News Archive

CONSERVATION Every visit and every membership to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is conservation in action. Between local projects supported by the annual Members-Only Conservation Vote, and ongoing global efforts supported by the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation program. Conservation never stops at CMZoo, and here are a few highlights from 2025. In September, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and . . .

Biggs and Percy welcomed their first chick on October 18, 2025, and they’re doing a great job caring for her! She already weighs about 6 pounds — nearly the size of an adult African penguin. This adorable chick is already making a big impact as an ambassador for African penguins. In 2024, African penguins were . . .

Celebrate our seventeen ‘flockstars’ on International African Penguin Awareness Day (IAPAD), on Sat., Oct. 11 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Zoo! You won’t want to miss six-month-old Sparrow’s very first IAPAD! Penguin enthusiasts can join us in Water’s Edge: Africa for crafts, games, and other activities available throughout the day. Don’t miss . . .

Thirty-four-year-old Goma moved to CMZoo, in 2016, on a breeding recommendation from the Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan, supported by Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited organizations, including CMZoo. Goma joined a tightly bonded group of females after coming from a bachelor group, and with time, introductions, and strong social bonds, the troop became a . . .

Each spring, the elusive flammulated owl returns to the quiet forests of Pike National Forest, Colorado, to raise a new generation. Thanks to the support of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members, CMZoo staff joined Dr. Brian Linkhart — who has dedicated over 40 years to studying these owls — to continue this long-term research. Funded by . . .

Waddle we do with all this cuteness? A tiny, fluffy African penguin chick made its grand debut at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in early April! This little one is growing up big and strong. At just 22 days old, the chick weighs 983 grams! Its care team monitors and weighs it every few days. This little . . .

Quarters for Conservation Legacy Project: Palm Oil Conservation The Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) recognized Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s collaborative palm oil conservation work at the RSPO annual conference in Bangkok last month. PalmOil Scan, a global mobile app that empowers consumers to choose companies that commit to using sustainable palm oil, won the RSPO . . .

During the cooler months, African penguins mostly focus on nesting and eating. As daylight hours decrease, they naturally pair up and settle in for snuggle season. While penguins don’t technically mate for life, they are monogamous and typically stay with the same partner during breeding season. The sixteen ‘flockstars’ at CMZoo have been together since . . .

This fall, volunteers and conservation experts gathered near Las Animas, Colorado, to release 33 endangered black-footed ferrets (BFFs) into the wild, including some that were born at CMZoo! 2024 was a record-breaking breeding year for CMZoo’s BFF conservation program, with 37 kits born! It was also a pioneering year. CMZoo’s conservationists tested multi-partner breeding to . . .

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. . . .