Other Zoo News Archives - Page 2 of 7

A MESSAGE FROM BOB CHASTAIN, CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO PRESIDENT & CEO – You may recall that several months ago, we reported that an out-of-state animal rights group sued the Zoo and me as CEO for the release of our five elephants to a sanctuary of this group’s choosing. For the past five months, we have been working with former Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers’ law firm of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck to defend us in this important case. The Zoo’s board of directors selected this firm, in particular, because of their national presence and Mayor Suthers’ long history with Colorado Springs and the state of Colorado, having served as the state’s Attorney General and then as the city’s mayor.

On Dec. 3, 2023, 4th Judicial District Judge Eric Bentley denied this group’s petition and sided with CMZoo and our right to care for our elephants in their own home. Judge Bentley went on to say that even if he accepted every fact this group presented as truthful and accurate (as he is required by law to do), they still did not have a legal case against the Zoo. To further make sure he followed every point of law and was above reproach in his court opinion, he detailed their argument in full to demonstrate his complete understanding of the case for 27 pages. Furthermore, he stated that if anyone had earned the right to speak on the best interest of the elephants, it would not be this out-of-state group, but instead, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, who has dedicated itself to these amazing animals.

Judge Bentley said in his ruling, “This is not just a technicality. There is a legitimate question in this case as to who properly speaks for the elephants (or, in other words, who gets to be the “elephant Lorax”) – the NHRP, which represents that it wants to improve their lives by moving them to an accredited elephant sanctuary, or the Zoo, which has fed them, nurtured them, and taken care of them for many years. It appears to be the Zoo, and not the NHRP, that has the more significant relationship with Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou, and Jambo.”

While this is a victory in this frivolous case against a community treasure, where more than 800,000 people come every year to enjoy time with each other in the presence of some of the world’s most inspiring creatures, there is likely more to come from this small group of extremists, who are clearly using this as a fundraising tactic and to change Colorado law. One need to look no further than their IRS Form 990 to see this.

What comes next: In Colorado, there is an appeal as of right to the Colorado Court of Appeals. Such an appeal could likely take up to a year. If they lose again, they would have an option to petition the Colorado Supreme Court to hear the case.

It is unfortunate that the judge denied the Zoo’s request for attorney’s fees. While it is a relief to get over this first hurdle, it is sad to know that we will continue to pay significant legal fees to further defend ourselves after this group has lost so many times and wasted so much of the court’s and four different accredited zoos’ time. This out-of-state group makes money off of our distraction from our mission of saving animals from extinction.

Even Judge Bentley said in his ruling, “…it is unfortunate that this case pits two organizations against each other that perhaps ought to be on the same side. As noted above, the role of zoos has evolved, and today zoos, including the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, play a leading role in wildlife conservation efforts and education. (E.g., https://wildwelfare.org/the-conservationmission-of-zoos-nabila-aziz/). The Zoo is known, in particular, for its work with giraffes, for which it is nationally recognized. (https://www.cmzoo.org/conservation/giraffe-conservation/).”

I would like to personally thank you for your continued support, and encourage you to keep sharing the good work we do with your friends and family in the community. With our community rallying around us, we plan to continue to win this battle on behalf of our elephants.

The first signs of a longtime vision to move the main road within the Zoo are starting to take shape at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. The second week in July 2023, crews will bring in the heavy equipment to begin excavating the far edge of the play hill yard to make way for a brand-new road.

“We’re really excited to see this extensively planned project start to come to life,” said Dave Ruhl, vice president of operations at CMZoo. “Other than moving the carousel – which we know many of our guests and members will miss until it reopens later this year – this initial phase of construction should not impact our guests.”

For now, guests might see some extra fencing and construction going on near the center of the Zoo, but guest pathways and animal exhibits will not be impacted during this first phase, which is expected to last until fall or winter 2023. The play hill and eateries will also remain open. Looking for Carousel Sweets, the red trolley formerly next to the carousel? That amenity moved to the walkway above Australia Walkabout a couple of months ago.

“We’re working really hard to balance giving everyone an awesome summer experience at the Zoo while we get started on these needed improvements,” said Ruhl. “Growing pains are real, and we appreciate everyone’s support and enthusiasm as we take this on together.”

The historic carousel will be disassembled at the beginning of July. Guests and members who want to use all of their frequent rider punch cards should do so by July 4, 2023. After that, teams will move the carousel to its safe storage for the summer. Guests should be back in the saddle by winter 2023-2024.

“If you’ve ever managed a construction or remodeling project, you know that there are a lot of constantly changing factors,” said Ruhl. “We’re staying flexible and will make adjustments to the plan as needed. Our goal is to do this safely, quickly and with the lowest possible impact to our guests and animals.”

The new road within the Zoo, which will largely serve Zoo staff and Shrine visitors, will eventually replace a large portion of the main road adjacent to the giraffe yard. Currently, guests and vehicles share that road from African Rift Valley to Australia Walkabout. For now, the main road will continue to be used without guest interruptions while the new road is created.

The new main road will one day span from the guest parking lot below the Zoo, on the existing road behind Water’s Edge: Africa and Primate World, next to the Cozy Goat and along the far edge of the play hill yard, to meet up with the current main road. The main road below the elephant bull statue is set to become additional animal space.

These improvements are part of a huge undertaking to elevate our guests’ experiences at the Zoo. It’s in part funded by the ELEVATE Capital Campaign to update the Zoo’s admissions plaza, better manage traffic within the Zoo, and expand animal areas. Stay tuned to CMZoo’s social media channels for updates.

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Today, we learned by way of local media, that we are being sued by an organization known in the Zoo industry for wasting credible organizations’ time and money. The Nonhuman Rights Project filed a 376-page petition, naming our five beloved aging African elephants as plaintiffs in a case against our Zoo, and attempting to force us to send them away.

The fact that we first learned about this litigation from a local reporter who received a news release is evidence enough to us that they’re using litigation as a way to gain public attention for their misguided claims.

Anyone can sue anyone for anything. Those who know us know the truth about us. NhRP is the same organization that targeted, publicly attacked and sued Fresno Chaffee Zoo and Bronx Zoo – and NhRP lost in court both times.

We exist to advance animal welfare and conservation.

We openly share public updates about our elephants on social media and in member newsletters, but in case you’re unfamiliar with our Zoo, we provide specialized care for this special group of elephants in a myriad of ways.

Our elephant care team knows the needs of our elephants and tailors specific care and exercise programs and tends to each elephant based on their preferences. Suggesting they’d be better off at a sanctuary is simply incorrect. Knowing what’s considered best for elephants in general does not equal knowing how to give Jambo, Missy, LouLou, Kimba or Lucky the care they need.

Our expert elephant care team has a combined 65 years of experience. We dedicate four full-time keepers most days to care for five elephants. The team consistently studies our elephants’ behaviors and adjusts their care programs to provide more of what they positively respond to.

As incredibly intelligent animals, the elephants need diversity. Multiple times per day, these elephants move from yard to yard, or indoor space to indoor space, where they find new opportunities to stimulate their bodies and minds. One such activity, which they have access to during summer months, is a space called the vacation yard. This nearly 2-acre yard is not visible to guests, and it’s full of tall grasses and lush trees, where the elephants are free to roam as long as they want to. Depending on how much rain we’ve received that year, the elephants might visit several times per month. The limit on the number of times per month they visit is also part of the plan to maintain the novelty of this area for them, which makes it physically and mentally stimulating.

Walking is another thing most often cited by critics of elephants in human care. We have found that elephants here and in the wild don’t walk for fun. They are looking for food, water and safety. In the wild, elephants often walk such great distances because they are forced to travel long distances – for example, during the dry season to find water or if being pursued by poachers. Our elephants walk less because they are getting older.

Because elephants are widely known to thrive in herds does not mean that these individuals would do best in that setup. We know because we have tried. These elephants didn’t grow up in large herds. We’ve offered them a variety of group settings, and we do not force them to share direct space if their behavior shows us they don’t want to. The elephant pairs who live together at our Zoo live with who they show the most positive behaviors with. We believe they deserve to be given that choice to make the decision. People are also social in nature, but it does not mean you want to live with everyone you meet just because they are another human. This is also true with our elephants, and we give them a chance to show us who they want to live with each day.

Each elephant has the option to participate in voluntary husbandry training that we know improves their strength, flexibility and overall health. We call this “elephant yoga” because people can relate to the fact that they, too, need to remain flexible and strong.

In addition to our unfaltering commitment to providing these elephants with the best possible care as they age with dignity, we have partnered with Tsavo Trust, a frontline elephant conservation organization that is working to save wild African elephants and rhinos in Kenya. Our elephant feeding opportunity raises $75,000 per year for Tsavo Trust. Through that program and through a portion of admissions and programs, our Zoo has sent $608,000 directly to elephant conservation. If you count all our species combined our efforts amount to more than $4.5 million. We are funding change, and our guests are funding change.

We have a stated goal that we won’t have elephants at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo unless our elephants are helping wild elephants survive. With the help of our guests and members, we deliver on this promise every day. We are proud to collaborate with others and be part of the solution. How much has NhRP invested in animal welfare or conservation, and how much energy, time and money have they cost other conservation organizations like ours? We need the community’s support to stand up to this distraction, which will take away from the day-to-day care and the real in-the-field conservation work that happens at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo every day.

We’re extremely proud of our elephant care program. We always have been and we are still open to media who would like to learn more about our program.

We’re also extremely proud of our Zoo. We recently earned a completely clean report of inspection from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). We have been continually accredited for more than 35 years. We are only the fourth organization to earn a ‘clean’ report in the history of AZA accreditations, which means there wasn’t a single major or minor concern reported. Over the multi-day inspection of the entire Zoo with four dedicated inspectors, one AZA elephant expert is assigned the job of evaluating our elephant program in detail. They did not have a single concern.

Thank you to everyone who has been by our side since we decided to take on this role for aging elephants in human care, and thank you to everyone who will continue to. We look forward to sharing more of our stories and reaching even more people with our mission from this exposure. Let’s look ahead and see how we can work together for a better future for elephants.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2023, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #4 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised more than $4.5 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 238 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

With buds forming on trees, migratory birds chirping and daffodils starting to emerge, Spring is upon us in Colorado Springs. Although experts recommend waiting to plant new greens in your garden until the end of May, now is the time to start planning for your backyard or patio oasis. CMZoo’s Annual Plant Sale, on May 19, 20 and 21, 2023, is a great place to stock up.

“Our greenhouse is bursting with locally grown native, drought-resistant and pollinator-feeding plants this year, and we’re excited for everyone to join us at our annual Plant Sale in May,” said Denny Patton, senior horticulturist at CMZoo. “Bees, birds and butterflies will be hungry as they emerge and migrate at the end of May, and by planting early blooming perennial plants – which grow back every year – we can all help make their search for food a little easier.”

This year, the Zoo’s fundraising Plant Sale will be behind Water’s Edge: Africa. Zoo admission is not required to attend the Plant Sale, and Zoo guests can stop in to shop on their way out. Plant Sale attendees can access the sale from the far west end of the parking lot.

There are no reservations or tickets required to attend the Plant Sale, which will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fri., May 19, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sat., May 20 and Sun., May 21 – when the Zoo closes early for Run to the Shrine. Plants will be available on a first-come first-served basis, so don’t be late!

This year’s Plant Sale is in-person only. There will be no online shopping or shipping options available. Come out to the Zoo and chat with our expert horticulturists about which plants work best in your garden, and know you’re supporting the ongoing beautification of the Zoo with your purchases.

The Plant Sale will feature a variety of perennial plants, shrubs, vines and more. Some of Patton’s favorites, which attendees can purchase from the Plant Sale this year, are:

Gaillardia aristata, commonly known as blanket flower, is a peachy orange and yellow daisy-shaped perennial that is native to this region. They’re highly drought tolerant and do best in full sun. Bumblebees and other pollinators are drawn to their bright, plentiful flowers, which typically grow – mostly upright with not a lot of width – to be 12 to 18 inches tall.

Solidago, often called goldenrod, is true to its common name. On a woody base, it features dense wand-like clusters of tiny gold and yellow flowers that make massive meals for pollinators. Goldenrod is drought tolerant and prefers full sun. They can grow to be more than 5 feet tall, but typically grow from 1 to 3 feet high and 3 or 4 feet wide.

Nepeta, better known as catmint, (but not to be confused with cat nip!) is a perennial herb from the mint family. These bushy plants with delicate, blue flowers prefer full sun or partial shade. They do well in dry growing conditions, which encourages more and stronger-scented flowers. They can grow to be 2 feet tall and 2 feet wide. Because they are members of the mint family, they spread easily and make good border or ground cover plants to spruce up any space while feeding hungry pollinators.

Dark Knight spirea, also called salvia or Bluebeard, helps birds, bees and butterflies fuel up in late summer. Its appearance is similar to a butterfly bush, with a woody base and long silver-gray leaves. Deep purplish-blue cone-shaped flowers emerge at the end of summer and continue to bloom until frost. Spirea are exemplary plants for xeriscaping, because they don’t require a lot of water and do well in sandy soil. This shrub is considered small in the shrub world, reaching about 3 feet in height and width at maturity.

Echinacea is a drought-tolerant perennial, and a member of the daisy family. They come in many colors, and the CMZoo Plant Sale is offering a variety with a black center, surrounded by burgundy-orange petals. Their flowers bloom at the ends of long stems, typically mid-summer to early fall. They can grow up to 4 feet high and 36 inches wide.

With a garden of pollinator perennials that bloom throughout the season, you’ll be ready to welcome butterflies, bees, hummingbirds and more to your own personal paradise. Check out the flora options and speak with CMZoo’s expert horticulturists about which plants could work well in your garden at the Plant Sale, Fri., May 19 through Sun., May 21! Get more information at cmzoo.org/plantsale.

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD NAMED #2 BEST ZOO EXHIBIT IN NORTH AMERICA – For the seventh consecutive year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been voted one of the top ten zoos in North America in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. This time, America’s mountain Zoo was recognized in two categories: #4 Best Zoo in North America and #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America, for its Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo aims to set itself apart by making every guest experience inspiring. With its simply stated vision, “Every Kid. Every Time. Goosebumps.” at its cultural core, CMZoo creates environments and experiences that bring people closer to animals. Exhibits are designed to remove as many physical barriers as safely possible between guests and animals. Guests can experience this for themselves by hand feeding the giraffe herd – one of the largest herds in North America, with 17 giraffe – or by waddling alongside penguins or getting eye-to-eye with hippos at CMZoo’s newest exhibit, Water’s Edge: Africa. CMZoo’s goal is to foster connections that inspire guests to take action to protect animals and their habitats in the wild.

Rocky Mountain Wild, an area of the Zoo that is home to animals from the Zoo’s native region, was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America. Rocky Mountain Wild opened in the summer of 2008, appropriately hugging the highest elevations of CMZoo’s developed mountainside acreage. The area is home to a pack of endangered Mexican wolves, Canada lynx, an Alaska moose, a bald eagle, two grizzly bears, three mountain lions and four river otters. Rocky Mountain Wild is known for its expansive natural exhibits, exquisite views, and enthusiastic and passionate team of animal keepers.

This is the fifth time Rocky Mountain Wild has been nominated in the Best Zoo Exhibit category, and the seventh time Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been nominated in the Best Zoo category. A panel of travel experts, recruited by USA TODAY editors, nominated 20 North American Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos and exhibits, and supporters had four weeks to cast their votes once per day for the nominees of their choice.

The 2023 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Top Ten Best Zoos in North America, in ranking order, are:

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Brevard Zoo
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Brookfield Zoo
at Lowry Park
Audubon Zoo
Saint Louis Zoo
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Indianapolis Zoo

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

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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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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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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ANNUAL HOLIDAY LIGHTS CELEBRATION CONTINUES THROUGH SUNDAY, JAN. 1, 2023 – USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards today announced that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Electric Safari ranked third in the national Best Zoo Lights category for the fourth year in a row. This is the seventh year running that Electric Safari has ranked in the top ten.

The top ten Best Zoo Lights finalists are, in order of rankings:

1. PNC Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo
2. Lights Before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo
3. ELECTRIC SAFARI AT CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO
4. Wild Winter Lights at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
5. Christmas at the Zoo at the Indianapolis Zoo
6. Philadelphia Zoo LumiNature
7. Zoo Lights Miami
8. Dallas Zoo Lights
9. U.S. Bank Wild Lights at the Saint Louis Zoo
10. WildLights at Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 32nd annual month-long celebration of the season continues through Sun., Jan. 1 (except Christmas Eve, Sat., Dec. 24), featuring 50 acres of twinkling lights, 85 artisan-made light sculptures and breathtaking nighttime city views. The Zoo’s holiday collection of larger-than-life illuminated animal inflatables continues to grow with the additions of a peacock and a color-changing chameleon this year, joining last year’s orangutan, African lion, ring-tailed lemur, sloth, African penguin, monarch butterfly, and meerkat.

Electric Safari is the only event in Colorado where you can:

– see over 85 one-of-a-kind light sculptures
– visit select animal exhibits
– hand-feed a giraffe herd ($3 per lettuce bundle or $5 for two bundles)
– visit Santa (through Dec. 23)
– explore 50 acres of twinkling lights and dancing light displays
– see larger-than-life illuminated inflatable animals
– cozy up around fire pits and warming stations throughout the Zoo
– get the best nighttime views of Colorado Springs from the side of Cheyenne Mountain

Bundle up, grab some hot cocoa and make memories with loved ones. Brand-new this year, you can save $5 per ticket by visiting on a non-peak night! See the 2022 Electric Safari pricing calendar, get tickets and learn more at cmzoo.org/electric.

Advance timed tickets are required for both members and non-members. Zoo member tickets are free, but must be reserved in advance. Everyone visiting the Zoo must have their own advance e-ticket, including children age 2 and under. Timed tickets from 4-5 p.m. are for Zoo members and their paying guests only. Electric Safari opens to the public at 5 p.m.

Electric Safari wouldn’t be complete without visiting select animal exhibits. Electric Safari offers paid feeding opportunities with CMZoo’s famous giraffe herd and budgie flock. Water’s Edge: Africa, the giraffe barn, the elephant and rhino barn, the African lion relaxation room, Rocky Mountain Wild (except grizzly bears), Asian Highlands, Scutes Family Gallery and Budgie Buddies are open.

Electric Safari is an important fundraiser for CMZoo, which doesn’t receive any tax support. Your ticket to Electric Safari helps us fund animal care, Zoo operations and improvements, and conservation projects. Please join us in thanking our generous supporting Electric Safari partners, CenturyLink Fiber, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Toyota, and U.S. Bank.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2022, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #3 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised more $4 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 238 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

If you’re a carousel enthusiast, make plans now to merry-go-round at the Zoo one more time before the end of the year. Our historic roundabout will soon be temporarily disassembled to make way for a new road through the Zoo!

“Although this has been a huge focus for all of us behind the scenes for a very long time, this will be the first visible signal that big changes are coming to the Zoo,” said Tracey Gazibara, executive vice president at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. “We’re looking forward to our guests, members and donors being able to see the beginning of the progress we’ve been planning for the last few years.”

The carousel will be safely stored for at least a year, so a new road can be constructed just west of the current main road into the Zoo. The ultimate goal is to expand and improve animal habitats in African Rift Valley, create a new admissions plaza, and drastically reduce the amount of time pedestrians and vehicles share paths, but that’s not all.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we’ll soon start work to:

Advance animal care by improving existing animal exhibits, including plans to update and expand African Rift Valley and giraffe indoor spaces. The funds will also allow us to design new habitat for orangutans, but will not fund construction. The next animal-centric capital campaign will focus on construction costs for those habitats and play space.
Improve animals’ fresh food security by growing the majority of needed lettuce and other high-demand produce at the Zoo. CMZoo’s horticulture team is already testing an on-site shipping container farm, made from a recycled shipping container, and will soon add another to continue testing. This plan also includes building a larger and more easily accessed hay barn.
Expand the entry plaza with an updated look and feel. Guests and members will enjoy more space and beautiful mountain rustic aesthetics as they start their Zoo day.
De-emphasize the main road’s impact on guest experiences by rerouting traffic. Imagine a more peaceful meander from the Zoo’s entrance up to Australia Walkabout. Cars visiting Shrine Road or Broadmoor Cloud Camp, above the Zoo, would enter the Zoo behind Water’s Edge: Africa, and cross pedestrian paths only briefly, instead of continuously sharing the main road with foot traffic.

We’ll keep you informed as these exciting projects take shape. For more information on how you can support the Zoo’s future, visit cmzoo.org/support.

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