The Giraffe Project
Something Big is Coming…
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is known for our large herd of reticulated giraffe and soon, you’ll be able to experience them in a whole new way! We are building a brand-new 12,000-square-foot giraffe barn, creating an expanded and more diverse giraffe outdoor habitat, constructing an outdoor aviary for our African vultures, and many other improvements to advance animal care and help our guests fall in love with giraffe in a completely new way.
A New Giraffe Center
The International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (the Giraffe Center) is getting taller! Construction teams have celebrated the arrival and placement of the first steel beams and the finalizing of the the steel structure of the Giraffe Center. To open on time in 2026, teams are working diligently to beat the deadline – before winter weather presents new challenges. Visitors can already see most of the building’s exterior in place.
The $40 million project, funded through Zoo revenue and donations, will increase the herd’s outdoor space by 25% and expand their indoor space with a 12,000-square-foot giraffe barn.
It’s hard to believe, but the Zoo’s African Rift Valley habitat, home to the Zoo’s iconic 13-member giraffe herd, was built more than 20 years ago. In that time, giraffe professionals have learned a lot about providing world-class care. Home to the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (the Giraffe Center), established in 2022, CMZoo is recognized as a leader in the professional field of giraffe care. This exhibit will reflect that expertise. The Giraffe Center is a concentrated effort to connect giraffe experts and to expand educational programs to improve and enrich the lives of giraffe in human care throughout the world.
The new giraffe barn is all about choice for giraffe and guests. Giraffe will have opportunities to interact with guests in new and exciting ways, and engage in enriching activities in their habitat independent of keepers and guests. The goal is to fill each giraffe’s day with positively reinforcing activities, such as exploring new spaces, munching on leaves and twigs or taking advantage of some quiet time. With a large herd of giraffe that has various preferences and different personalities, the habitat will be filled with meaningful choices. For example, it will have 11 feeding zones, in comparison to the three zones available in their former exhibit.
Larger, Complex Outdoor Living Space
The relocation of CMZoo’s main road allows us to expand the giraffe yard to the west. The expanded yard will have additional spaces for giraffe to discover and includes a new feeding tower to encourage giraffe to navigate the hills of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for the first time! The larger, more geographically diverse yard will provide the herd with new space to explore, contributing to their hoof health and overall well-being. We are also expanding the giraffe bull yard.
Watch Bob's Blueprints Videos
Join Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s former President & CEO, Bob Chastain, as we share behind-the-scenes updates on our historic construction efforts. Constructing a state-of-the-art giraffe habitat and care center with beautiful and functional guest spaces – including a gift shop, café and admissions plaza – on the side of a mountain is no easy feat. We’ll provide behind-the-scenes looks as the construction team makes progress, shares innovations and overcomes obstacles in a video series called, Bob’s Blueprints: Building a World-Class Zoo.
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And so much more!
Giraffe Expansion Site Plan
Click to enlarge(pinch/zoom)
Thank You to Our Project Partners
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