Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Author at CMZoo

Baldwin, Benton and Baker, the raccoon brothers who call Rocky Mountain Wild home, recently took up a new hobby, thanks to their keepers’ creativity and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s commitment to environmental enrichment. Their habitat now features an exciting new addition: an elevated stream where they can fish, forage and explore on their own schedules.

“Raccoons love to solve problems, splash in water and, of course, eat,” Kelsey Walker, Rocky Mountain Wild animal keeper, says. “This stream is a dream come true for them, and our guests seem to love watching their adorable methods.”

Inspired by the old-fashioned gold panning stations of the American West, the new wooden enrichment feature consists of three connected elevated ‘streambeds,’ each about eight feet long and two feet wide. The beds are full of about five inches of dirt, sand, rocks and shells, and flooded with water. Keepers bury shrimp, mussels and crab legs in the substrate, encouraging the raccoons to rely on their natural foraging skills.

The enrichment was introduced in February, and from the very beginning, the raccoons took to it immediately.

“These raccoons were born in human care, but they instinctively knew how to fish right away,” Kelsey says. “They perch on the rocks or wade into the streams, patting the surface with their paws until they detect food. They dig it out, roll it in their paws to find the weakest spot to crack into it, and then settle somewhere dry to eat.”

Raccoons are incredibly tactile animals. Seventy-five percent of the part of their brain that manages the sense of touch is dedicated to their forepaws. Their paws often tell them more about their environment than their noses or eyes. That makes ‘blind fishing’ in muddy streams a cinch. They can solve the ‘mud problem’ and locate prey underwater – or under rocks – just by feeling around the surface.

The brothers typically spend 15 to 30 minutes fishing before moving on to other activities, but they return to the streams multiple times each day and night. It’s safe to say that fishing is their new favorite hobby. In addition to fishing, they have a variety of enrichment opportunities throughout their space, including a dry foraging bin filled with hay, shavings, peas and corn, and fruit hanging from trees to encourage climbing. Keepers also scatter treats in mulch and hay across the habitat floor.

“Our three raccoons are really living the good life,” Kelsey says. “It’s like they have retired on waterfront property. They sleep in every day, then they go fishing, hang out with their brothers, take a nap and fish some more. That’s their routine.”

The Zoo’s enrichment philosophy focuses on creating engaging and stimulating environments that encourage animals to do wild-type behaviors at their own pace, without depending on keepers’ schedules. Keepers still train with animals, because husbandry behaviors are important for their care. The new streambeds are a great example of environmental enrichment.

“This has been a really successful way to provide enriching and interesting activity for them for an entire day,” Kelsey says. “They don’t need us, beyond stocking the stream each morning. It’s incredibly rewarding to set up an environment and to know they’re having a great day, getting good physical and mental exercise, and using their natural instincts.”

Guests visiting Rocky Mountain Wild will also benefit from the new feature. Since the stream beds are elevated, visitors get an even better view of the raccoons’ fishing techniques and playful behavior.

“When they’re in the troughs, they’re right up by the mesh, so it gives guests a great angle of what they’re doing,” Walker added. “If they happen to be sleeping when you stop by, be sure to come back later. They’ll probably be up to something fun, whether it’s fishing, climbing or foraging.”

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Thanks to the support of Zoo guests and members, wild critically endangered African penguins have ongoing support. One of the key people leading this charge in the field is the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds’ (SANCCOB) Penguin and Seabird Ranger, Yandisa Cwecwe.

Working side-by-side with African penguins on South Africa’s historic Robben Island, Yandisa plays a vital role in protecting one of the world’s most threatened seabirds. With a Master of Science in Zoology and Marine Biology, and early research experience at Stellenbosch University’s Marine Conservation Genomics laboratory, Yandisa’s passion for marine life led her to SANCCOB in 2021. There, she found her calling conserving African penguins.

“The wild African penguin population is dropping at a rate of nearly 8 percent per year, but thanks to support from our members and guests, we can help these charismatic birds have a better chance of survival in the wild,” Nicole Chaney, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo conservation manager, says. “It’s inspiring for our members and guests to learn about the people dedicating their lives to saving wildlife and wild places, like Yandisa and the team at SANCCOB.”

As a SANCCOB Ranger, she rescues injured, ill or oiled penguins and transports them by boat to SANCCOB’s Rehabilitation Centre in Table View, South Africa, for specialized care and rehabilitation before they are released back into the wild.

Yandisa also collaborates closely with varying organizations on the island, including Earthwatch, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, the University of Cape Town, and the Robben Island Environmental Unit. Her daily routine includes early morning field patrols, seabird and penguin population monitoring, penguin nest checks, and the use of Passive Integrated Transponders (PIT tags) to help track individual penguins throughout their lives.

In 2024, African penguins were officially uplisted to ‘Critically Endangered’ on the 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. Yandisa works to prevent that outcome every day. The threats they face, from commercial overfishing and extreme weather events to pollution and disease are formidable. Conservationists, like Yandisa, with support from CMZoo members and guests, provide hope.

CMZoo contributes annually to SANCCOB’s Robben Island Ranger project, directly funding field efforts like Yandisa’s work. Since 2010, CMZoo guests and members have contributed more than $159,675 to SANCCOB in support of African penguin conservation. In 2020, the Zoo deepened its commitment by joining AZA SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) African Penguin, a collaborative program supported by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Every visit to CMZoo is conservation in action. African penguins are one of the species up for support in this year’s Members-Only Conservation Vote. Until Sun., March 30, CMZoo members can check their email for a private link to cast their vote for the CMZoo staff-championed conservation project that inspires them most. Guests visiting CMZoo can see African penguins up close, knowing their visit helps support a future for this species in the wild.

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At 9 years old, our golden dairy girls – Cotija, Asiago, Queso, Mozzarella, Colby, Muenster, Ricotta and Brie – are enjoying their golden years to the fullest! These goats spend their days sunbathing, training, climbing, playing, going on walkabouts and meeting guests. Visitors can feed the goats for $1 per feeding, depending on weather, or interact with them through goat encounters, where they can pet and brush the goats.

If you’ve tasted goat cheese, it was probably made from milk from a goat like one of ours! Nubian and Nubian-Saanen goats are among the most common dairy goat breeds found on farms worldwide. Our goats originally came from a local cheese farm, inspiring their cheesy names.

Stop by and share some moments with these gouda girls!

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Have you ever wondered how CMZoo’s magical moose became part of the family? Four-year-old Alaska moose, Atka, came to the Zoo in 2020 after his mother was unfortunately involved in a fatal human-wildlife conflict. At six days old, Alaska Zoo began caring for him, then he came to CMZoo at eight weeks old. Having been bottle fed by his care teams, Atka was unfortunately not a candidate for wild re-entry.

Since then, Atka has captured the hearts of millions as an inspiring story of determination. He has also blazed a trail for moose care, as one of the only moose in Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited human care in the U.S.

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was ranked #2 Best Zoo in the country, in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2025! Dedicated CMZoo supporters voted daily for a month, and earned the Zoo its highest ranking ever.

According to popular vote and the 10Best Readers’ Choice editors, who nominated 20 zoos for Best Zoo consideration, the top-ten zoos in the nation are:

1. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (Omaha, Nebraska)
2. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
3. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Powell, Ohio)
4. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (Jacksonville, Florida)
5. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, Ohio)
6. Brevard Zoo (Melbourne, Florida)
7. North Carolina Zoo (Asheboro, North Carolina)
8. Audubon Zoo (New Orleans, Louisiana)
9. Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (Columbia, South Carolina)
10. Saint Louis Zoo (St. Louis, Missouri)

“We could not have done this without our supporters, who spent their own time promoting the Zoo through the voting period,” Bob Chastain, president & CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, says. “Honors like this are earned through the dedicated efforts of people who know, trust and believe in our organization. Thank you for your effort.”

Voters earned the Zoo a ‘Second Place Triple Crown’ this year. In addition to ranking #2 Best Zoo in the country, CMZoo earned the #2 spot for Best Zoo Membership and CMZoo’s home for animals native to the Rocky Mountain region, Rocky Mountain Wild, was voted #2 Best Zoo Exhibit.

With daily keeper talks and animal demonstrations, special events just for the grown-ups, small-group tours, camps, birthday parties, and more, Colorado Springs’ Zoo welcomes more than 800,000 people annually, encouraging them to tap into their inner child, explore the mountain and connect with nature.

Understanding its unique opportunity to connect people to native, rare and endangered animals in a natural mountainside setting, CMZoo aims to make every visit inspiring and memorable. 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.

In 2024, CMZoo celebrated a huge conservation milestone: surpassing $5 million raised for frontline conservation efforts, including over a million dollars for African elephant and black rhino conservation. Every visit to the Zoo is conservation in action, because every ticket purchased raises 75¢ for Quarters for Conservation (Q4C).

Looking ahead, CMZoo is embarking on historic upgrades to its world-famous giraffe herd’s home – including a 12,000 square-foot International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (the Giraffe Center) and a 25 percent expansion to their outdoor space. Soon, the community will have an opportunity to get behind something big. Learn more at cmzoo.org/giraffeproject.

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 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 $5 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’S 10BEST READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS. SUPPORTERS CAN VOTE DAILY AT www.cmzoo.org/vote – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo had been holding strong at the #1 spot in USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Best Zoo in the U.S. contest, but slipped to #2 over the weekend. We’ve reached the point in the contest when the rankings are hidden, and the Zoo is asking the community to show its strength in the final week of voting, and to vote daily at cmzoo.org/vote through Mon., March 10.

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

1. America’s mountain Zoo is one of only a few 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.

2. CMZoo’s International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe connects giraffe care teams across the globe to resources, best practices, trainings and emergency care, improving and even saving the lives of countless giraffe.

3. Nearly 800,000 people visit the Zoo each year. While visiting the Zoo, visitors to the Pikes Peak region also patronize Colorado Springs’ local lodging, restaurants and tourism attractions.

4. 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.

5. CMZoo is 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.

6. CMZoo is home to Mochi, one of only three mountain tapirs in human care in the country.

7. 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.

8. In 2024, CMZoo celebrated raising $5 million for frontline conservation efforts, including over a million dollars for African elephant and black rhino conservation.

9. 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.

10. In the past year, the Zoo welcomed a red panda, snow leopard, baby sloth and more to the family, while continuing its important work breeding and releasing critically endangered native black-footed ferrets and Wyoming toads. 2024 was the Zoo’s most successful black-footed ferret breeding year ever.

Anyone who has made eye contact with a tiger, pet 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.

Supporters can sign up to receive daily text and email reminders to vote here:
• Get a daily text: www.cmzoo.org/votetext
• Get a daily email: www.cmzoo.org/voteemail

Voting continues now through 9:59 a.m. MT on Mon., March 10. Supporters can vote every day at cmzoo.org/vote.

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 2023, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #4 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 $5 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 238 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.

Emmett and Digger, two 20-year-old grizzly bears, have called Cheyenne Mountain Zoo home since 2007. Sometimes people wonder how they got here. Although they’re the same age, they’re not related, but they share similar backstories, and have been together since 2006.

In the wild, they were labeled as nuisance bears after several negative interactions with humans prior to being removed from the wild. Often, nuisance bears aren’t as lucky as these two, and once they receive several ‘strikes,’ they are often killed or relocated. Emmett and Digger were given a second chance, and a safe and enriching life, at CMZoo.

Now, Emmett and Digger spend their days exploring, training, playing and showing guests just how incredible grizzlies are – far from the temptations that got them into trouble in the wild. While grizzly bears don’t live in Colorado, black bears roam many urban and wild spaces here. With impressive senses of smell and problem-solving abilities, they need our help to stay wild. Do your part by securing trash, bringing in bird feeders at night and storing food in bear-safe locations, both at home and out in nature. It’s up to us to help bears resist the temptation of an easy meal in an unsafe situation.

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A group of ferrets is called a business! Our business is made up of Alfred, Tsunami, Cyclone, Avalanche and Blizzard! These playful, social animals thrive in small groups. A mix of ages helps the group maintain strong bonds as it evolves. Alfred, at 6, and Tsunami, almost 5, are the oldest, while Cyclone, Blizzard, and Avalanche are 3-year-old females. Though there’s no real hierarchy, Cyclone and Avalanche often lead playtime. Unlike their solitary black-footed ferret cousins, domestic ferrets have been bred for social traits, making them more interactive with humans and each other. Stop by The Loft at CMZoo to see them playing, snuggling and training together!

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado have seen pets improve their family members’ lives – and health. A family pet can lower heart rates, reduce loneliness, increase physical activity and improve kids’ ability to read emotions and respond. There are factors to consider before adding a pet to the family. Read Children’s Colorado’s advice on family pets here.

One way to get outside and enjoy time with a four-legged family member is at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Dog Days! Finn, a one-year-old great Pyrenees-poodle mix, has attended Dog Days three times, experiencing the stimulating sights, sounds and smells at the Zoo, while enriching Zoo animals’ lives with his presence. His person, Amber Gates, says she’s not sure who has more fun: Finn, as he enthusiastically explores, or her, as she watches his pure joy unfold.

“Because we’ve gone to Dog Days a few times, Finn starts getting excited in the car when we turn up towards the Zoo now,” Amber says. “His ears perk up like, ‘Hey! I know this place and it’s really fun!’ Once we’re inside the Zoo, he knows exactly where he wants to go: straight to the penguins. He likes to watch them swimming, and they pause at the glass to check him, too. It’s so fun.”

On scheduled Dog Days at CMZoo, guests are welcome to bring their well-mannered family dogs with them to the Zoo. Since offering the sporadic event since May 2023, the guest experience team and animal care team have fine-tuned the experience so it’s enriching for Zoo animals and enjoyable for visiting dogs and humans.

Service dogs are always welcome at the Zoo, so seeing a dog is not an entirely new experience for animals that live at the Zoo. But, service dogs behave differently than a family pet, and they visit in much smaller numbers.

Most Zoo animals do not behave any differently on Dog Days than they do on a normal day. Others are excited for a short time, and then return to their normal behaviors. Some animals, like ring-tailed lemurs and meerkats, noticeably strengthened their bonds as a group.

“Meerkats are well known for their sentinel antipredator behaviors, observed in the wild and in human care,” Rick Hester, CMZoo’s curator of animal behaviors, says. “During Dog Days, we have observed the meerkats working together, presumably with the goal to remove dogs from their view. We have seen the meerkats huddle together and approach a dog, which is called ‘mobbing.’ All the dogs eventually move away, and the meerkats, having seemingly accomplished their goal, would resume other activities like foraging for food. From the perspective of the meerkats, they were successful!”

African lions and mountain lions are typically intrigued by the dogs, exhibiting classic big-cat stalking behaviors.

“The mountain lions were definitely out and watching the dogs,” Amber says. “I imagined them watching and wondering, ‘Is that a friend or a snack?’ Finn didn’t pay a lot of attention to the mountain lions, but his reaction to the African lions was interesting. The lions were laid back while we were there, but Finn positioned himself between me and them, as if he was feeling an instinct to protect me. I haven’t seen that from him before, so that was a new experience for both of us.”

Dog Days at CMZoo is a special event with limited availability. Advance tickets are required for humans and their canine companions, and tickets can sell out fast! Each dog must have a dog ticket to enter the Zoo; human tickets will not be honored for dog admission.

For upcoming Dog Days dates, requirements and ticket information, visit cmzoo.org/dogdays. See a guide to Dog Days here.

“It’s such a unique opportunity to see animals interact,” Amber says. “The goats were totally smitten with Finn. It was like they were thinking, ‘You kind of look like me, but I don’t think we’re the same.’ Watching the dogs explore and engage with animals they wouldn’t normally encounter is incredible.”

There are currently four Dog Days on the calendar:
– Friday, March 14, 2025
– Friday, March 21, 2025
– Friday, April 11, 2025
– Friday, April 25, 2025

As for Finn, Amber says they’ll definitely be back – ears perked, tail wagging and ready for another unforgettable day of exploration together.

“We 100% recommend it,” Amber says. “It’s a great way to bond with your dog while experiencing something totally unique.”

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At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, one extra-fluffy black bear quietly captures the hearts of guests and staff from her peaceful home above the play hills near Grizzly Grill. Beezler, an Asiatic black bear with sassy tendencies and a heart-meltingly gentle demeanor, has touched countless hearts as an ambassador for her species.

At 32 years old, she is the oldest living Asiatic black bear in human care in the U.S. The median life expectancy for Asiatic black bears in human care, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, is 29 years. At an age that would put her in her 90s in human years, Beezler is a testament to the compassionate care she receives, an enriching environment, and undoubtedly, her own determined spirit. Described as “sassy” by her keepers, Beezler knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to communicate it, especially when it comes to snacks.

“She is very sweet,” says Erika Furnes, Asian Highlands keeper. “But if we’re moving too slowly with her treats, she lets us know by being surprisingly quick to grab them off the tongs. Even when she’s telling us to hurry up, she’s still gentle. She takes food delicately with just her lips. It’s really cute.”

Her diet consists of peanuts, apples, lettuce, carrots, yams, bananas and an omnivore chow. Occasionally, she enjoys meat or fish, but her true high-value rewards are whipped cream and yogurt. One of her favorite snacks is courtesy of the Zoo’s horticulture team. When crabapple season rolls around, Beezler knows just what to do.

“Above her outdoor space, there’s a crabapple tree that drops fruit every fall,” Erika says. “She knows it. She’ll look up towards the tree, waiting for it to deliver a snack, and then trots over to the apples as they bounce and roll around. It’s so fun to watch her enjoying that natural enrichment, and it’s good for her to stretch and move, since she’s an older bear.”

Beezler is an example of aging with grace in her golden years. She’s fully encouraged to move at her own pace. She has 24/7 access to her climate-controlled dens, where she naps often. However, it’s worth the walk up the short hill to her home, because although she has slowed down and spends a lot of time resting, guests might still see Beezler embracing her inner cub.

“She can be moving at her normal slow pace, but then she sees us setting up something fun, and she’s ready to go,” says Erika. “She really likes it when the weather warms up and we set up her pool. Sometimes she acts almost like a cub again, splashing and floating around. Other times, we set something up that we think she’s going to love, and she ignores it. It’s her world, and she can do whatever she wants!”

When she’s not relaxing her in tub, Beezler enjoys making her hay beds extra cozy, shredding cardboard boxes and occasionally showcasing her signature bursts of youthful energy. Keepers recently gave Beezler a log that Waffles, CMZoo’s African cape porcupine, had been interacting with, so it smelled really good.

“Beezler tore it up,” Erika says. “We hadn’t seen her do that in years! We’re definitely going to keep bringing those logs for her.”

As Beezler has aged, her care has evolved to prioritize her mobility and comfort. She has arthritis, particularly in her back left hip, so the Zoo’s veterinary team has developed a comprehensive pain management plan. She receives supplements and oral medications for pain and inflammation. She participates in laser therapy on her left hip, earning whipped cream as a reward for her cooperation. Beezler is also learning to receive acupuncture therapy by choice.

“We started training her for acupuncture treatments with a blunted needle, then transitioned to a sharper one,” Erika says. “She doesn’t seem to notice at all, and enjoys the whipped cream and yogurt rewards. The acupuncture needles are incredibly fine, just like in human acupuncture, and we hold onto them safely in case she decides to walk away, which she’s always free to do.”

Positive reinforcement training, like this, allows Beezler to be an active participant in her own care, reinforcing the Zoo’s commitment to training that prioritizes the animals’ comfort, confidence and choices in their homes.

Her training extends to other medical procedures as well. She voluntarily participates in blood draws, which allow her team to monitor different levels that could indicate she needs intervention, by placing her front leg into a specially designed metal sleeve.

In addition to her impressive training repertoire, Beezler’s environment is intentionally set up to enrich her and to encourage mobility. Keepers position activities and puzzle feeders in ways that encourage Beezler to move up and down her habitat’s steps, and to climb, stretch and dig.

“She likes to dig in the dirt and the snow,” Erika says. “Digging is a really good movement for her to continue because it involves so many muscles and keeps her dexterity strong. It’s also mentally stimulating and rewarding for her to dig to discover a treat we’ve hidden for her. That sense of confidence and accomplishment is important.”

Asiatic black bears are not commonly found in zoos, making Beezler a rare and special resident. Despite her small stature, standing only about two-and-a-half feet tall at the shoulder, Beezler maintains a giant presence at the Zoo and around the world through the Zoo’s social media channels. Whether she’s digging in the dirt, stretching for a treat, or playfully ignoring her keepers when she doesn’t feel like listening, Beezler continues to be an icon of resilience, intelligence and charm.

“It’s a privilege to work with her and to give people the chance to see and appreciate Asiatic black bears up close,” Erika says.

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