Over the last two years, African Rift Valley has been immersed in construction and change. The giraffe herd encountered new doors to shift through, construction sounds, a brand-new drawbridge to walk through into new yards, and regularly adjusted spaces – and they have done it with incredible resilience, trust in their care team, and even excitement and curiosity!
Their resilience was evident from the beginning. It’s like they knew that if they embraced the unfamiliar, their environment was about to change in a monumentally positive way.
This journey recently came to an end with the opening of the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe on Sept. 15. A few weeks before the grand opening, the giraffe herd gained access to the renovated and expanded yards and the brand-new Giraffe Center to slowly start adjusting again.
When the giraffe gate opened into the new yard, and Kay walked through without hesitation, if not with eagerness, it brought tears to my eyes. All the years of hard work making them comfortable and confident in their choices had paid off! After Kay, the remainder of the herd began exploring the new spaces with curiosity and wonder. They began exploring hundreds of pounds of elm suspended from 16 indoor winches, giving them 360-degree access to the branches for the first time, while also testing out the new substrates under their feet.
Seeing them explore the space so confidently, after so much thought, care, and love went into designing it, was incredibly rewarding. It was proof that we had created the right environment for them — and it was just the beginning of a fantastic new adventure.
The opening of this new center was years in the making. While their former full-time barn, now called the Training and Neonate Barn, has served the herd well for more than 20 years as a space for raising calves and training giraffe, the giraffe team saw an opportunity to do more for their everyday lives. We wanted to bring guests into the giraffe’s environment while also giving the herd more choice in how they spend their days. No idea was too big, as is evident in features like the island in the new barn and the trackless doorways designed specifically for giraffe. Innovation was the theme.
Being part of the out-of-the-box thinking, including helping design the circular layout of the barn, has been an incredible experience. My excitement over the months grew as the grand opening drew nearer, knowing that the herd was about to embark on an adventure not just for them, but for all giraffe in human care. The Giraffe Center allows the giraffe to have more choice. Choice on where to stand, eat, what climate to be in, be inside or outside, and even which giraffe they stand or walk beside – or play with. Watching the giraffe explore their new area with enthusiasm and courage makes me so proud. They went through a lot of changes in these past two years, and to get to see them finally explore all of it is the highlight of my career.
There’s still a lot of work to do for our herd and data to collect that will benefit giraffe everywhere through our workshops, webinars, and consultations. The information we’re gathering about where the giraffe choose to spend their time allows us to share insights with the giraffe community and help improve giraffe care. We can share these insights through our workshops and when consulting with other facilities.
We can share how Ohe likes to slink underneath browse and rub his back on it, then get the zoomies; how the giraffe follow the sun as it moves overhead, seeking the shady part of their environment; and how they utilize their water hole instead of what we designed to be ‘easier’, taller automatically refilling drinkers. This is natural giraffe behavior we were hoping to see. We had hoped designing an environment like this would elicit these behaviors and watching it in real time almost every day makes me smile from ear to ear.
Not every member of the herd who started this process with us was able to make it to the Giraffe Center..We have lost five foundational members during the last year while the Giraffe Center was being built. Those five – Mahali, Khalid, Muziki, Mashama, and Laikipia – were an important part of the thought, care, and heart that went into creating it. In many ways, it took every giraffe we cared for over the last 10 years to help bring the Giraffe Center to life, and their legacy will live on in this space. To honor their memory, our team placed hair from all five giraffe in the island planter, so their presence can remain part of the space their herd mates now enjoy.
I’m overjoyed to be part of this journey and can’t wait to see what we continue to learn from our giraffe herd and how that knowledge can help shape the future of giraffe care.
While all giraffe have beautiful, one-of-a-kind spot patterns, behaviors, and sizes, it can still be tricky to tell them apart! Get to know the CMZoo giraffe tower, from their unique physical features to their individual behaviors. Then, see if you can spot each one in the brand-new Giraffe Center during your next visit to CMZoo!
Khari
Khari [KAH-ree]
Age: Ten months Birthday: November 2, 2025 Distinguishing features: Khari is currently the smallest giraffe in the herd and has dark cinnamon features. Fast Facts: The newest and youngest member of the herd, Khari is curious and bold. As our future breeding bull, he’ll eventually play an important role in the herd’s next generation. For now, he’s busy growing, exploring his new home, getting to know his herdmates, and showing off his enthusiasm for browse — he really knows how to rip leaves off those branches!
Thorn
Thorn
Age: One Birthday: March 7, 2025 Distinguishing features: Thorn is one of the smaller giraffes in the herd and has especially pointy ears and two spots stacked on top of each other on the side of his neck. Fast Facts: One of the herd’s youngest members, Thorn, is curious, confident, and always ready to investigate something new. He was the first giraffe to venture into the new Giraffe Center when the herd was given access! Thorn’s family tree also runs deep at CMZoo. His mom, BB, was born here, and his grandfather was legendary breeding bull Khalid, who passed away in December 2025. Thorn is also good friends with Ohe — they often follow each other around and hang out together.
Kinda
Kinda (rhymes with Linda)
Age: Three Birthday: August 19, 2023 Distinguishing features: She’s easy to spot in the herd because she’s one of the smallest giraffe and has a darker brown coat than the other littles. Fast Facts: Kinda is curious, outgoing and one of the most confident members of the herd. She typically loves spending time with the younger giraffe and Tumbili! Despite Kinda being one of the shortest giraffe while Tumbili is one of the tallest, they’re often side by side. Kinda also loves training with her care team, where she’s learning important behaviors like hoof care and blood draws. She’s incredibly smart and food-motivated, and she’s always looking for creative ways to earn her treats — even occasionally trying to sneak a little extra from the keeper’s bucket! Her confidence and trusting relationship with her care team helped her easily integrate into the herd.
Wednesday
Age: Three Birthday: October 19, 2022 Distinguishing features: Wednesday has one of the lightest faces in the herd, with her spot pattern fading in color from her neck up to her cheeks and ossicones. Fast Facts: Wednesday has been a pro trainer since she was little. She participates in husbandry behaviors, like injection and hoof-care training, and, as far as we know, she’s the youngest giraffe ever to voluntarily participate in a blood draw. Wednesday is also very curious and seems to enjoy eating, training, and getting the zoomies with the other youngsters in the herd. She and Kay have developed a close bestie relationship.
Kay
Age: Four Birthday: February 27, 2022 Distinguishing features: She’s often easy to spot when she and her bestie, Wednesday, are together, as Kay has a darker cinnamon tone. Fast Facts: Kay is an all-in kind of giraffe. Kay is confident, interested in her surroundings, and always ready to interact with her care team and guests. Kay is very bold and tends to be the giraffe who explores new spaces and enrichment first. She loves taking lettuce from guests and enjoys participating in training sessions, usually while hanging out with her bestie, Wednesday.
Viv
Viv
Age: Seven Birthday: July 6, 2019 Distinguishing features: Viv is easy to spot by the butterfly-shaped marking on the front of her neck, her whiter face, and her especially symmetrical ears and ossicones. Fast Facts: Viv was born just a few days after the Fourth of July and has certainly lived up to her nickname, “Firecracker”! She showed off her energy from the very beginning, leap-frogging over her mom’s back while her mom was lying down just six hours after she was born. That same “firecracker” energy has stayed with her as she’s grown. Viv is confident, curious, strong, and independent, and she’s always interested in what’s happening around her, whether she’s interacting with guests, her care team, or the rest of the herd.
Ohe [oh-HEE]
Age: Eight Birthday: July 22, 2018 Distinguishing features: As the only Nubian giraffe in the herd, Ohe stands out with his darker coloring, wider-set eyes, and tall, muscular build. Fast Facts: Ohe has earned a reputation as the herd’s “big brother” or “uncle,” especially with the younger giraffe. He loves spending time with the calves and often follows Thorn around as he explores. He’s especially fun to watch explore the brand-new Giraffe Center, where he enjoys splashing in puddles and the waterhole, walking beneath the hanging browse, and even jumping and kicking his legs out like he’s frolicking. Ohe enjoys having a little space between himself and guests, but he’s interested in interacting from a comfortable distance — especially when snacks are involved!
Bailey
Age: Fourteen Birthday: March 16, 2012
Distinguishing features: Bailey has two symmetrical shapes on the front of her shoulders and two identical spots on her chest, resembling two shark fins. Fast Facts: Bailey is a superstar at CMZoo. She is the mother of two daughters, BB, who lives at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, and Wednesday, and is a grandmother to Thorn! Bailey is brave, intelligent, and always eager to learn and participate in training sessions with her care team. She is also one of our giraffe trained to participate in blood draws. Blood samples collected from Bailey have directly supported giraffe conservation by allowing the Giraffe Center team to test the dosing and longevity of a medication that could help wild giraffe combat skin disease.
Turnbill on top, Bailey below
Tumbili [toom-BEE-lee]
Age: Sixteen Birthday: March 24, 2010 Distinguishing features: Other than being the tallest giraffe in the herd, he has three narrow spots on his chest, with the two on the left side shaped like an hourglass. He also has the shortest ossicones in the herd. Fast Facts: If you’ve had the opportunity to feed our giraffe herd, chances are you’ve met Tumbili! He has a big presence and is often one of the first giraffe to greet guests and take lettuce. Tumbili is incredibly smart and curious, which makes training sessions with him especially engaging for his care team. He’s a great problem-solver and is often several steps ahead of his care team, sometimes finding creative ways to complete a behavior and earn his favorite rewards. His curiosity extends beyond training, too. Tumbili is often eager to investigate new enrichment items and whatever his care team is working on.
Msitu [muh-SEE’-too]
Age: Seventeen Birthday: February 5, 2009 Distinguishing features: You can also tell her apart from the rest of the herd by her cinnamon coloring and wide ossicones. Fast Facts: Msitu is one of the most outgoing giraffe in the herd and is often one of the first to greet guests at lettuce feeding areas. If you’ve been enthusiastically approached by a giraffe while feeding the herd on the boardwalk, chances are good it was Msitu. She’s also a star at training, where she excels at hoof care and is a pro at participating in blood draws. Blood collected from Msitu is donated to the Giraffe Plasma Bank, helping support giraffe health and conservation. Msitu is also an experienced mom — she has had three calves, including Viv, who still lives here at CMZoo!
Azmera
Azmera
Age: Nineteen Birthday: July 24, 2007 Distinguishing features: One of the easiest ways to spot Azmera is by the unique shape of her ossicones, which form a triangle almost like the letter “A.” She’s also one of the smallest adult female giraffe at CMZoo and has distinctive double-diamond markings on her chest. Fast Facts: Azmera is part of the “golden gang” of aging giraffe, along with Lakeisha and Amani. Azmera takes time to build trust, but once that bond is formed, she develops a strong relationship with her care team and confidently participates in training and important healthcare behaviors. She’s a quick learner who knows exactly what she wants, whether she’s earning a favorite snack or letting her keepers know when she’s ready for a break. Her care team especially loves her adorable floppy ears, which often droop when she’s resting.
Lakeisha
Age: Twenty-six Birthday: March 9, 2000 Distinguishing features: Keep an eye out for these three clues to spot her in the herd: a little bump on her nose, a bow-tie-shaped spot pattern on her chest, and ossicones that sit close together. Fast Facts: Lakeisha is part of the “golden gang” of aging giraffe and is the second-oldest giraffe in the herd. Recently, she was the first giraffe to venture into the renovated and expanded yards connected to the Giraffe Center! Lakeisha has a unique way of taking lettuce from guests. When she reaches up to gently grab a piece, she often shows her bottom teeth, giving her the appearance of smiling as she eats. She’s also very patient, waiting her turn instead of pushing other giraffe out of the way. You may even see just the tip of her tongue peeking out as she waits for a tasty piece of browse or lettuce.
Amani
Age: Twenty-six Birthday: December 13, 1999 Distinguishing features: Some of Amani’s distinguishing features include her dark, bushy ossicones and dark face. She also has a distinctive rectangle-shaped marking on her chest and is one of the largest giraffe in the herd. Fast Facts: Amani, the oldest golden gal in the herd, lives up to her name, which means “peace” in Swahili. She’s calm and patient during training sessions with her care team, while interacting with the herd and when gently taking lettuce from guests. As she’s gotten older, Amani has developed some age-related discomfort, and her care team provides her with pain medication to help keep her comfortable. Even so, she continues to participate in important healthcare behaviors, including hoof care and blood draw training. Despite being one of the largest giraffe in the herd, Amani is gentle and patiently waits her turn for lettuce. She’s also especially good with the giraffe calves and has a close bond with her best friend, Lakeisha, who she grew up with.
Inside these climate-controlled hydroponic farms, our horticulture team grows fresh produce year-round for the animals, including romaine lettuce, kale, bok choy, wheatgrass, and more.
About 60% of giraffe feeding lettuce is grown right here at CMZoo. And now, that fresh lettuce has an even shorter journey — from farm to giraffe!
Come see the shipping container farms during your next visit and learn how they’re helping us grow fresh food for the animals we care for.
On Tues., Sept. 15, we celebrated the Giraffe Center grand opening by inviting the community to CMZoo for a day of festivities, including live music, free lettuce to feed the giraffe, access to the brand-new Giraffe Center, and opportunities to learn from our docents. The day kicked off with a special opening ceremony featuring several speakers and was made even more memorable by all the members, guests, staff, and giraffe who joined us to celebrate this exciting new chapter. If you haven’t visited yet, we can’t wait to welcome you to the brand-new Giraffe Center soon!
Advance timed tickets with on-site parking are limited, and anytime-entry rideshare tickets are always available. Learn more at cmzoo.org/visit and cmzoo.org/rideshare.
There’s a new cutie-pie at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – a 10-month-old male reticulated giraffe named Khari (pronounced KAH-ree ). He joined the herd from Roosevelt Park Zoo in Minot, North Dakota, on Thurs., Sept. 17, and he is settling in well – already taking lettuce from guests and stealing hearts along the way.
“Khari is one of five ‘littles’ at our Zoo – all under five years old – and they are so much fun to watch running around and being curious about every opportunity we can provide them in our beautiful new Giraffe Center,” Jake Beiermann, giraffe keeper, says. “We’re looking at the next generation of giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and that’s pretty exciting.”
Khari is here to fill big hooves. He came to CMZoo to be the next breeding bull, following the passing of Khalid (kuh-LEED), CMZoo’s longtime ‘Big Daddy’ breeding bull, in December 2025.
“We’re being strategic by bringing a young bull in before he’s reproductively mature,” Jake says. “Historically, we would house breeding bulls separately, typically because they’re not as socially integrated into the herd. We’re hopeful that Khari can grow up with the herd, learn the social dynamics and get lessons in manners from our confident females, so he can live with the herd longer and reduce the time he’s not with the whole herd.”
Male giraffe are reproductively mature around three years old in human care. Females in human care typically reach breeding age around four. Jake says that’s a little bit earlier than when wild giraffe reach reproductive maturity, and that happens because they are getting all of their needs met in human care and can develop and focus on reproduction sooner than wild giraffe.
Despite being the smallest in the herd, Khari already stands out. Jake calls him ‘quite bulky’ compared to some of the other giraffe, particularly noting his muscular hind legs. He has a slender, darker, caramel-colored face, and his ossicones’ top hair is still slicked back, signature for younger giraffe.
Khari has a gorgeous mane, which is longer than his herdmates’, and has sort of a ‘split mohawk’ at his shoulders. Khari’s face is darker than Thorn’s – the other little male in the herd, who has been neutered because his genetics are well represented in human care. One-year-old Thorn came to CMZoo from Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA) in May 2026. Thorn is the son of BB, a female giraffe born at CMZoo who now lives at DZCA, and the grandson of Khalid.
“Khari hasn’t shown any hesitation going into any spaces, so we’re happy to see the recently renovated and expanded space is making him comfortable,” Jake says. “We’re really lucky that he arrived right as we opened the new Giraffe Center because he and the herd have lots of space to approach or move away from each other in ways that give them choices about who they want to spend time with and feel confident.”
Khari had met the entire herd by his fourth day on the mountain. He first met Amani, the oldest female giraffe known for her gentle nature with calves. Thorn and Khari have been seen exploring and playing together regularly. Kay, a 4-year-old giraffe, seems to be displaying a more maternal instinct for Khari. She checks on him regularly and nuzzles him, but she also initiates zoomies and playtime. Ohe (OH-hee), a playful 8-year-old male giraffe who the CMZoo community has affectionately nicknamed ‘Uncle Ohe’ because of his playful interactions with the littles, is also welcoming Khari as a new bestie. Ohe playfully nudges Khari and encourages him to zoom around with the little ones.
On his second day, Khari hung out with the younger crew – Wednesday, Kay, Kinda and Thorn – along with Ohe. Jake says ‘Uncle Ohe’ couldn’t contain his excitement, and was zooming and doing his signature ‘play kicks’ all day.
To give Khari and the herd time to rest and feel comfortable in a new space, he will be separated with a couple of other gentle giraffe while they spend the night in the Giraffe Training Center (the former full-time giraffe barn, which is now used for training, medical care, and future births). The Giraffe Training Center will allow guests to watch giraffe training up-close, and will provide warm indoor spaces in guest view for African Cape porcupines, African spurred tortoise, and Red River hogs, when they return to CMZoo.
The herd is starting to spend some nights in the new Giraffe Center, but sometimes they choose the familiarity of shifting into the Giraffe Training Center at night. The giraffe care team is also considering temperatures at night. Giraffe, especially little ones like Khari, need warmer temperatures at night when there’s no sunshine to keep them warm. When they stay in the new Giraffe Center, they have indoor and outdoor access at first – another effort to make sure the giraffe are totally comfortable in their new barn before the doors are closed behind them on colder nights.
They’re making great progress in the new space, and their care team just opened a brand-new, CMZoo-first way for guests to visit with them – the floor-level feeding area! Seeing the herd positively react to small groups visiting the floor-level feeding area in the Giraffe Center, it is now open to the public regularly. During the day, guests can stand foot-to-hoof with the herd, and get face-to-face with the littles in this innovative new experience.
“The experience of feeding a giraffe at foot level is truly amazing,” Jake says. “With a growing group of littles, it’s a great way to make connections with the shorties in the herd. The giraffe, tall and short, seem to like taking lettuce and browse from our guests in that space inside the barn.”
Guests can meet Khari and visit the herd in the newly opened Giraffe Center right away!
MON., SEPT. 14 THROUGH SUN., SEPT. 20, MILITARY FAMILIES CAN ENJOY 50% OFF DAYTIME ADMISSION – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s annual Military Appreciation Week kicks off on Mon., Sept. 14 and goes through Sun., Sept. 20. All active-duty, veteran and retired military members and their dependents who live in the same household can receive 50% off the base Zoo admission cost for the day and time they choose to attend. Advance timed tickets with on-site parking are required and limited. Anytime rideshare tickets are always available. Get tickets and see all the details at cmzoo.org/military.
It’s a week of even bigger thanks to those who have served our great country. As an added bonus, Military Appreciation Week is the same week as the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (Giraffe Center) Grand Opening and Centennial Celebration!
CMZoo is inviting media, members, the public, staff, and board members to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Giraffe Center at 9:30 a.m. on Tues., Sept. 15, 2026.
During the event, attendees will hear remarks from CMZoo Board Chair, Mike Edmonds, Ryan Trujillo, Board Member and Deputy Chief of Staff to Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade, and CMZoo President and CEO, Dave Ruhl. Then, the Giraffe Center will open to the public!
The Giraffe Center is a 12,000 square-foot giraffe barn and renovated and expanded giraffe yard. For the first time in CMZoo history, guests will be able to feed and observe giraffe from every angle – from above, face-to-face and feet-to hooves.
The Giraffe Center Grand Opening is also the kickoff to a six-day celebration of the Zoo’s centennial anniversary. Throughout the Zoo from Tues., Sept. 15 through Sun., Sept. 20, guests will notice free add-on experiences to commemorate the Zoo’s centennial year, including live bands, caricature artists, chalk artists, and more.
FAST FACTS
Military Appreciation Week at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
— Mon., Sept. 14 through Sun., Sept. 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
— Discount of 50% off base daytime Zoo admission
— Advance timed tickets with on-site parking are required and limited. Anytime rideshare tickets are available.
— Discount is available to active-duty, veteran or retired military and their immediate family in the same household.
— For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.cmzoo.org/military.
Giraffe Center Grand Opening at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
— Tues., Sept. 15 from 9:30 to 10 a.m.
— Be among the first to explore the brand-new Giraffe Center!
— Feed the giraffe herd and explore the rest of the Zoo during the Zoo’s centennial celebration.
— Advance timed tickets with on-site parking are required, and rideshare tickets are available – even if timed tickets sell out.
Tickets, schedules, and more information are available at cmzoo.org. Rideshare tickets are always available at cmzoo.org/rideshare.
Centennial Celebration
— This six-day celebration is from Tues., Sept. 15 through Sun., Sept. 20.
— Free add-on experiences on various days during daytime admission, including live bands, caricature artists, a vintage car show, chalk artists, and more.
— Advance timed tickets with on-site parking are required, and rideshare tickets are available – even if timed tickets sell out.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Military Appreciation Week is possible because of the generous support of our partners, Black Bear Diner, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Wings Credit Union, Renewal by Andersen, and your Colorado Springs Toyota dealers.
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 2026, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY’s 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 $6 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 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.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is remembering Laikipia (lah-KEY-pee-yah), a 19- year-old female giraffe. She passed away without human intervention early Monday morning. Her cause of death has not been identified, but she had a sudden decline over the past two days. Born at CMZoo in 2007, Laikipia is well known by Zoo members and giraffe fans.
“Life was on her terms, until the very end,” Kacie Meffley, giraffe manager at CMZoo, says. “It seemed to be a peaceful passing, and her herd mates were nearby. She was a big giraffe in stature and in presence, and she was gentle. She was ‘big love’ embodied, and she’ll be deeply missed by our herd and humans alike.”
Laikipia was tall for a female giraffe, and weighed around 2,000 pounds – almost the size of a bull giraffe. Kacie remembers literally feeling the dirt ground shake when Laikipia walked into a space. Laikipia’s confidence matched her size, and as one of the eldest and largest giraffe in the herd, she had the respect of the herd. She would often push to the front of any feeding opportunity or block a doorway if she decided she wasn’t on board with keepers’ plan to move the herd to another yard or stall.
“She knew her power, and she didn’t get rattled by anything,” Kacie says. “The little ones would watch her being curious about a new sight or sound, and they’d follow her lead to be curious instead of concerned.”
Although never a mother herself, she was often one of the first giraffe to welcome new giraffe and calves to the herd. With her calming presence, her role as a ‘nanny giraffe,’ helped countless giraffe settle into the CMZoo herd.
“She loved giraffe babies, people, and her care team,” Kacie says. “When she looked at you, her eyes were just so gentle and loving. Most giraffe don’t let our guests pet them, but we would see Laikipia putting her head right into a crowd of people and letting them pet her and love on her while they fed her lettuce. If you saw a giraffe with a group of guests at our Zoo, it was probably Laikipia, with her beautiful dark markings.”
Kacie says Laikipia also loved food. She was the first giraffe to greet her team in the mornings, and would be standing at their arrival point, ready for snacks. She had a signature ‘hurry up’ move if the snacks weren’t being delivered at her required pace.
“She had this endearing behavior of sticking her tongue out,” Kacie says. “That was her way of telling us to hurry up, and it usually worked.”
Laikipia was incredibly intelligent, and has participated in the Zoo’s innovative hoof care programs since she was five years old, when the program first began. That intelligence and training served her well, until late July when she showed her team she needed support beyond that cooperative care. Her team rallied experts from around the country, and Laikipia went under anesthesia to receive treatments for hoof and joint issues.
“This loss is especially hard on our staff, who went above and beyond for Laikipia,” Dave Ruhl, president and CEO, says. “Their commitment to her treatment and recovery was tireless and admirable. We’re grateful that Laikipia’s team got to see her exploring the new Giraffe Center with her herd last week, and we’ll be remembering her – and all that she taught us – when we open the new habitat in September.”
On Sunday, the afternoon before she passed, Laikipia participated in a hoof care check, as a follow-up to her procedure. All signs from that check-up indicated that Laikipia was healing well and on track with recovery.
“She trusted us, and knew she was in control, and that really shined during training sessions with her,” Kacie says. “Laikipia was a go-to giraffe for teaching other visiting teams how to train giraffe at our workshops. She would waltz into the training area, curl her hoof right up on the block and look around like, ‘who’s up and where are the rye crackers?’”
Laikipia will continue to teach her team, and the giraffe care profession. They’ll study her hoof anatomy and share their findings with giraffe care teams around the world.
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 2026, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY’s 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 $6 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 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.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is inviting media, members, the public, staff, and board members to celebrate the grand opening of the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (Giraffe Center) at 9:30 a.m. on Tues., Sept. 15, 2026.
During the event, attendees will hear remarks from CMZoo Board Chair, Mike Edmonds, and CMZoo President and CEO, Dave Ruhl. Then, the Giraffe Center will open to the public!
The Giraffe Center is a 12,000 square-foot giraffe barn and renovated and expanded giraffe yard. For the first time in CMZoo history, guests will be able to feed and observe giraffe from every angle – from above, face-to-face and feet-to-hooves.
The new giraffe habitat is all about choice for giraffe and guests. Giraffe have opportunities to interact with guests in new and exciting ways and engage in enriching activities throughout their habitat, independent of keepers and guests. The goal is to fill every 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.
“We are so excited to welcome our community to the Giraffe Center,” Dave Ruhl, CMZoo president and CEO, said. “I can’t wait to stand back and watch my team, who have worked so hard to pull this amazing habitat together, enjoy seeing people’s jaws drop at the breathtaking setting. If you loved feeding giraffe at the Zoo before, you’re going to be blown away at the ways this team imagined to make it even better – for our giraffe and for our community.”
The giraffe yard will grow in size by 25 percent, and will have additional spaces for giraffe to explore. It includes a new feeding tower and switchbacks 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 overall well-being, and providing more opportunities for people to fall in love with giraffe and be inspired to protect them in the wild.
The indoor space features natural floor substrates and fresh air, provided by giraffe-size garage doors and windows – and guests can feed them from each location (including traversing a rope bridge or stairs to a feeding island in the center of the indoor barn). The barn has an ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) clear roof that will fill the interior space with natural sunlight and moonlight. This innovative material is low maintenance and fire- and hail-resistant. It is used in sports stadiums, airports, and some European zoos to create visually striking and functional spaces.
Advance timed tickets with on-site parking are required, and rideshare tickets are always available – even if timed tickets sell out. Tickets, schedules, and more information are available at cmzoo.org. Rideshare tickets are always available at cmzoo.org/rideshare.
Of the 237 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. The massive, innovative Giraffe Center was funded entirely by the Zoo and its generous donors.
“Our incredible community helped make this happen,” Ruhl said. “By coming to the Zoo, you invest in the Zoo’s future for all of us to enjoy and for the benefit of animals – here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and in the wild. Every visit is conservation in action, and every visit helps us fund the best possible welfare for the animals in our care.”
Seventy-five cents from every visit and $25,000 a year fund Quarters for Conservation – a program that has raised more than six million dollars for conservation efforts around the world, and right here in Colorado.
The Giraffe Center Grand Opening is also the kickoff to a six-day celebration of the Zoo’s centennial anniversary. Throughout the Zoo from Tues., Sept. 15 through Sun., Sept. 20, guests will notice free add-on experiences to commemorate the Zoo’s centennial year, including live bands, caricature artists, chalk artists, and more.
“One hundred years ago, Spencer Penrose’s dream was not simply to create a collection of animals, but to build something lasting for the people of the Pikes Peak Region,” Ruhl said. “Because of the stewardship of leaders of the past century, the Zoo Spencer Penrose imagined a century ago will continue inspiring people to care for wildlife and wild places for the next hundred years and beyond. When people visit the Giraffe Center, they will see that we are building on that dream in breathtaking ways.”
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 2026, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 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 $6 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 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.
Laikipia (pronounced lah-KEY-pee-yah), a 19-year-old female giraffe at The International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Giraffe Center), will receive treatments under anesthesia for progressing hoof and joint issues at the end of July. To prepare, her care team is leaning on their expertise and a collaborative network of giraffe professionals.
Laikipia was born at CMZoo in 2007. As one of the older females in the herd, many CMZoo fans know her well. She’s one of the tallest females and has beautiful darker markings on her face.
At 2,000 pounds, she weighs almost as much as a bull giraffe, and her confidence matches her stature. Her care team calls her ‘sweet’ and highlights her impressive repertoire of trained behaviors, like voluntary hoof care, blood draws, and more.
“When she was younger, she was a spitfire,” Amy Schilz, Giraffe Center director, says. “She would run around and get the babies to run around with her. She has embraced her calm confidence as an older giraffe now, but she’s still very social with the herd, keepers, and guests.”
Amy remembers Laikipia, with her high energy, being a bit intimidating to train when they first started working together in 2013. Intimidating because of her size and energy, but also incredibly observant and smart.
“She was about five years old when we started our hoof care training program,” Amy says. “She was the last giraffe to start the program. We thought we would have our work cut out for us, but she quickly showed us we were wrong. Because she had watched the other giraffe train, when she walked into the training stall, she immediately put her foot on the block, curled it, and looked at us, like ‘where’s my cracker?’”
As part of the ‘golden gang’ of aging giraffe in the CMZoo herd, Laikipia chooses to spend most of her time with Azmera (19), Lakeisha (26), and Amani (26). She prefers a slower pace of life these days, but doesn’t miss an opportunity to take lettuce from guests or enjoy fresh browse (tree branches) – her favorite food.
As she and her herdmate besties age, their care team continues voluntary training with them, but awake treatments are by no means ‘the limit’ of care they’ll provide.
As a longtime participant in the Giraffe Center’s renowned voluntary hoof care training program, Laikipia has allowed her team to trim, file, and shape her hooves while she’s awake. But, she recently started showing signs that it’s uncomfortable to stand for training.
“We love Laikipia, and there are more options available for her under anesthesia,” Amy says. “We don’t want to cause her any pain or lose her trust because some of the necessary treatments could be painful while they’re happening.”
Giraffe immobilizations may seem novel to the CMZoo community because CMZoo rarely needs to anesthetize giraffe for care. Giraffe immobilizations have been associated with high mortalities, but practices have significantly improved outcomes in recent years. Still, giraffe immobilizations are not without risks, and the team has planned meticulously to minimize them.
CMZoo is a known expert in giraffe care, but leaning into the Giraffe Center’s mission to unite a diverse array of stakeholders within the giraffe community, fostering collaboration, and forging vital connections to enhance the wellbeing of giraffe everywhere, they’re calling on their peers from other organizations to help them provide the best care possible for Laikipia.
The specific details about when Laikipia’s procedure will occur will not be shared in advance, for safety reasons. When the procedure is complete, CMZoo will share an update.
