Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Author at CMZoo

BOB CHASTAIN, PRESIDENT & CEO WILL RETIRE IN JUNE 2026 – After an international executive search, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Board of Directors announced today that they have elected Dave Ruhl, CMZoo’s current executive vice president, as the Zoo’s incoming president & CEO, effective June 12, 2026.

Dave Ruhl, incoming President & CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo — Dave Ruhl, incoming President & CEO Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

“The Zoo’s future is in excellent hands with Dave leading our tremendous staff and supporters,” Ann Naughton, CMZoo board chair, says. “In the past 20 years, under Bob Chastain’s excellent leadership, the Zoo has grown to become financially stable and culturally strong. Dave’s experience and stellar reputation in the greater zoo community and his proven record of accomplishment at our Zoo will elevate Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s already-gold standard. Dave has shown us he can lead our unique Zoo to continued success in animal welfare, conservation, staff support and morale, financial acumen, community involvement, vision and stability.”

The announcement comes nearly two years after Bob Chastain, CMZoo’s current president & CEO, announced his retirement, effective June 12, 2026. The board’s executive search committee hired a third-party executive search firm to manage the recruitment process, which attracted candidates from across the continent.

“Over the last two years, Dave and I have worked tirelessly toward making sure he was the right person to entrust the Zoo to,” Bob Chastain, CMZoo’s 20-year president & CEO, says. “His work ethic and dedication to our mission are admirable.”

Ruhl joined CMZoo as vice president of operations and campus planning in April 2020. After three years on the executive leadership team at the Zoo, he was promoted to executive vice president. Ruhl is active with the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, the Better Business Bureau and Leadership Pikes Peak.

In his time at CMZoo, Ruhl has worked in partnership with Chastain on the design, construction and financial management of the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe – an innovative giraffe habitat set to open in summer 2026. Chastain noted that without Ruhl’s daily guidance, the Giraffe Center would likely be opening months later than planned. In June 2020, Ruhl led the team through the final stages of opening of the Zoo’s new home to hippos, penguins, lemurs and more, Water’s Edge: Africa.

In addition to high-profile roles at CMZoo, Ruhl has focused on equally important but less public efforts like starting the Zoo’s first intramural kickball and soccer teams, enthusiastically supported by more than 40 participating staff. Known for his people-first approach and a quiet “believe” mindset, he brings levity to the workday through work-friendly Taylor Swift playlists in his office, depending on meeting attendees’ levels of Swiftieness.

“My leadership philosophy is very much people-first and service-driven,” Ruhl says. “I believe if you take great care of the people doing great work and give them a clear vision and direction, they’ll take care of the mission and the day-to-day operations. I try to lead with compassion, trust and curiosity, giving people the support, clarity and autonomy they need to do their best work. I see my role as removing barriers, asking good questions and helping people grow. I describe it as coaching from the side, not commanding from the front. It’s a blend of servant and transformational leadership, grounded in relationships and focused on building confident, capable teams that thrive well beyond me.”

Ruhl’s experience in the zoo profession spans back to 1998, when he supported Toledo Zoo as a third-party estimator and project manager for a major construction project. In March 2001, he joined Toledo Zoo’s team as a project manager and later as assistant director of facilities construction, and led capital planning and construction for eight major construction projects and countless smaller projects, totaling over $100 million.

His passion for conservation grew there, too. He established a set of ‘green guiding values’ and ‘principles of green construction’ used in the design and construction of all projects. He also led successful campaigns to gain county voters’ approval for a capital property levy and an operating property tax levy in the early 2000s. Although CMZoo is one of the few AZA-accredited nonprofit zoos that does not receive tax support, his experience leading community campaigns will be vital as CMZoo sets its sights on its next capital campaign and a new ten-year master plan.

Ruhl has extensive experience in zoo safety and emergency leadership. During his time at Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society, he developed a two-key/two-lock system to increase safety of animal keepers who work in dangerous animal areas. Today, that system is used in many facilities across the zoo profession. He has certifications in Mental Health First Aid, wildland firefighting, large animal rescue, incident command system and active threat response, and he served as incident commander for Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society in Florida during Hurricane Irma.

“With nearly 30 years’ experience in zoos, I can truly say that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is special,” Ruhl says. “I’m committed to maintaining the experiences that our members and guests love, while finding new ways to invite more people to our Zoo. We will continue to improve the experiences we create for our members and guests while improving the wellbeing of animals in our care and our community’s impact on worldwide conservation. We’ll also strengthen our commitment to sustainability and reduce our impact on the planet, while doubling down on our investment in our people, supporting their growth, wellbeing and satisfaction at the Zoo. The weight of this role is not lost on me. Over the next four months, I’ll continue absorbing every lesson I can from Bob before stepping into this exciting and meaningful role for our community.”

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 2025, 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.

CMZOO IS NOMINATED FOR BEST ZOO IN THE U.S. BY USA TODAY’SREADERS’ CHOICE AWARDS
Supporters can vote daily at cmzoo.org/vote.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo wants you to vote for Sully – or Viv, or Som, or Digger, or Cora! 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 Zoo – and Colorado Springs.

10 reasons to vote for CMZoo in this top-ten contest:

In 2026, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is celebrating 100 years of growth in animal care, conservation, education and community!
America’s mountain Zoo is one of the only nonprofit zoos accredited by the Association of Zoo and Aquariums (AZA) that does not receive any tax support. Zoo improvements, operations, animal care and field conservation are funded through admissions, memberships, programs, donations and grants.
CMZoo’s International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe connects giraffe care teams across the globe to resources, best practices, trainings and research, improving and even saving the lives of countless giraffe. The new 12,000 sq. ft. Giraffe Center will open this summer!
More than 800,000 people visit the Zoo each year. While visiting the Zoo, guests to the Pikes Peak region also patronize Colorado Springs’ local lodging, restaurants and tourism attractions.
Understanding its unique opportunity to connect people to native, rare and endangered animals, CMZoo aims to make every visit inspiring. The Zoo does that by designing animal homes that bring guests closer than ever to species from all over the world, and right here in Colorado.
It’s one of the few zoos in the country where guests can see an Alaska moose, Atka, who was orphaned in the wild in 2020 when CMZoo took him in. CMZoo is also home to Mochi, one of only three mountain tapirs in human care in the country.
Through keeper talks and animal demonstrations during daily visits, special events just for the grown-ups, small-group tours, camps, birthday parties and more, Colorado Springs’ Zoo works to make everyone welcome to tap into their inner child and explore the mountain at their own pace.
In 2025, CMZoo celebrated raising $6 million for frontline conservation efforts, including over a million dollars for African elephant and black rhino conservation and over a million dollars raised for orangutan conservation.
Its latest AZA accreditation was historic. In nearly 50 years of AZA accreditations, CMZoo was only the fourth organization to earn a completely ‘clean’ report, which means there wasn’t a single major or minor concern reported.
In the past year, the Zoo welcomed a baby gorilla, two penguin chicks, lar gibbons and more to the family, while continuing its important work breeding and releasing critically endangered native black-footed ferrets and Wyoming toads.

Anyone who has made eye contact with a tiger, petted a wallaby, felt the roar of an African lion, hand-fed a giraffe or walked alongside an African penguin knows how special our hometown Zoo is. This friendly competition amongst zoos nationwide is an excellent way to show your support.

Voting continues now through 10 a.m. MT on Mon., March 9. Supporters are encouraged to vote every day at cmzoo.org/vote.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

It’s a big year at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! In 2026, CMZoo is celebrating its centennial year, welcoming a new President & CEO and opening a brand-new Giraffe Center.

Celebrating the Centennial
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was established in 1926 by Colorado Springs legend, Spencer Penrose. Having earned considerable wealth from mining enterprises, he expanded his entrepreneurial endeavors in the early 1900s to help develop the Pikes Peak Region. Spencer opened The Broadmoor Hotel in 1918, and over the next several years, he was gifted and purchased exotic animals to impress his visitors.

Spencer’s first wild animals were a black bear and a small herd of black-tailed deer and elk. He kept them at his Turkey Creek Ranch, about 20 miles south of The Broadmoor. Bears, mountain lions, monkeys and more lived in enclosures that lined The Broadmoor golf course, where hotel guests could visit them. This foundational association with the hotel sparked a long-standing misconception that Spencer’s zoo, later Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, was owned by The Broadmoor. But, CMZoo is an independently operated Zoo, and one of the only facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that receives no tax support.

In 1926 and 1927, Spencer’s exotic animals were relocated from The Broadmoor golf course to the Zoo, not because of a notorious monkey bite as some histories claim, but to make way for a major golf tournament at The Broadmoor. So, if you have no other reason to be a fan of golf, you can thank the sport for contributing to the early beginnings of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo!

In 2026, CMZoo is celebrating a mountain of memories, and 100 years of growth in animal care, conservation, education and community. Throughout the year, the Zoo will share its legacy and historical fun facts. Plus, the Zoo is inviting the public to share their CMZoo stories for a chance to be featured on the Zoo’s social channels.

In summer 2026, the Zoo will host a weeklong celebration alongside the grand opening of the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe. More details to come!

Welcoming a New CEO
In May 2024, CMZoo announced that 20-year President & CEO, Bob Chastain, is retiring after 30 years of service to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. During his tenure, Bob has represented CMZoo in the modern zoo and conservation professions. He has served as Chair of the Safety Committee for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), on the AZA and World Association of Zoos and Aquariums boards and locally on the Colorado Springs Wildfire Mitigation Advisory Committee.

The Zoo’s executive search for a new President & CEO is making great progress, so stay tuned for an exciting announcement in the coming months.

The Zoo plans to honor Bob’s contributions to the Zoo and Colorado Springs as his retirement date grows closer. In Bob’s final six months at the Zoo (he retires in June!), he’ll share a series of letters in The Waterhole. Bob’s letters will focus on the themes of ‘past, present and future.’ He’ll share anecdotes and memorable milestones that helped make Cheyenne Mountain Zoo a local treasure, a national destination and an international leader in animal care and conservation.

Opening the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe
The historic International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (the Giraffe Center), along with a new admissions experience, Quarters for Conservation plaza, gift shop and café, are on schedule to open this summer!

The $40 million dollar project, funded through Zoo revenue and donations, will increase the giraffe herd’s outdoor space by 25 percent and expand their indoor space with a 12,000-square-foot giraffe barn. Keep up with the latest construction updates by watching Bob’s Blueprints, a video series that highlights the progress and incredible elements included in the Giraffe Center.

It’s hard to believe, but the Zoo’s African Rift Valley habitat, home to the Zoo’s iconic 16-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, established in 2022, CMZoo is a recognized 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, to expand educational programs, and to improve and enrich the lives of giraffe in human care throughout the world.

The new giraffe habitat’s expanded yard will have additional spaces for giraffe to discover, including a new feeding tower to encourage giraffe to navigate the hills of CMZoo for the first time. 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 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 quiet time. It will have 11 feeding zones, in comparison to the three zones available in the former giraffe exhibit – and guests can feed them from each location!

The new giraffe barn has natural substrate floors and an ETFE roof that floods the interior space with natural light. This innovative material is low maintenance and fire- and hail-resistant. It will bring the outdoors inside on cooler days, keeping guests and giraffe comfortable in Colorado Springs’ famous 300 days of sunshine.

For more information, and to be part of something BIG, visit cmzoo.org/giraffeproject.

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We’re marking six months of Sully sweetness! Since his birth on July 21, 2025, Sully has been growing more curious, confident and lovable every day. In six months, Sully has reached several major milestones, including learning to balance while standing on Asha’s back, crawling independently near Asha, interacting with Goma and Kwisha, trying solid foods, showing interest in guests and building positive relationships with his care team.

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Say hello to Jasiri, a 5-year-old reticulated giraffe who recently arrived at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo from Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance for a temporary stay. Jasiri’s move supports giraffe conservation through the Giraffe Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Jasiri’s arrival went smoothly — he calmly walked off the specialized trailer and into his temporary home, where the neighboring giraffe herd was already eager to say hello. From curious nuzzles and sniffs to a few gentle licks, the herd wasted no time welcoming him.

Swing by African Rift Valley to say hello to Jasiri!

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s highly competitive Summer Teen Program will begin accepting applications on Sun., Feb. 1. Applications will close on Tues., Feb. 10 at 11:59 p.m. MT. Designed for sixth through twelfth graders, this immersive, three-month summer program empowers teens to become confident leaders, wildlife advocates and dedicated stewards of the natural world.

The Summer Teen Program runs from Tues., May 26 through Fri., Aug. 7, 2026. Teens will work alongside Zoo staff, engage with guests and animals, and build meaningful connections with peers who share a passion for wildlife. Teens gain hands-on experience in animal care, interpretation, public speaking and leadership, while developing real-world life skills in a supportive, mentorship-driven environment.

Beyond Zoo grounds, the program offers transformative experiences in Colorado’s wild spaces, inspiring teens to connect with nature and take an active role in protecting wildlife and wild places. Through mentorship from staff and fellow teens, participants grow in confidence and life skills, they discover their strengths and learn how to turn passion into action.

There are three opportunities during the Summer Teen Program:

Junior Zoo Keeper
High school students work alongside animal keepers to assist with daily animal care tasks and behind-the-scenes responsibilities throughout the Zoo. This track builds leadership, responsibility and hands-on experience while connecting participants to careers in animal care and conservation.

Zoo Crew
Middle school students develop leadership skills through meaningful work that supports the Zoo’s mission of conservation, education, and animal husbandry. Zoo Crew members gain confidence, teamwork and communication skills while engaging with guests and supporting Zoo programs.

Junior Camp Educator
High school students support Zoo summer camps by working alongside camp staff to help facilitate engaging, educational experiences for younger campers. Participants build leadership, communication and teamwork skills while serving as positive role models in a fast-paced camp environment.

Applications are available for only 10 days and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. MST on February 10. An application fee of $25 is required, and scholarships are available. Approximately 100 teens will be selected to participate.

Learn more and apply at cmzoo.org/teenprograms. Questions may be directed to [email protected].

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Written by Amy Schilz, senior animal behaviorist at the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe

As a senior animal behaviorist for Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (the Giraffe Center), I have the incredible opportunity to participate in a wide range of exciting and meaningful initiatives. On any given day, I might help clean a giraffe stall, assist with drawing blood from a giraffe’s jugular vein, mentor a trainer in another state via video call or help coordinate the international transport of a giraffe to support AZA’s Species Survival Plan goals. I love collaborating with others to solve the complex challenges facing giraffe conservation. Some days, I truly have to pinch myself—because this job (quirks and all!) feels almost too good to be true.

One of the things that makes this role especially meaningful is the Giraffe Center’s partnership with Behavior Works, an organization dedicated to improving quality of life for all learners through the science of behavior change. This collaboration allows us to remain at the forefront of giraffe training, using the least intrusive, most positive and most effective strategies to teach essential medical behaviors such as hoof care, ultrasounds, x-rays, blood draws and injections. For the past few years, I’ve been fortunate to serve as a dual training consultant for Behavior Works and CMZoo’s Giraffe Center. Together, we’ve helped caretakers make lasting improvements in giraffe care and training practices.

When Bianca Papadapoulos, animal training coordinator with Zoos Victoria, in Australia, and Behavior Works consultant, reached out to ask if I would present as a keynote speaker at the Australasian Society of Zoo Keeping’s Animal Training Conference, I jumped at the opportunity. I knew it would be the perfect chance not only to highlight the work being done at CMZoo’s Giraffe Center, but also to learn from an incredible community of behavior professionals in Australia.

In November, I traveled to Sydney, Australia. I spent two inspiring weeks ‘Down Under’ with an exceptional group of conference hosts, keynote speakers and more than 240 attendees. I presented a 90-minute lecture on The Modern Approach to Animal Training and led four workshops throughout the week focused on Reading Animal Behavior. It was a true honor to present alongside fellow keynote speakers and personal training idols, including Ken Ramirez of the Karen Prior Academy, Tim Sullivan from Brookfield Zoo, and Dr. Susan Friedman from Behavior Works.

After the conference, I flew with the Behavior Works team to Melbourne, where the CMZ giraffe team has long-standing relationships with the zookeepers at Melbourne Zoo. Over the years, many of their giraffe keepers have attended workshops at the Giraffe Center or participated in extended keeper exchanges at our zoo. After more than a decade of collaboration, it’s always exciting to see what they’re working on. During my visit, I had the chance to observe their impressive voluntary head x-ray training program, which allows keepers to monitor giraffe dental health. They even invited me to practice training one of their giraffe who is already well established in the behavior.

While spending time with giraffe is always a highlight, I also had the chance to experience some truly unforgettable wildlife encounters in Australia. I saw a massive colony of flying foxes, watched a wombat forage in the wild, spotted a koala lounging in a eucalyptus tree and observed cockatoos soaring overhead. Seeing animals in the wild always inspires me to stay hard at work making animals’ lives better in human care. Many people never get to experience these animals in the wild, and it’s our honor to help them feel that same inspiration by visiting animals at CMZoo.

My favorite experience, though, was feeding a quokka at Melbourne Zoo. If you don’t know what a quokka is, I highly recommend looking it up immediately—I promise even a single photo will make your day.

All in all, it was an incredible experience. I’m deeply grateful to Bianca Papadapoulos, Susan Friedman and the team at Behavior Works, the conference organizers and our friends at Melbourne Zoo and Taronga Zoo for the opportunities, collaboration and warm hospitality they shared with me.

In addition, I am incredibly thankful for the constant support of my home team at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Every single person shows up and steps up for me, whether it’s covering my responsibilities while I’m away or leadership wholeheartedly supporting my outreach, enrichment and professional growth. I couldn’t do this work without you, and I’m endlessly grateful to call you my team. You are truly my heroes.

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We know. This is unheard of, but this is a big year and we want to celebrate the community that has supported the Zoo for 100 years! In 2026, CMZoo is celebrating 100 years of growth in animal care, conservation, education and community. We’re kicking off our centennial year with free daytime admission on Jan. 1, 2026. Member tickets are always free with a purchased membership, so they can also enjoy 25% discounts on food and retail at the Zoo!

Here’s how it works:

• This offer is for one day only: Thurs., Jan. 1, 2026.
• Everyone gets 25% off at our restaurants and gift shop.
• Attendees will enjoy all of the excitement of a regular daytime visit to the Zoo, plus free rides on the carousel and Sky Ride. (Schedules, tickets and more at cmzoo.org/visit.)
• Tickets are available now at cmzoo.org! Look for the “member and nonmember Jan. 1 daytime tickets” button in “Get Tickets” section of cmzoo.org/visit.
• This offer does not apply to Electric Safari on Thurs., Jan. 1, 2026. This offer is only for daytime admission on Thurs., Jan. 1, 2026. The Zoo closes at 3 p.m. on Thurs., Jan. 1, 2026.
• Tickets are timed and limited, as always, to manage parking, preserve the Zoo experience and avoid overcrowding.
• Rideshare tickets are limited for this offer to preserve the experience and avoid overcrowding, and they will be free on Thurs., Jan. 1, 2026. Just follow the signs to rideshare drop-off and show your tickets with your rideshare receipt at admissions. Reserve Jan. 1 rideshare tickets at http://cmzoo.org/rideshare.
• If you already purchased tickets to CMZoo for Jan. 1, 2026, you’ll receive an automatic refund and you can still use those tickets. You do not need to replace your tickets. Email us at [email protected] if you have any questions!
• BUYER BEWARE. Tickets purchased through third parties are not guaranteed. Only tickets reserved on cmzoo.org will be accepted at the gate.

Every visit to CMZoo supports efforts to save wildlife and wild places through our Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) program. Every admission ticket generates 75 cents for Q4C. A generous donor has agreed to cover that contribution for all of our Jan. 1 visitors, so every free visit is still conservation in action!

Together, we have made a mountain of memories, and our community’s support through Q4C has generated more than $6 million directly contributed to frontline conservation efforts since 2008. Their support by visiting has also helped us invest in scientific research to improve our animals’ welfare, and the resources needed to put what we learn into practice. During their Jan. 1 visit, guests will see their investment taking shape as we make progress on the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe, opening in summer 2026! (Yes, guests can still visit and feed the giraffe every day!)

In addition to sharing our legacy, historical fun facts and inviting the public to share their CMZoo stories, throughout the year, we’re planning a weeklong celebration when our Giraffe Center opens this summer. More to come later. Thank you for your support, and for making Cheyenne Mountain Zoo 100 Years Strong.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

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 its members and guests celebrated a huge milestone, having raised $6 million for wildlife and wild places since the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) program launched in 2008.

Every visitor to the Zoo receives three ‘quarter’ tokens representing the 75¢ Q4C allocation from their admission fee. They can then show support for the legacy projects they love by placing their tokens in the corresponding slots in the Q4C kiosks near admissions.

Before launching Q4C in 2008, CMZoo was supporting conservation, but at a fraction of what is possible now. As more people visit the Zoo each year, the Zoo can contribute more money to conservation. In the past few years, CMZoo has collected approximately one million dollars every 20 months through Q4C.

The Zoo’s membership, special events, admissions and EdVenture programs also contribute to conservation. CMZoo’s current Q4C beneficiary species include giraffe, Panama frogs, orangutans, black-footed ferrets, African elephants and black rhinos, Wyoming toads and Amur tigers.

In May, Q4C funding hit another milestone: surpassing one million dollars raised for orangutan conservation.

In addition to Q4C-supported staff field work releasing black-footed ferrets and Wyoming toads this year, CMZoo staff participated in flammulated owl field research funded by the Members-Only Conservation Vote. 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 CMZoo’s annual Members-Only Conservation Vote, Motus tracking devices help researchers uncover owls’ incredible migration routes from Central America through the U.S. and Canada. This season, the team banded a fledgling after witnessing its very first flight and collected vital biological data to monitor health and population trends.

These owls face threats from habitat loss and human impacts, making member-funded conservation efforts essential to helping Colorado’s forests and flammulated owls thrive for generations to come.

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CUTENESS

Several new faces joined the CMZoo animal family in 2025.

Sully, the first Western lowland gorilla baby born at the Zoo in nearly 13 years, was born on July 21, 2025 to experienced mom, Asha. Sully’s birth was significant for several reasons, including making Goma, CMZoo’s silverback and a genetically valuable member of the species survival plan, a dad for the first time. CMZoo members and supporters helped name Sully, raising $39,451 for animal care, conservation and Zoo operations and improvements.

Holmes and Keoki, a pair of lar gibbons, joined the Zoo in September and August, respectively. The arrivals of Keoki and Holmes support the Gibbon Species Survival Plan, helping to manage a diverse and healthy population in human care while inspiring gibbon preservation for their wild counterparts. Lar gibbons usually live in small family groups made up of a bonded pair and their offspring — and these two have a breeding recommendation!

Kinda (rhymes with Linda) arrived at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in May, becoming the third member of the herd under four years old! She’s easy to spot in the herd because she’s currently the smallest, and her coat is a darker brown than others.

Sparrow, the first penguin chick in Water’s Edge: Africa, hatched in early April. Now, he’s nearly full grown, and has a young playmate in the flock! A female African penguin hatched in October, growing the flock to 18 penguins.

Olive, a 1-year-old Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth made her debut as a New Year’s baby in Scutes Family Gallery, to first-time mom, Aysan, and dad, Bosco. The public voted between three names chosen by keepers, and Olive was the clear winner.

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CONSTRUCTION

Progress can be painful, but construction on the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe is entering its final phase! The roof was completed before the first big snow of the season – a major achievement for the teams working hard to create a world class giraffe center that is going to take giraffe care to the next level, AND give guests new and exciting ways to get closer (and hand-feed, of course) the giraffe herd. CMZoo President & CEO, Bob Chastain, has been keeping fans updated in a video series called “Bob’s Blueprints,” and fans can sign up to receive every update via email at cmzoo.org/bobsblueprints. Watch the YouTube playlist here.

As part of the Giraffe Center upgrades, Waffles, CMZoo’s beloved African cape porcupine got an exhibit upgrade – and moved in with Cape vultures, Hedwig and Godric.

The Giraffe Center is expected to open in summer 2026, and until then, guests can still feed the giraffe herd every day, and visit all of the animals living in African Rift Valley, including African lions, meerkats, vultures and Waffles.

Up the hill from the Giraffe Center, the Zoo’s playhill area is closed until around Spring Break for major upgrades including slides, cushier turf playhills, a guest-only sidewalk, more outdoor seating areas and a bigger-than-ever dirt hill.

The incredibly popular area was originally designed as a ‘test’ to see if guests enjoyed it, or if the Zoo should go another direction with the space. It’s clearly a hit, so this construction project will set up the space more permanently.

In addition to bigger and better play and seating areas, the playhills will get a drainage system upgrade. Because the current playhills were never meant to be permanent, there are infrastructure improvements to be made. The better drainage system should reduce puddles in the warmer months and ice patches in the colder months, improving the guest experience.

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2025 was a memorable year for all of these reasons and more – including the highest-ever ranking in the national USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Zoo. CMZoo supporters made time every day to vote for the Zoo for nearly a month in February 2025, and your support earned CMZoo #2 Best Zoo in the nation!

In November, supporters showed up again, and earned CMZoo’s Electric Safari #2 Best Zoo Lights in the nation! There’s still time to visit Electric Safari! The holiday lights celebration continues nightly through Jan. 1, 2026, except Christmas Eve.

As the Zoo prepares for a big year in 2026, with centennial celebrations, the Giraffe Center grand opening, Bob Chastain’s retirement and a new president & CEO, your continued support allows us to do big things and focus on improving animal welfare, guest experiences and conservation efforts.

Thank you for an amazing year. The best is yet to come.

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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 officially uplisted to ‘critically endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, with the number of wild breeding pairs falling below 10,000. If current trends continue, these charismatic birds could be extinct in the wild by 2035.

Since 2010, CMZoo guests and members have contributed more than $200,000 to Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) in support of African penguin conservation. In 2020, the Zoo deepened its commitment by joining AZA African Penguin SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction), a collaborative program supported by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Every visit to CMZoo is conservation in action. Guests visiting CMZoo can see African penguins up close, including this new chick, knowing their visit helps support a future for this species in the wild.

Keep an eye (and ear) out for the chick in the penguin building in Water’s Edge: Africa! Although she usually stays cozy in the nest with Biggs and Percy, you might catch her wriggling out or hear her peeps letting her family know it’s snack time.

Stay tuned for updates!

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