Protecting the Future Together

We Need Your Vote!

Thank you CMZoo members, for helping us decide where to spend $75,000 for important wildlife conservation efforts around the world. We continue to seek the support and input from members to help us continue our mission of animal care, captive breeding and conservation. Learn which projects your membership is helping us fund this year. Thank you for being a conservation hero!

Each year, we set aside $100,000 of membership revenue to fund field conservation around the world. From this amount, $75,000 is allocated specifically for our CMZoo members to vote on their favorite CMZoo staff-championed conservation projects. The top three projects receive full funding. Overall, the voting totals help us determine how we allocate the remaining funds to wildlife conservation. View 2025 results.

2026 Projects Explained

ABYSSINIAN GROUND HORNBILLS – Advancing Understanding of a Vulnerable Species $25,000

IUCN Status: Vulnerable

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has two resident Abyssinian ground hornbills, Layla and Petrie. Hornbill populations across Africa and Asia are declining, and the Abyssinian ground hornbill is one of the least-studied species. Limited data makes it difficult to assess threats or develop effective conservation strategies. This project addresses critical knowledge gaps by using GPS tracking, camera traps and artificial nesting sites to study hornbill movement, behavior and risks. The information collected will inform conservation planning and management. Your vote provides funding to advance this research to provide data that could support long-term protection of the species in its natural habitat.

AFRICAN PANCAKE TORTOISES – Strengthening Science for Survival $16,000

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo houses two African pancake tortoises, Maple and Syrup. These small tortoises are adapted to rocky habitats in East Africa, where they use narrow crevices for shelter. Despite these adaptations, pancake tortoises are poorly studied and are classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. In partnership with the Turtle Survival Alliance, this project surveys pancake tortoises in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia to better understand their distribution, population structure and genetic diversity. It also supports local ranger training and the development of a multi-country conservation plan. Your vote supports data-driven efforts to improve long-term outcomes for this species.

LAR GIBBONS – Returning Gibbons to Their Natural Habitat $21,380

IUCN Status: Endangered

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo recently welcomed two lar gibbons, Keoki and Holmes. In Southeast Asia, gibbon populations are declining due to illegal hunting for the pet trade and habitat loss from deforestation and palm oil production. Orphaned young gibbons are often unable to survive without care. Through partnerships with The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Gibbon SAFE program and the Gibbon Conservation Society, this project provides rescue, housing and long-term rehabilitation for gibbons in Malaysia. Funding supports flood-resistant enclosures and specialized care to prepare animals for reintroduction to protected forests. Your vote provides resources for these essential conservation measures.

ICUN Status Definitions:

Vulnerable: facing high threat of extinction in their natural habitat
Endangered: facing a very high risk of extinction in their natural habitat
Critically Endangered: facing an extremely high risk of extinction in their natural habitat
A more in-depth understanding of IUCN Statuses can be found here.

2025 Projects Voting Results

2025 Member Conservation Vote top-ranked projects that were fully funded:

1. Foster, Raise and Release AFRICAN PENGUINS – $38,271

Member funding will provide an incubator, veterinary care and rehabilitation support for wild African penguin chicks and adults. African penguins, found mainly in South Africa and Namibia, face significant threats from overfishing, oil spills and disease outbreaks. As a result, penguin parents are abandoning their chicks due to lack of food and other weather-related factors. The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB )will use these funds to rescue abandoned penguin eggs, chicks and adults needing intervention and rehabilitation at their South Africa facility. The goal is to release as many rescued penguins as possible back into the wild to bolster the rapidly declining African penguin population.

2. Support Leadership Training for Kenyan Women Conservationists and Restore Habitat for AFRICAN LIONS – $17,000

Support will empower Samburu (a region in Northern Kenya) women to improve their community’s livelihoods and help protect lions. Ewaso Lions implements several programs to help protect lions. One of these programs is The Mama Simbas (which means “Mothers of Lions”). The group consists of Samburu women trained to help alleviate human- wildlife conflicts, which typically occur between farmers and predators that may threaten local livestock. Ewaso Lions will use these funds to provide leadership training to the women of The Mama Simbas program. This training will give the women new tools to help shift attitudes towards predators, allowing Kenyan communities to coexist more easily and efficiently with wild carnivores. Funds will also support the restoration of grassland habitat.

3. Protect EGYPTIAN TORTOISES Through Community Conservation in Egypt- $19,729

Member support will fund local community guards and provide tracking tags to protect Egyptian tortoises. Wild turtles and tortoises are facing a worldwide extinction crisis. The Egyptian tortoise faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to farming and poaching for the pet trade. The Turtle Survival Alliance will use funds to deploy tracking tags to gather data and gain an understanding of how tortoises interact with each other and their environment, as well as population dynamics. Community guards will help address immediate threats to the species by physically protecting the most vital tortoise populations and their habitat.

Vote for the 2026 Project that inspires you: ABYSSINIAN GROUND HORNBILLS - $25,000 AFRICAN LIONS - $25,000 AFRICAN PANCAKE TORTOISES - $16,000 LAR GIBBONS - $21,380 LOCAL POLLINATORS - $20,000 RED-FOOTED TORTOISES - $12,000