. Beezler, an Asiatic black bear with sassy tendencies and a heart-meltingly gentle demeanor, has touched countless hearts as an ambassador for her species.

At 32 years old, she is the oldest living Asiatic black bear in human care in the U.S. The median life expectancy for Asiatic black bears in human care, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, is 29 years. At an age that would put her in her 90s in human years, Beezler is a testament to the compassionate care she receives, an enriching environment, and undoubtedly, her own determined spirit. Described as “sassy” by her keepers, Beezler knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to communicate it, especially when it comes to snacks.

“She is very sweet,” says Erika Furnes, Asian Highlands keeper. “But if we’re moving too slowly with her treats, she lets us know by being surprisingly quick to grab them off the tongs. Even when she’s telling us to hurry up, she’s still gentle. She takes food delicately with just her lips. It’s really cute.”

Her diet consists of peanuts, apples, lettuce, carrots, yams, bananas and an omnivore chow. Occasionally, she enjoys meat or fish, but her true high-value rewards are whipped cream and yogurt. One of her favorite snacks is courtesy of the Zoo’s horticulture team. When crabapple season rolls around, Beezler knows just what to do.

“Above her outdoor space, there’s a crabapple tree that drops fruit every fall,” Erika says. “She knows it. She’ll look up towards the tree, waiting for it to deliver a snack, and then trots over to the apples as they bounce and roll around. It’s so fun to watch her enjoying that natural enrichment, and it’s good for her to stretch and move, since she’s an older bear.”

Beezler is an example of aging with grace in her golden years. She’s fully encouraged to move at her own pace. She has 24/7 access to her climate-controlled dens, where she naps often. However, it’s worth the walk up the short hill to her home, because although she has slowed down and spends a lot of time resting, guests might still see Beezler embracing her inner cub.

“She can be moving at her normal slow pace, but then she sees us setting up something fun, and she’s ready to go,” says Erika. “She really likes it when the weather warms up and we set up her pool. Sometimes she acts almost like a cub again, splashing and floating around. Other times, we set something up that we think she’s going to love, and she ignores it. It’s her world, and she can do whatever she wants!”

When she’s not relaxing her in tub, Beezler enjoys making her hay beds extra cozy, shredding cardboard boxes and occasionally showcasing her signature bursts of youthful energy. Keepers recently gave Beezler a log that Waffles, CMZoo’s African cape porcupine, had been interacting with, so it smelled really good.

“Beezler tore it up,” Erika says. “We hadn’t seen her do that in years! We’re definitely going to keep bringing those logs for her.”

As Beezler has aged, her care has evolved to prioritize her mobility and comfort. She has arthritis, particularly in her back left hip, so the Zoo’s veterinary team has developed a comprehensive pain management plan. She receives supplements and oral medications for pain and inflammation. She participates in laser therapy on her left hip, earning whipped cream as a reward for her cooperation. Beezler is also learning to receive acupuncture therapy by choice.

“We started training her for acupuncture treatments with a blunted needle, then transitioned to a sharper one,” Erika says. “She doesn’t seem to notice at all, and enjoys the whipped cream and yogurt rewards. The acupuncture needles are incredibly fine, just like in human acupuncture, and we hold onto them safely in case she decides to walk away, which she’s always free to do.”

Positive reinforcement training, like this, allows Beezler to be an active participant in her own care, reinforcing the Zoo’s commitment to training that prioritizes the animals’ comfort, confidence and choices in their homes.

Her training extends to other medical procedures as well. She voluntarily participates in blood draws, which allow her team to monitor different levels that could indicate she needs intervention, by placing her front leg into a specially designed metal sleeve.

In addition to her impressive training repertoire, Beezler’s environment is intentionally set up to enrich her and to encourage mobility. Keepers position activities and puzzle feeders in ways that encourage Beezler to move up and down her habitat’s steps, and to climb, stretch and dig.

“She likes to dig in the dirt and the snow,” Erika says. “Digging is a really good movement for her to continue because it involves so many muscles and keeps her dexterity strong. It’s also mentally stimulating and rewarding for her to dig to discover a treat we’ve hidden for her. That sense of confidence and accomplishment is important.”

Asiatic black bears are not commonly found in zoos, making Beezler a rare and special resident. Despite her small stature, standing only about two-and-a-half feet tall at the shoulder, Beezler maintains a giant presence at the Zoo and around the world through the Zoo’s social media channels. Whether she’s digging in the dirt, stretching for a treat, or playfully ignoring her keepers when she doesn’t feel like listening, Beezler continues to be an icon of resilience, intelligence and charm.

“It’s a privilege to work with her and to give people the chance to see and appreciate Asiatic black bears up close,” Erika says.

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It’s the howl-iday season at CMZoo, and our pack is thriving! CMZoo is home to five Mexican wolves: Navarro and his offspring — Hope, Shadow, Phoenix, and Uno. Sisters Hope and Shadow have stepped up as confident leaders, often being the first to investigate food, while Uno, Phoenix, and Navarro take a more laid-back approach.

To help keep the pack wild, keepers place food near the front of their yard and then leave, maintaining the wolves’ natural wariness of humans. This is especially important since our wolves or their future offspring could potentially be released into the wild to help bolster the endangered Mexican wolf population. Thanks to conservation efforts, wild Mexican wolf numbers are increasing, with an estimated 257 currently living in the wild in the U.S., according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

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Since mid-November, CMZoo’s typically social and outgoing 48-year-old Western lowland gorilla, Roxie, has had several ‘off’ days. She’s spending more time in bed and looking lethargic.

“Roxie has been a big part of the CMZoo family since she was born here in 1976,” Joanna Husby, Primate World animal care manager says. “She’s lived at the Zoo longer than any other animal here, and we’ve been through health scares with her before, but this time it looks a bit different.”

Roxie is eating, drinking, and participating in training, but she is not walking or climbing as well as usual. She’s spending a lot of time in her den, resting, which means she’s choosing rest over socializations that are vital to gorillas’ wellbeing. Roxie chose to go outside and enjoy the sunshine this past weekend, but the longer she isn’t improving, the more concerned the team is growing.

Keepers and veterinarians have not identified anything that could be causing her discomfort from what they can see during up-close training sessions with Roxie. While her team works to diagnose and help her, Roxie is voluntarily taking oral antibiotics and increased pain and anti-inflammatory medications. Oral medications have helped her overcome bouts of illness quickly in the past, but she’s not bouncing back as fast this time.

If oral medications do not help Roxie soon, the next option could be to immobilize her for additional diagnostics. Her last immobilization and treatment extended her life for the past five years, but it was risky.

In 2019, Roxie became lethargic and refused to eat or drink entirely. While she was under anesthesia for an exam, Roxie went into cardiac arrest. Her team brought her back to life with CPR and emergency drugs. The examination, although hard on Roxie and the team, revealed several issues that the team was able to treat. Since recovering five years ago, Roxie has had one of the longest stretches of consistently good health – up until this recent series of off days.

“In 2019, in the middle of Roxie’s health scare, her care team talked about where we would draw the line, treatment-wise, for Roxie,” Joanna says. “We work to find the balance for her and all of our animals. How much are these treatments asking of Roxie, and how long is Roxie going to benefit from them, given her advanced age? We still agree that her quality of life is more important than attempting to extend her life by taking extreme measures. She’s old, and we want her to live with dignity and comfort in this final chapter.”

The team has agreed to say no to extensive treatments that they might pursue for a much younger gorilla. Roxie is 9 years past the median life expectancy for female Western lowland gorillas in human care, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

“We’re really hopeful she just needs a few more days on medication or medication adjustments, but if not, an immobilization could be the best thing for her,” Joanna says. “A thorough examination of Roxie under anesthesia could help us pinpoint something that’s easy to treat, or we could find something that we could manage comfortably for her long-term, or we could discover something that would require extensive treatment. Every decision we make will be with her best interest at heart.”

As Roxie and her care team work together to support what’s best for Roxie, CMZoo will provide updates.

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From the tallest giraffe to the smallest axolotl, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to a diverse variety of animals with a common thread: the Zoo’s dedication to their care. Arguably, one of the most charming species at the Zoo is the guinea pig. In Water’s Edge: Africa, a vibrant muddle (a group of guinea pigs) thrives in the cavy equivalent of a ‘Barbie Dream House.’

“Like all animals, guinea pigs need an enriching environment to flourish,” Grace Sullivan, lead keeper in Water’s Edge: Africa says. “In addition to monitoring our animals‘ needs, our job is observe how animals interact with their environments and maintain them to support our animals’ needs.”

The muddle’s care team provides activities that support their independence, choice and control with opportunities to explore, socialize, and exercise in ways they find rewarding. Guinea pigs are extremely social animals. They’re curious and energetic. With 17 guinea pigs ranging from young to geriatric at CMZoo, Sullivan and her team work to address the individual needs of each.

Yzma [YEEZ-muh] is among the standout residents of this muddle. The 6-year-old cinnamon-colored guinea pig, with charming full-body cowlicks, is one of the original members of the CMZoo guinea pig herd, having arrived at the Zoo in 2020. As the eldest, she has learned to participate in her own health care, taking oral medication to ease age-related issues like arthritis.

Yzma, an aging guinea pig, approaches a keeper to voluntarily receive her oral daily anti-inflammation medication.

Guinea pigs have a short lifespan, usually around five years. With habitat adjustments, medications and voluntary husbandry checks, like scale training, the team works to maximize their quality of life during that time. Recognizing the changing needs of older guinea pigs, the Water’s Edge: Africa team introduced the ‘Silver Whiskers Program.’

“When we first notice a health decline in a guinea pig that’s getting older, we start them on the Silver Whiskers Program with a thorough medical exam,” Grace says. “That data sets a baseline for them, and we can rely on it to support them as they age gracefully.”

Checking teeth, joints and blood values allows the team to monitor and address health changes with solid data to guide welfare decisions. The team also tracks quality-of-life measures, like weight, mobility, social activities and interactions with their environments.

Guinea pigs in their golden years get exclusive access to the ’Silver Whiskers Dining Room,’ where they need not compete with much younger, faster eaters, like 2-year-old Brenda.

Long-haired, black-and-white Brenda is known for her speed and dominance in the herd. She’s usually first to investigate new enrichment or nudge another guinea pig out of the way to get what she wants. Tiny and feisty, Brenda taught keepers that some guinea pigs don’t want to interact with humans, and she’ll give a healthy guinea pig ‘head toss’ at anyone who needs reminding.

Another key character in the herd is short-haired, brown-and-black, brown-and-black, short-haired Grandpa. The one-year-old guinea pig is known for his ability to start a ‘popcorning’ party in the herd. Popcorning is a display of excitement among guinea pigs, and it looks just like it sounds: a sudden, vertical leap – usually displayed a few times in a row. A popcorning muddle is a remarkable sight.

First-time visitors exploring Water’s Edge: Africa for hippos and penguins might be surprised to find themselves captivated by the antics guinea pigs. CMZoo frequenters know the cavies are worth their own visit to the Zoo.

“It is really fun to get to know our members and guests through our interactions about the guinea pigs,” Grace says. “When guests see us engaging with the guinea pigs, they realize that they’re given the same freedoms and care as larger animals like hippos or lemurs, and they share updates they’re making to their own guinea pigs’ habitats. That makes me happy to know our muddle is inspiring welfare improvements for pets, too.”

The guinea pigs will continue to explore their yards during the winter months, when it’s sunny and free of snow. If they’re staying cozy in their climate-controlled hut, guests can see them through their clear front door.

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Shorter days and holidays are approaching. For many humans, that means unusual eating traditions, a shift in activity and an effort to maintain healthy habits. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo partners, Children’s Hospital Colorado, share advice for helping your family stay healthy during the holidays.

At CMZoo, shorter days and cooler temperatures trigger changes to some animal care programs that support animals’ instinctual seasonal adjustments. Some animals, like giraffe, hippos and great apes, don’t experience many seasonally triggered changes. Keeper teams who care for animals native to more seasonally diverse regions make adjustments.

In the fall and winter months, African penguins focus mostly on nesting and eating. Sunlight impacts their nesting, molting and breeding cycles. As days get shorter, they instinctively choose a mate and begin settling in for snuggle season. The longer nights also trigger their annual molt – when they lose all of their feathers at once and grow a brand-new waterproof set.

“Molting is a big event for the flock,” Sabrina Eccher, animal keeper in Water’s Edge: Africa, says. “Hormonal changes due to less sunlight in the winter typically trigger molting in early spring or summer, and they eat a lot less while they’re molting. To prepare for molt, they bulk up by eating more in the weeks before.”

Supporting the penguins’ instinct to eat more is another example of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s commitment to environmental enrichment. The goal is to prepare their habitats with resources that will keep them busy, stimulated and comfortable. Keepers offer more fish at hand-feedings and take it a step further by providing the penguins with opportunities to hunt live fish in their outdoor pool on their own time.

Penguins may increase activity with nest-building and hunting, but grizzlies tend to slow down. Recent scientific studies reveal that grizzlies in the wild don’t hibernate, contrary to popular belief. Smaller creatures, like toads, squirrels and marmots, hibernate to sleep through the months of cold temperatures and limited food resources. During hibernation, animals don’t typically wake up for months. Bigger native animals, like bears, raccoons and skunks, can gain enough weight to carry them through the cooler season without hibernation. However, the seasonal switch impacts them in other ways.

“Bears and other larger animals go into torpor in the winter, which is a hormonal physiological and behavioral change triggered by the changing seasons,” Jenna Schmidt, animal keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild, says. “In torpor, body systems slow down and animals may sleep more, but they still wake up. In the summer and fall, our grizzlies want to eat, eat, eat. When it starts to cool down, they’re less interested in eating and have less energy, but they’re still pretty active at the Zoo.”

CMZoo’s iconic 19-year-old grizzly bears, Digger and Emmett, will turn 20 in January. Having cared for the bears since they were around two years old, keepers have their winter routine down to an art – and each bear reacts differently.

“Digger typically starts sleeping in longer and doing activities with less enthusiasm before Emmett does,” says Jenna. “Digger usually gains more weight than Emmett, and he grows his winter coat before Emmett.”

In fall and winter, grizzlies start dismissing less desirable food items that they would eat in the summer. In the winter, protein and sweet fruits and veggies are more enticing to them. They have been known to decline training sessions when offered a lower calorie item in the winter. It has to be worth their energy because they naturally have less energy in the winter.

Sunflower seeds? Yes.
Celery? No, thank you.

Keepers know which food items will encourage them to participate in husbandry care, so the team can still perform health checks on the aging bears. The bears instinctually prioritize preserving energy. They’ll sleep in later and spend more time making and sleeping in several bear-made beds throughout their two yards and overnight space.

“We give them lots of hay this time of year, and they use it make comfy beds,” Jenna says. “Digger likes to dig and make the beds, and Emmett prefers to ‘work smarter, not harder’ and snag a Digger-made bed for himself.”

Unlike bears, mountain lions eat less in warmer seasons, and more when it cools down.

“In the winter, Adira, Koda and Sitka, our mountain lions, are expending more energy to stay warm, so they’re eating more,” Kelsey Walker, senior animal keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild says. “They’re typically more energetic in the cooler months, which we interpret is driven by their instinct to hunt and eat.”

Maintaining a healthy weight is critical to an animal’s overall health. So, keepers and veterinarians at the Zoo work hard to find the balance between satiating an animal’s increased appetite while preventing unhealthy weight gain for the animal.

“The mountain lions are typically slimmer in the warmer months, and we see them choosing to eat less than we provide when it starts to warm up,” Kelsey says. “When it gets cooler, we incrementally increase their diets, so they don’t feel they need to compete with each other for resources, and they feel satisfied and warm.”

Mountain lions aren’t fazed by subzero temperatures or snow. In the mountain lions’ three yards and indoor den, they have lots of opportunities to stay warm. Guests can see them sunbathing on their rocks, creating a kitty cuddle puddle in their canyon or lounging on their heated boulder that overlooks part of the moose yard. Pro tip: when it snows, notice which rocks are clear of snow and ice. The heated rocks melt snow faster than the other rocks do.

CMZoo is open every day of the year, and visiting during the winter months is a different adventure compared to summer Zoo days. Plan your winter adventure at the Zoo, and see if you can notice how penguins, grizzlies and mountain lions look and behave differently.

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Four-year-old Atka has grown impressive antlers this year, marking the end of the antler-growing season. Each year, male moose grow a new set of antlers. His antlers, once covered in velvet to help them grow, have now shed the fuzzy layer, revealing the iconic white antlers we associate with moose.

Once his impressive antlers have hardened, he will likely start using them. In autumn, male moose spar for territory and mates. Moose are typically solitary in the wild, and we replicate that for Atka at CMZoo while also providing him with plenty of opportunities to spar with trees and enrichment if he chooses. In the winter or spring, Atka will shed his antlers completely and begin the growth process again.

Stop by Rocky Mountain Wild to see Atka’s 2024 antlers before he sheds them this winter!

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Jumbe, a 21-year-old Eastern black rhino at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, continues to navigate a significant health challenge with the support of his care and veterinary teams. In May, a blood test revealed concerning iron saturation levels indicating a condition known as iron overload disorder.

Despite the diagnosis, Jumbe remains in good spirits. He consistently interacts with his keepers, participates in training and daily guest feedings, and shows no clinical signs of discomfort. His liver and kidney levels, along with other critical markers, are being closely monitored and remain within normal ranges.

This ailment is well documented among black rhinos in human care, affecting about one-third of the population. However, treatment options and results are limited. Iron overload can lead to serious health issues, potentially damaging vital organs and posing a risk of fatal complications over time.

Black rhinos are particularly susceptible to iron overload due to their unique metabolic processes. Knowing this, Jumbe’s care team has always tailored his diet to minimize iron absorption. Following his diagnosis, they made further adjustments to Jumbe’s diet, with support from the Black Rhino Nutrition Advisory Group.

By June, follow-up bloodwork showed a 10 percent improvement in Jumbe’s iron levels. But, his most recent results, in early August, revealed a return to the original high levels. Unfortunately, diet controls alone don’t seem to be working for Jumbe.

So, Jumbe’s care team is focused on voluntary large-volume blood draws as a supplementary treatment, while continuing diet controls. Phlebotomy isn’t new to Jumbe or his team. He has long been an expert in voluntary blood draw behaviors.

“This is a great example of why it’s so important to establish trained voluntary behaviors before you need to rely on them,” Ilana Cobban, Encounter Africa animal care manager says. “He has been blood-draw trained for many years, so he’s comfortable and confident with the setup. When he was first diagnosed, we started increasing the frequency of his blood draw training sessions. Since mid-August, we’ve been successfully drawing large volumes of blood weekly, and Jumbe has been adjusting amazingly.”

During large-volume blood draws, the team aims to collect at least 100 milliliters (mLs)
or about 3.5 fluid ounces per session, in a carefully controlled manner. The team has to be precise with the needle and acutely tuned-in to Jumbe’s behaviors for each session to be successful. They draw multiple vials of blood during a session, but limit themselves to one needle insertion for Jumbe’s comfort. It takes three keepers, meticulous coordination and a lot of Jumbe-specific knowledge.

“We have a trainer, a ‘brusher’ and a ‘mechanic’ during the blood draws,” Ilana says. “The trainer stands at Jumbe’s head, giving him training cues and reinforcing his participation with yummy snacks. They also watch Jumbe’s face and upper body for any behaviors – like a twitch – that might indicate we need to finish soon. The brusher is at Jumbe’s feet with the mechanic, brushing his opposite front leg, so he has a familiar and positive sensation, and a distraction from the sensation of the blood draw. The mechanic does the blood draw from underneath a metal port where Jumbe rests his chin. The three of us are constantly communicating with each other and with Jumbe about what’s happening now and what’s happening next.”

The median life expectancy for Eastern black rhinos in human care, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, is 19 years, and Jumbe is 21. The team remains cautiously optimistic, exploring every possible avenue to support his health and well-being.

“We want to give Jumbe every chance to live a long, comfortable and fulfilling life,” Ilana says. “Because this treatment requires his voluntary participation, we will know if he doesn’t want to participate in a session. With a disease like this, we know it could take a turn at any moment, but for now, he’s enjoying life, and we’re determined to help him in the best ways possible.”

Guests can visit Jumbe in Encounter Africa, and participate in paid rhino feedings daily at noon through September. In October, feedings will be available on Saturdays and Sundays, weather permitting. These feeding opportunities give people a rare chance to hand-feed a rhino, and their payment supports the Zoo’s frontline black rhino and African elephant conservation partner, Tsavo Trust, in Kenya.

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Khalid, CMZoo’s 16-year-old breeding bull giraffe, may be considered aging for an intact male giraffe in human care. But, at 16, he’s tackling new training routines and locations with the enthusiasm, confidence and consistency of a much younger giraffe.

The trusting relationships he has built with his keepers, along with the confidence he has in his environment, set him up for success as he and his keepers adjust his care plan to address issues into his golden years. Recently, Khalid has been experiencing some discomfort, particularly when standing on certain surfaces or at specific angles. Keepers have noticed him shifting his weight unusually and being less interested in participating in hoof care.

“We know him really well, so we can pick up on his subtle ways of communicating that he’s not confident in a certain space, even if he previously has been,” says Kelsey Newman, senior animal keeper in African Rift Valley. “We can also tell if he’s walking slightly differently, or if we need to brainstorm new ways to train with him so he’s more comfortable.”

Shortly after Khalid came to CMZoo, his team recognized a kink in his neck that his team addressed by training him to voluntarily stretch his neck when asked. He also received chiropractic care and laser therapy for his neck. He still participates in neck stretches, and his team keeps that history in mind while adjusting his routine as he ages.

Most giraffe in the CMZoo herd participate in hoof care in a barn stall where keepers are standing on the same floor as the giraffe. In that space, the giraffe walk up to a giraffe-chest-high fire hose connected to two metal doors. The hose prevents the giraffe from entering space with humans, for safety reasons. The open metal doors allow the giraffe to lift one front foot up and place it on a resting block, where keepers can trim hooves or address other issues.

Khalid has participated in voluntary hoof care sessions for many years, but the amount of time he was willing to participate in those sessions became shorter over time. His care team discussed elements in the training area that could be distracting him, or whether they needed to ask him to participate more or less frequently, or if he was physically uncomfortable during sessions.

“When we’re standing on the ground, and he gets a reward for training, we ask him to lean his big body forward to lower his head to get his treat from our hand,” Kelsey says. “You can see how if your front feet were already tender, leaning forward on one of those front feet would make you feel a little unsure. He told us he didn’t feel confident doing that by slowly taking a step back and looking at us as if to say, ‘I’ll do something else if you want, but I don’t like that one.’”

Rather than pushing through, they invited Khalid to participate in his familiar training routine in a different location known as ‘the chute,’ at the back of the giraffe barn. The chute has a platform, so keepers can get face-to-face with giraffe. The chute also has metal barriers on either side, so keepers are safe up high and down by his giant feet, but Khalid can still exit the training whenever he wants. Two sets of keepers work with Khalid at the chute. Two keepers work on his feet while two are up high on the platform, reinforcing his good behaviors without having to ask him to bend down.

Thanks to this tailored setup for Khalid, he participates in hoof trims more often, which is making his hooves and legs more comfortable. He also receives oral pain and anti-inflammatory medications, delivered on his favorite honey-and-lettuce roll-up.

“I keep joking that he prefers the setup in the chute because he has the full attention of four keepers, instead of just two,” Kelsey says. “He’s a giant sweetheart. Sometimes he asks for face scratches from certain people, and I’m honored to say I’m one of them. He’ll put his giant face into your torso and lean in for a good scratch. It’s the best.”

Speaking of faces, Khalid’s is unlike any other at the Zoo. Many visitors ask if Khalid’s face is so bumpy, compared to the rest of the giraffe, because he’s old. But the bumps on Khalid’s face are natural calcium deposits that form as testosterone-producing males reach maturity. The adaptation developed to protect males competing for territory in the wild.

During battle, male giraffe use their heads, and more specifically, they use their ossicones. They swing their heads with incredible force thanks to their long, muscly necks, right into their opponents. To protect their eyes and brains from the offensive impact, they grow thick ‘helmets’ around their ossicones and heads.

In addition to hoof care, medication and a good dose of face scratches from his keepers, Khalid’s care plan includes lots of movement. Although Khalid prefers not to explore the big yard (he’s been offered the chance many times, and consistently chooses not to go into that space), he explores a series of connected spaces and outdoor yards, set up with environmental enrichment that encourages him to take long strides and keep those big legs moving.

One surefire way to get Khalid moving is to invite him anywhere near Bailey, his most recent breeding partner in the herd. Bailey and Khalid are parents to 2-year-old BB, who recently moved to Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, and 1-year-old Wednesday, who still lives with the herd.

As a breeding bull, Khalid has helped bring seven giraffe calves into the world, also including 5-year-old Viv, who still lives at CMZoo. When calves are born, Khalid quietly observes from another stall. When the opportunity is right, he usually reaches over the stall fence to give his new calf a good sniff, and usually a big lick on the head.

“Khalid is an icon here at the Zoo, and he does so much for his species, both by inspiring countless people to care for giraffe, and by contributing to the population in human care,” Kelsey says. “We’re going to do everything we can to help Khalid step into his golden years with dignity and comfort, because we want him to be able to continue his work in both of those departments.”

Visitors can see Khalid, and hand-feed him lettuce, in the side yard or barn in African Rift Valley. Exciting improvements are underway at CMZoo! This means normal routes to guests’ favorite animals may be different, but visitors can still see all animals at the Zoo! Watch for signs for alternate routes.

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Australia Walkabout is home to two American alligators, Tommy and Sally. Both regularly participate in voluntary training sessions, including target and touch training, which allow the alligators to choose to participate in their health care while keepers perform general health checks.

As ambush predators, alligators have unique adaptations that help them blend into their surroundings and strike swiftly when prey approaches. Their eyes are positioned high on their heads, enabling them to remain submerged while still keeping watch above the surface. Alligators can have about 80 teeth in their mouth at a time and can go through 2,000 to 3,000 teeth in their lifetime.

Tommy and Sally are great ambassadors for their species, educating guests about the crucial role alligators play in maintaining balance in the ecosystem.

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 21-year-old Eastern black rhino, Jumbe, and his team are working together to address a new health concern for the 2,700-pound sweetheart. A recent routine blood test revealed iron saturation in his blood had risen to concerning levels.

Jumbe seems to be feeling well, and he isn’t showing any clinical signs of discomfort. Along with monitoring his iron metabolism status, the team is also monitoring his liver and kidney levels, among other things. All of those levels are within normal ranges.

Jumbe has surpassed the median life expectancy for his species in human care, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, by two years. His team remains cautiously optimistic about his future and is exploring every avenue to help Jumbe. This condition, called iron overload disorder, can damage organs and potentially lead to fatal consequences over time.

Because black rhinos are predisposed to developing this condition, his diet was initially formulated to minimize, as much as possible, over-absorption of iron. Since the diagnosis, the care team has implemented further changes in Jumbe’s diet. The goal is to see if they can minimize iron absorption even further, based on new findings and recommendations from the Black Rhino Nutrition Advisory Group. This month, his bloodwork shows a 10 percent improvement. Despite this recent result, which is moving in the right direction, his iron levels are still high.

Iron overload disease affects around one-third of black rhinos in human care, and while there’s a lot of research underway, there are unfortunately no guaranteed remedies. The team continues to closely monitor Jumbe, conducting regular voluntary blood collection to track his progress.

“By training for these voluntary husbandry behaviors proactively and when an animal is healthy, we can better care for them when conditions like this arise,” Dr. Eric Klaphake, CMZoo head veterinarian, says. “These blood draws not only revealed an issue we needed to address, but they could also be a part of the treatment.”

Some zoos have been able to address iron overload disorder in rhinos by increasing blood draws as a treatment. By removing iron-saturated blood, new replacement red blood cells can create additional places for iron in the blood to bind to, and thereby decrease the amount of iron that would otherwise enter into tissues where it can cause damage.

“This could be an option for Jumbe, but we want to see if we can correct it without asking him to participate in more frequent and longer blood draw sessions first,” Dr. Eric says. “Of course, it would be done in volumes that are realistic for Jumbe’s well-being. This is only an option if it doesn’t reduce his quality of life, and he continues to show us he’s happy to participate in the longer blood draw sessions.”

Jumbe participates in voluntary blood draw sessions regularly with his care team, including Ilana Cobban, Encounter Africa animal care manager, CMZoo’s veterinary team and other animal keepers on his team. Jumbe and Ilana have worked together for 12 years.

“What’s wonderful about Jumbe?” Ilana says. “Everything. He has a calm and gentle demeanor that you wouldn’t typically assign to a rhino. He’s happy to stand nearby and get scratches while I talk to him, or roll around in a good mud wallow, or trot over to a fence to greet the elephants next door. He’s also a great student. He is fantastic at training, so I’m really hopeful that’s going to serve him well as we face this together.”

Dr. Eric and his team have also consulted extensively with rhino experts and researched the latest findings in animal nutrition and veterinary medicine, although finding an effective solution specific to rhinos remains challenging.

“We’re consulting with other experts, including the veterinary and nutrition advisors for the Eastern black rhino Species Survival Plan,” Dr. Eric says. “We have the best of the best on Jumbe’s case, including his care team who have built trusting relationships with Jumbe that will allow us to try new things to help him.”

Dr. Eric and his colleagues have explored various treatment options, including considering treatments for this disease in human and avian medicine, which unfortunately have not been effective in treating rhinos with this disorder.

Guests can make a direct, up-close connection with Jumbe at daily rhino feeding sessions. His distinctive pointy, prehensile top lip, a distinctive feature of Eastern black rhinos, allows him to delicately accept food offerings from visitors. At noon every day from March through October (weather – and Jumbe – 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 and a lifelong memory.

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.

As Jumbe’s health journey evolves, CMZoo will share updates.

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