News Archive

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was ranked #2 Best Zoo in the country, in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2026! Dedicated CMZoo supporters voted daily for a month, and their commitment earned the Zoo a tie for its highest ranking ever – second place – for the second year in a row. According to popular vote . . .

MUZIKI WAS THE OLDEST GIRAFFE IN THE CMZOO HERD, AND THE FIFTH OLDEST IN HUMAN CARE IN THE COUNTRY – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said a grateful goodbye to Muziki (pronounced moo ZEE-key), a 27-year-old female reticulated giraffe, on Fri., March 13, 2026. After a quick decline in her health due to age related issues including . . .

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo staff and giraffe fans around the world are remembering Mashama (pronounced muh-SHAW-muh), an older male giraffe who passed away early Sunday morning. He experienced sporadic ‘off’ days with bouts of lethargy and decreased appetite over the past few months, but he was still having far more good days than bad ones. Despite . . .

CMZOO IS NOMINATED FOR BEST ZOO IN THE U.S. BY USA TODAY’s 10BEST READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS – Supporters can vote daily at cmzoo.org/vote. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been holding strong at the #2 spot in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Best Zoo in the U.S. contest. We’ve reached the point in the contest where the . . .

UPDATE MARCH 5, 2026: On Wed., Feb. 25, our grizzly bear Emmett underwent surgery to remove a cancerous mass from his tail. His incision is healing well, and Emmett’s care team is pleased with his progress so far. He’s a model patient, taking his meds, getting plenty of rest, and even letting his keepers clean . . .

Say hello to Thistle, Waffles’ new companion! Thistle is settling in well and doing great with his training. Thistle and Waffles have a breeding recommendation through the Cape Porcupine Species Survival Plan, which helps manage genetic diversity and healthy populations in human care for their species. Waffles and Thistle have quickly bonded and can often . . .

For the tenth consecutive year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is nominated for Best Zoo in the U.S. in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Supporters can vote daily through Mon., March 9 at cmzoo.org/vote. A vote for CMZoo is a vote for your favorite animal and for your community, because a high ranking elevates the entire . . .

Part 1: Past Two years ago, we announced that our 20-year President & CEO, Bob Chastain, is retiring after 30 years of service to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. On Feb. 10, CMZoo’s board of directors announced Dave Ruhl, current executive vice president at CMZoo, will step into the role of president & CEO on June 12, . . .

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO Few things bond a family like an adventure, and our partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado call exercise the best medicine for many things. Exercise helps improve sleep, stress, mood and concentration, and they say it can treat and prevent some medical problems. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Run to the Shrine, . . .

Written by Jessi DiCola, Asian Highlands animal keeper Cora is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s first red panda in over 20 years! Cora joined the CMZoo family in July 2024, and as part of her care team, I have loved getting to know more about her and her wild counterparts. Cora’s name is a nod to wildlife . . .