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Each year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members vote to help the Zoo decide how $75,000 should be split between staff-championed conservation efforts, in CMZoo’s annual Member Conservation Vote. Of six projects funded in 2024, members decided to continue funding two conservation partners in Kenya:

Protect Pancake Tortoises through community conservation in Kenya
Conduct community awareness training and research to protect critically endangered tortoises and their habitat. Wild turtle and tortoise species are in the midst of a worldwide extinction crisis. The African pancake tortoise faces severe threats, not only from grassland habitat destruction used for farming, but also an additional threat of poaching for the pet trade. In a continued partnership, the Turtle Survival Alliance will protect and develop research strategies for a newly found pancake tortoise population, as well as establish additional awareness for the local communities surrounding this tortoise population.
Support kids’ education camps to help protect African lions
Help protect large carnivores by empowering a new generation in Kenya. Human-wildlife conflicts can occur between farmers and predators, such as lions, that may threaten local livestock. The education programs that Ewaso Lions will implement through this ongoing partnership will help to shift the attitude towards predators and allow Kenyan communities to more easily and efficiently coexist with wild carnivores by reducing the frequency of potential human-wildlife conflicts.

The Member Conservation Vote allows members to choose how to fund conservation efforts, in addition to the efforts they fund through our Quarters for Conservation legacy projects.

“Our Member Conservation Vote projects are typically led by smaller organizations than our Quarters for Conservation projects, and they’re championed here at our Zoo by staff who are passionate about their causes,” Nicole Chaney, CMZoo conservation manager says. “It’s another way our members are connected with frontline conservation. The memberships they purchase directly help save wildlife and wild places.”

The Turtle Survival Alliance and Lewa Wildlife Conservancy have been hard at work reaching out to communities that can help protect pancake tortoises. They have held community awareness meetings across multiple conservancies, successfully engaging local stakeholders in conservation efforts. Training sessions on habitat identification and mapping have empowered 21 conservancy staff, leading to effective data collection and a deeper understanding of the species’ ecological significance.

Additionally, they have established a collaborative framework involving key multi-sectoral stakeholders to support the development of conservancy-based species management plans aligned with national and international conservation goals. Stakeholder forums have also laid the groundwork for a national recovery strategy, culminating in a draft five-year action plan that incorporates insights from 171 participants on critical conservation actions.

The monitoring team has conducted wet and dry season surveys, establishing a stable pancake tortoise population of 116 individuals since 2021, with recent data from 2024 indicating 43 recaptures and 41 new individuals. The surveys highlight a diverse age structure and reliance on rock crevices for habitat, particularly during the dry season.

Ewaso Lions, also in Kenya, hosted conservationists from eight countries, representing organizations protecting eleven species from India, Mexico, Argentina, Mozambique and Colombia. The workshop is helping to build a collaborate framework of community-led conservationists. They shared best practices on topics like the barriers to community-led efforts, innovative solutions that have seen real success, and the often-overlooked area of succession planning in conservation.

“The keys to successfully conserving local wildlife are community engagement and data collection that can help establish habitat protections,” Nicole says. “These two organizations, with support from CMZoo members, are making a real impact for wildlife by empowering their local communities to contribute to their efforts. Their communities are sharing best practices, helping cover more ground, and observing animals and their potential struggles as they live in harmony with animals native to their homes.”

Member Conservation Vote 2025 planning is well underway at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and members will learn about the projects they can support this spring. Members should keep their eyes on their email inboxes for their members-only links to vote in March.

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It’s that magical time of year when many people search for the perfect holiday gifts for friends and family. Whether you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience or a truly unique stocking stuffer, these options are sure put a smile on every face on your list.

Plus, when you purchase something from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, you know your funds are helping us continue our important work. As a nonprofit that doesn’t receive any tax support, we rely on admissions, memberships, events and special programs like these to fund Zoo operations, improvements, animal care and conservation.

ANIMAL ART HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS
The Loft animals and their keepers have been painting the perfect stocking stuffers or gifts for your holiday party gift exchange. These 3” x 3” canvases with twine hangers are one-of-a-kind, because they were painted by an animal ambassador! Skunks, reptiles and even Bean the sloth added their artistic touch to the ornaments by participating in voluntary training with their keepers. Some animals walk through paint and onto the canvasses, leaving their adorable footprints in a variety of flashy colors. Others slither through the paint and some even hold the paintbrushes themselves! These ornaments are only available for purchase for $15 in person in The Loft, now through the end of December.

VIP TOURS
If you really want to spoil someone, give them the adventure of a lifetime: a CMZoo VIP Tour! During this private tour, your group of up to five people will experience your choice of two or three behind-the-scenes animal encounters of your choosing, plus a meet-and-greet with one of our ambassador animals in The Loft and a super-sized giraffe feeding. You can help train a sloth, get up-close with the grizzly bears, say hello to the hippos, or choose from our many other animal encounter options. Along the way, one of our experienced guides will tell you all about the Zoo, our animals and our conservation impacts around the world. When your tour ends, enjoy the rest of the day at the Zoo, because admission is included. Visit cmzoo.org/viptour to see our animal encounter options, to get all the details and to sign up.

CMZOO ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP
How about a gift that keeps on giving all year long? Memberships can be purchased as gifts! CMZoo members can take advantage of free daytime admission (with advance ticket reservations), discounts on programs and merchandise, free members-only summer nights, free Electric Safari visits in the winter and more. Visit cmzoo.org/membership or email [email protected] for more information.

TICKETS TO ELECTRIC MOONLIGHT AND ELECTRIC SAFARI
Give the gift of memories made by purchasing tickets to a holiday special event at the Zoo, and be early to the gift-giving season! In December, we have options for an adults-only date night (there will be a lot more than milk and cookies on the menu) or a festive evening on the mountain with the entire family.

Electric Moonlight (21-and-up!) returns to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Thurs., Dec. 5 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Advance tickets are required, and they are available now at cmzoo.org/em.

Electric Safari runs Dec. 6 though Jan. 1, 2025, except Christmas Eve, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. CMZoo members have access to early-entry by reserving tickets between 4 and 5 p.m. Electric Safari is free for members, but everyone needs to reserve an advance timed ticket. Tickets and more information are available now at cmzoo.org/electric.

ANIMAL GRAMS
Do you know someone who would love to open their front door to a skunk, tortoise, ferret, frog or other adorable animal? Surprise them with a CMZoo Animal Gram! Our EdVenture team will come to your home or workplace with a very special guest: an animal ambassador from The Loft or My Big Backyard. Each Animal Gram includes a 5- to 10-minute visit from an animal and staff, an animal art piece and photo opportunity. Book or gift your own Animal Gram.

ADOPT AN ANIMAL
Gift an adoption of any CMZoo resident to the animal enthusiast in your life. Our adoption packages start at just $35, but if you’re looking to give an extra-special stocking stuffer, check out our Wild Adopt packages ($55-65) to bring home an adorable, cuddly plush of your very own! All of our adoption packages include a certificate of adoption, an animal fact sheet and a photo of the animal at CMZoo. Each adoption directly supports the care of all our animals. Order by 3 p.m. MST on Mon., Dec. 16 to ensure delivery before Wed., Dec. 25, 2024. You can find our array of adoption packages at www.cmzoo.org/adopt.

TILE PROGRAM
Searching for a meaningful holiday gift that makes a lasting impact? Imagine visiting CMZoo and seeing your very own commemorative tile alongside your favorite animals! Our tiles offer a beautiful way to honor and celebrate loved ones while creating cherished memories. Each purchase also directly supports the care of our animals. This season, give a gift that lasts—a beautiful tribute that brings joy and remembrance to your loved ones! Find more information about our Water’s Edge: Africa tile program at cmzoo.org/tiles.

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CMZoo is open every day of the year, and winter is an excellent time to explore a quieter mountain Zoo. Rocky Mountain Wild and Asian Highlands are at the top of most CMZoo visitors’ itineraries in winter. But, tucked into a corner of My Big Backyard lies a cozy treehouse brimming with 22 fascinating species that shouldn’t be missed.

In between visiting winter-loving animals like Chewy the tiger; Atka the moose; Adira, Sitka and Koda the mountain lions; and Emmett and Digger the grizzly bears, warm up in The Treehouse. Use this guide to get to know some of the smaller species at the Zoo, starting on your left as you enter The Treehouse.

Axolotls
Two axolotls named Tortilla and Taquito live in The Treehouse. Axolotls (pronounced ax-o-LOT-uls) are only found in one lake in Mexico, where they still live in the wild. These fully aquatic salamanders have amazing regenerative qualities, evidenced by Tortilla’s extra hand. Keepers can’t be sure, but they believe Tortilla had an injury to his hand and a second one grew to replace it, but the first hand survived, and he continues to thrive with both!

Tiger Salamanders
These colorful creatures are Colorado’s state amphibian. It’s hard to imagine a tiny, wet amphibian surviving Colorado’s subzero winter temperatures, but they have been here since prehistoric times! Wormwood, Lavender and Trunchbull, CMZoo’s tiger salamanders, help guests remember to keep an eye out for wild tiger salamanders in Colorado creeks, ponds and wetlands. If you find one, take a moment to appreciate it from a distance, and then leave it where you found it. Even if it seems too cold outside, it’s not!

African Bullfrog
Bubba, CMZoo’s African bullfrog, weighs nearly two pounds – about average for a full-grown bullfrog like him. As South Africa’s largest frog, they maintain their size by eating rodents, birds and amphibians.
Contrary to most dads in the animal kingdom, male African bullfrogs protect and raise their young. They stay with fertilized eggs and tadpoles to protect them from predators and have even been seen digging trenches to supply their young with lifesaving water during droughts.

White’s Tree Frogs
White’s tree frogs are light green or brown, not white. They’re named after John White, an Irish naturalist and surgeon who first described them in Australia in 1790. Jabba, CMZoo’s White’s tree frog in The Treehouse, is at least 17 years old! He has lived at CMZoo since 2007.

Asian Forest Scorpions
Jelly, the Asian forest scorpion living in The Treehouse, was named in homage to his mom, Donut.
When baby scorpions – called scorplings – are born, their moms carry them on their backs. All 2,000 species of scorpions are venomous, but only 25 species are deadly to humans – not including the Asian forest scorpion. Like all scorpions, Jelly is florescent under a black light.

Emperor Newts
Emperor newts are native to western Yunnan province in China, in the mountains along the Nu, Lancang and Yuan rivers. In The Treehouse, you can spot three generations of these newts. The Zoo recently started attempting to breed the near-threatened amphibians. Emperor newts are poisonous, which means they can be harmful when eaten. They excrete toxins through their skin to deter predators who might think they’re a tasty snack.

Black Widows
With such a formidable name, you can see why people would be wary of black widows, including Scarlett and Natasha, who live in The Treehouse. They’re not innately aggressive, and there hasn’t been a recorded death by a black widow since 1983, when the anti-venom became widely available. Still, it’s wise to keep an eye out for black widows in your garden and to help young children and pets avoid them. They are commonly found in Colorado, and help control the insect population by building their signature ‘messy’ and extremely durable webs near the ground.

Tomato Frogs
These light orange, yellow or red frogs are endemic – meaning they are only found in one place – to Madagascar’s rainforests and swamp forests. Reproductively mature females are typically bright red, and juveniles and males can be brown or light green. In The Treehouse, Heinz and Roma, CMZoo’s tomato frogs, are still settling in. They and Clyde, a Pac-Man frog, are the newest residents.

Hermit Crabs
Three hermit crabs live together in The Treehouse and because they take turns switching shells routinely, they don’t have individual names. They do like to exercise, though. The three crabs also take turns on a hamster wheel in their enclosure.

Fruit Chafer Beetles
A colony of black-and-yellow beetles, native to Namibia, South Africa and Egypt, are next door to the hermit crabs. The fruit chafer beetles are decomposers, playing an important recycling role in their ecosystem. In The Treehouse, you can often spot beetle larvae buried in the dirt. Surprisingly, the larvae are much bigger than the beetles, around the size of a human pinky finger.

Giant African Millipedes
Another important decomposer, the giant African millipede is often misidentified for its venomous cousin, the centipede. Millipedes are poisonous, which means if you eat a millipede, you’ll get sick. Centipedes are venomous, which means they have venom and can sting. Still, millipedes have their own intimidation factor: giant African millipedes can grow to be a foot long!

Honeybees
Guests can get a bee’s eye view of the inner workings of a honeybee hive in The Treehouse. The plexiglass-sided hive visible from The Treehouse is only about one-sixth of the entire hive, consisting of around 20,000 bees. Honey is their winter food source, and they’re well-stocked this year. In the spring, they’ll ramp up egg laying and honey production, with more access to pollen and plants.

Tarantulas
Four fuzzy tarantulas live in The Treehouse, representing four different species of tarantula. Miriam Webster is a green bottled blue tarantula. Miss Frizzle is a curly haired tarantula. Anne Marie is a desert blonde tarantula. Terry is a Chilean rose-haired tarantula. Although these species are native to different parts of the world, they have a lot in common.

Tarantulas have special sensing hairs on their legs, and they interpret their world through vibrations they can feel on the sensitive hairs all over their bodies. They also have barbed hairs that they can throw towards a perceived threat. Aiming for a predators’ eyes might give the tarantula a chance to get away. Female tarantulas can live around 25 years, on average, and males only live around 3 to 5 years. The severe difference in life expectancies is thought to be a safeguard for genetic diversity. By the time a female reaches reproductive maturity around age 5, her brothers and father have likely passed away.

Blue Death Feigning Beetles
These neighbor-state natives are local to Arizona, and they’re named as such because they play dead when they feel threatened. They’re important decomposers in the desert ecosystem. They help things decompose and nourish their environment, before they can be mummified by extreme temperatures.

Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches
There are 4,500 species of cockroaches, but only four are prolific pests, like the classic house guests we all fear. The rest of them are just out in nature, being decomposers and helping their ecosystems thrive.
Simandoa cave cockroach

Simandoa Cave cockroaches
The Treehouse, guests can appreciate the beautiful appearance of the Simandoa cave cockroach, native to Africa and considered extinct in the wild. The less flashy Madagascar variety warns predators by making a hissing noise. It is not actually hissing; it’s forcing air through spiracles (little holes) along its sides. If that’s not threatening enough, the males have horns on their heads.

Pac-Man Frog
Clyde, the Pac-Man frog who recently moved into The Treehouse is also known as a South American or Argentine horned frog. Clyde is still growing, and he could weigh up to a pound at maturity. Right now, Clyde enjoys a diet of crickets and cockroaches. Bigger Pac-Man frogs eat larger insects and small rodents. These big meals are made possible by Pac-Man frogs’ disproportionately large mouths, which are also the inspiration for their common reference to Pac-Man.

Dairy Cow Pill Bugs or Isopods
Named for their dairy-cow-like black and white spots, these are also called roly-polies by some. They’re crustaceans, like crabs and shrimp, that help ecosystems regenerate through decomposition. They prefer to live underground, so they can be hard to spot. While you’re warming up in The Treehouse this winter, give it a shot.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog
Unless you’re exploring during a WildNight at the Zoo, it’s likely you’ll catch Gamora snoozing. Red-eyed tree frogs, like Gamora who lives in The Treehouse, are nocturnal. Still, she’s a lot of fun to observe. See if you can spot her using her incredibly grippy foot pads to sleep on the underside of a leaf, or on the side of her enclosure. Red-eyed tree frogs have an excellent example of a defense mechanism called ‘startle coloration.’ When she opens her eyelids to reveal her big, red eyes, most predators will see them as a poison warning and choose an easier target.

Now that you know a bit about each of the incredible animals in The Treehouse, use this guide as a checklist. See if you can visit each Treehouse resident this winter, taking time to observe them individually, and making notes about your own observations.

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This fall, volunteers and conservation experts gathered near Las Animas, Colorado, to release 33 endangered black-footed ferrets (BFFs) into the wild, including some that were born at CMZoo!

2024 was a record-breaking breeding year for CMZoo’s BFF conservation program, with 37 kits born! It was also a pioneering year. CMZoo’s conservationists tested multi-partner breeding to see if females could conceive and whelp kits from different dads in the same litter. Out of seven females in the trial, two had litters with two fathers represented. Read more

BFFs were considered extinct until the 1980s. On Sept. 26, 1981, a ranch dog named Shep caught a BFF. Shep’s catch led to the discovery of a small population of the elusive animals in Meeteetse, Wyoming. That population became the hope for the recovery of the entire species.

Since then, zoos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center and other organizations have banded together to breed, prepare, release and monitor BFFs to increase the population. CMZoo joined the fight to save ferrets in 1991, when its BFF breed-and-release program began. In the last 33 years, 647 kits have been born on Cheyenne Mountain. The Zoo is a major contributor to recovery efforts, releasing BFFs to protected wild places in Colorado every year.

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It’s the howl-iday season at CMZoo, and our pack is thriving! CMZoo is home to five Mexican wolves: Navarro and his offspring — Hope, Shadow, Phoenix, and Uno. Sisters Hope and Shadow have stepped up as confident leaders, often being the first to investigate food, while Uno, Phoenix, and Navarro take a more laid-back approach.

To help keep the pack wild, keepers place food near the front of their yard and then leave, maintaining the wolves’ natural wariness of humans. This is especially important since our wolves or their future offspring could potentially be released into the wild to help bolster the endangered Mexican wolf population. Thanks to conservation efforts, wild Mexican wolf numbers are increasing, with an estimated 257 currently living in the wild in the U.S., according to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

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Since mid-November, CMZoo’s typically social and outgoing 48-year-old Western lowland gorilla, Roxie, has had several ‘off’ days. She’s spending more time in bed and looking lethargic.

“Roxie has been a big part of the CMZoo family since she was born here in 1976,” Joanna Husby, Primate World animal care manager says. “She’s lived at the Zoo longer than any other animal here, and we’ve been through health scares with her before, but this time it looks a bit different.”

Roxie is eating, drinking, and participating in training, but she is not walking or climbing as well as usual. She’s spending a lot of time in her den, resting, which means she’s choosing rest over socializations that are vital to gorillas’ wellbeing. Roxie chose to go outside and enjoy the sunshine this past weekend, but the longer she isn’t improving, the more concerned the team is growing.

Keepers and veterinarians have not identified anything that could be causing her discomfort from what they can see during up-close training sessions with Roxie. While her team works to diagnose and help her, Roxie is voluntarily taking oral antibiotics and increased pain and anti-inflammatory medications. Oral medications have helped her overcome bouts of illness quickly in the past, but she’s not bouncing back as fast this time.

If oral medications do not help Roxie soon, the next option could be to immobilize her for additional diagnostics. Her last immobilization and treatment extended her life for the past five years, but it was risky.

In 2019, Roxie became lethargic and refused to eat or drink entirely. While she was under anesthesia for an exam, Roxie went into cardiac arrest. Her team brought her back to life with CPR and emergency drugs. The examination, although hard on Roxie and the team, revealed several issues that the team was able to treat. Since recovering five years ago, Roxie has had one of the longest stretches of consistently good health – up until this recent series of off days.

“In 2019, in the middle of Roxie’s health scare, her care team talked about where we would draw the line, treatment-wise, for Roxie,” Joanna says. “We work to find the balance for her and all of our animals. How much are these treatments asking of Roxie, and how long is Roxie going to benefit from them, given her advanced age? We still agree that her quality of life is more important than attempting to extend her life by taking extreme measures. She’s old, and we want her to live with dignity and comfort in this final chapter.”

The team has agreed to say no to extensive treatments that they might pursue for a much younger gorilla. Roxie is 9 years past the median life expectancy for female Western lowland gorillas in human care, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

“We’re really hopeful she just needs a few more days on medication or medication adjustments, but if not, an immobilization could be the best thing for her,” Joanna says. “A thorough examination of Roxie under anesthesia could help us pinpoint something that’s easy to treat, or we could find something that we could manage comfortably for her long-term, or we could discover something that would require extensive treatment. Every decision we make will be with her best interest at heart.”

As Roxie and her care team work together to support what’s best for Roxie, CMZoo will provide updates.

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From the tallest giraffe to the smallest axolotl, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to a diverse variety of animals with a common thread: the Zoo’s dedication to their care. Arguably, one of the most charming species at the Zoo is the guinea pig. In Water’s Edge: Africa, a vibrant muddle (a group of guinea pigs) thrives in the cavy equivalent of a ‘Barbie Dream House.’

“Like all animals, guinea pigs need an enriching environment to flourish,” Grace Sullivan, lead keeper in Water’s Edge: Africa says. “In addition to monitoring our animals‘ needs, our job is observe how animals interact with their environments and maintain them to support our animals’ needs.”

The muddle’s care team provides activities that support their independence, choice and control with opportunities to explore, socialize, and exercise in ways they find rewarding. Guinea pigs are extremely social animals. They’re curious and energetic. With 17 guinea pigs ranging from young to geriatric at CMZoo, Sullivan and her team work to address the individual needs of each.

Yzma [YEEZ-muh] is among the standout residents of this muddle. The 6-year-old cinnamon-colored guinea pig, with charming full-body cowlicks, is one of the original members of the CMZoo guinea pig herd, having arrived at the Zoo in 2020. As the eldest, she has learned to participate in her own health care, taking oral medication to ease age-related issues like arthritis.

Yzma, an aging guinea pig, approaches a keeper to voluntarily receive her oral daily anti-inflammation medication.

Guinea pigs have a short lifespan, usually around five years. With habitat adjustments, medications and voluntary husbandry checks, like scale training, the team works to maximize their quality of life during that time. Recognizing the changing needs of older guinea pigs, the Water’s Edge: Africa team introduced the ‘Silver Whiskers Program.’

“When we first notice a health decline in a guinea pig that’s getting older, we start them on the Silver Whiskers Program with a thorough medical exam,” Grace says. “That data sets a baseline for them, and we can rely on it to support them as they age gracefully.”

Checking teeth, joints and blood values allows the team to monitor and address health changes with solid data to guide welfare decisions. The team also tracks quality-of-life measures, like weight, mobility, social activities and interactions with their environments.

Guinea pigs in their golden years get exclusive access to the ’Silver Whiskers Dining Room,’ where they need not compete with much younger, faster eaters, like 2-year-old Brenda.

Long-haired, black-and-white Brenda is known for her speed and dominance in the herd. She’s usually first to investigate new enrichment or nudge another guinea pig out of the way to get what she wants. Tiny and feisty, Brenda taught keepers that some guinea pigs don’t want to interact with humans, and she’ll give a healthy guinea pig ‘head toss’ at anyone who needs reminding.

Another key character in the herd is short-haired, brown-and-black, brown-and-black, short-haired Grandpa. The one-year-old guinea pig is known for his ability to start a ‘popcorning’ party in the herd. Popcorning is a display of excitement among guinea pigs, and it looks just like it sounds: a sudden, vertical leap – usually displayed a few times in a row. A popcorning muddle is a remarkable sight.

First-time visitors exploring Water’s Edge: Africa for hippos and penguins might be surprised to find themselves captivated by the antics guinea pigs. CMZoo frequenters know the cavies are worth their own visit to the Zoo.

“It is really fun to get to know our members and guests through our interactions about the guinea pigs,” Grace says. “When guests see us engaging with the guinea pigs, they realize that they’re given the same freedoms and care as larger animals like hippos or lemurs, and they share updates they’re making to their own guinea pigs’ habitats. That makes me happy to know our muddle is inspiring welfare improvements for pets, too.”

The guinea pigs will continue to explore their yards during the winter months, when it’s sunny and free of snow. If they’re staying cozy in their climate-controlled hut, guests can see them through their clear front door.

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Shorter days and holidays are approaching. For many humans, that means unusual eating traditions, a shift in activity and an effort to maintain healthy habits. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo partners, Children’s Hospital Colorado, share advice for helping your family stay healthy during the holidays.

At CMZoo, shorter days and cooler temperatures trigger changes to some animal care programs that support animals’ instinctual seasonal adjustments. Some animals, like giraffe, hippos and great apes, don’t experience many seasonally triggered changes. Keeper teams who care for animals native to more seasonally diverse regions make adjustments.

In the fall and winter months, African penguins focus mostly on nesting and eating. Sunlight impacts their nesting, molting and breeding cycles. As days get shorter, they instinctively choose a mate and begin settling in for snuggle season. The longer nights also trigger their annual molt – when they lose all of their feathers at once and grow a brand-new waterproof set.

“Molting is a big event for the flock,” Sabrina Eccher, animal keeper in Water’s Edge: Africa, says. “Hormonal changes due to less sunlight in the winter typically trigger molting in early spring or summer, and they eat a lot less while they’re molting. To prepare for molt, they bulk up by eating more in the weeks before.”

Supporting the penguins’ instinct to eat more is another example of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s commitment to environmental enrichment. The goal is to prepare their habitats with resources that will keep them busy, stimulated and comfortable. Keepers offer more fish at hand-feedings and take it a step further by providing the penguins with opportunities to hunt live fish in their outdoor pool on their own time.

Penguins may increase activity with nest-building and hunting, but grizzlies tend to slow down. Recent scientific studies reveal that grizzlies in the wild don’t hibernate, contrary to popular belief. Smaller creatures, like toads, squirrels and marmots, hibernate to sleep through the months of cold temperatures and limited food resources. During hibernation, animals don’t typically wake up for months. Bigger native animals, like bears, raccoons and skunks, can gain enough weight to carry them through the cooler season without hibernation. However, the seasonal switch impacts them in other ways.

“Bears and other larger animals go into torpor in the winter, which is a hormonal physiological and behavioral change triggered by the changing seasons,” Jenna Schmidt, animal keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild, says. “In torpor, body systems slow down and animals may sleep more, but they still wake up. In the summer and fall, our grizzlies want to eat, eat, eat. When it starts to cool down, they’re less interested in eating and have less energy, but they’re still pretty active at the Zoo.”

CMZoo’s iconic 19-year-old grizzly bears, Digger and Emmett, will turn 20 in January. Having cared for the bears since they were around two years old, keepers have their winter routine down to an art – and each bear reacts differently.

“Digger typically starts sleeping in longer and doing activities with less enthusiasm before Emmett does,” says Jenna. “Digger usually gains more weight than Emmett, and he grows his winter coat before Emmett.”

In fall and winter, grizzlies start dismissing less desirable food items that they would eat in the summer. In the winter, protein and sweet fruits and veggies are more enticing to them. They have been known to decline training sessions when offered a lower calorie item in the winter. It has to be worth their energy because they naturally have less energy in the winter.

Sunflower seeds? Yes.
Celery? No, thank you.

Keepers know which food items will encourage them to participate in husbandry care, so the team can still perform health checks on the aging bears. The bears instinctually prioritize preserving energy. They’ll sleep in later and spend more time making and sleeping in several bear-made beds throughout their two yards and overnight space.

“We give them lots of hay this time of year, and they use it make comfy beds,” Jenna says. “Digger likes to dig and make the beds, and Emmett prefers to ‘work smarter, not harder’ and snag a Digger-made bed for himself.”

Unlike bears, mountain lions eat less in warmer seasons, and more when it cools down.

“In the winter, Adira, Koda and Sitka, our mountain lions, are expending more energy to stay warm, so they’re eating more,” Kelsey Walker, senior animal keeper in Rocky Mountain Wild says. “They’re typically more energetic in the cooler months, which we interpret is driven by their instinct to hunt and eat.”

Maintaining a healthy weight is critical to an animal’s overall health. So, keepers and veterinarians at the Zoo work hard to find the balance between satiating an animal’s increased appetite while preventing unhealthy weight gain for the animal.

“The mountain lions are typically slimmer in the warmer months, and we see them choosing to eat less than we provide when it starts to warm up,” Kelsey says. “When it gets cooler, we incrementally increase their diets, so they don’t feel they need to compete with each other for resources, and they feel satisfied and warm.”

Mountain lions aren’t fazed by subzero temperatures or snow. In the mountain lions’ three yards and indoor den, they have lots of opportunities to stay warm. Guests can see them sunbathing on their rocks, creating a kitty cuddle puddle in their canyon or lounging on their heated boulder that overlooks part of the moose yard. Pro tip: when it snows, notice which rocks are clear of snow and ice. The heated rocks melt snow faster than the other rocks do.

CMZoo is open every day of the year, and visiting during the winter months is a different adventure compared to summer Zoo days. Plan your winter adventure at the Zoo, and see if you can notice how penguins, grizzlies and mountain lions look and behave differently.

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Tsavo Trust helps protect the remaining Big Tusker Elephants. Photo courtesy of Tsavo Trust. — Tsavo Trust helps protect the remaining Super Tusker Elephants. Photo courtesy of Tsavo Trust.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, its members, visitors and donors are celebrating another conservation milestone. In mid-September, the Zoo surpassed $1 million donated to its African elephant and black rhino conservation partner, Tsavo Trust, since establishing a partnership in 2016.

Tsavo Trust was founded in 2012 to help protect the last of the ‘Super Tuskers’ – African elephants with tusks so large they nearly scrape the ground. It is estimated that 25 Super Tuskers remain, and the majority of these individuals reside in Tsavo National Park, in Kenya, where Tsavo Trust is based. Today, Tsavo Trust protects African elephants, including Super Tuskers, Eastern black rhinos and more.

“Modern accredited zoos, like Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, are invaluable partners in our mission to protect elephants and rhinos in their natural habitats,” said Richard Moller, co-founder and CEO of Tsavo Trust. “CMZoo is an essential bridge, connecting the passion of people in the U.S. for wildlife conservation with the vital work we do on the ground here in Kenya. Through their support, visitors to the Zoo have a meaningful way to directly impact conservation, knowing their contributions go to trusted, effective organizations. Thanks to CMZoo’s dedication to saving wild elephants and rhinos, we’ve been able to expand our capacity, allowing us to protect even more wildlife in critical need.”

CMZoo helps fund clean water wells at Tsavo Trust HQ and nearby communities.

Every visit and every membership supports Tsavo Trust and the Zoo’s other legacy conservation partners, through the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) program. In addition, elephant and rhino feeding opportunities, offered daily in the summer months, raise around $75,000 annually for Tsavo Trust. With support from the Kratt Family Fund, CMZoo continues to support Tsavo Trust’s mission by funding ongoing infrastructure development and community outreach projects.

For an agile and resourceful organization like Tsavo Trust, a million dollars can go a long way. The funds are helping expand Tsavo Trust’s field headquarters, so they can protect more wildlife in Tsavo National Park – a wildlife hotspot about the size of Switzerland.

Funds through CMZoo have supported:

• construction of a mechanic workshop to service anti-poaching aircraft and ground vehicles
• construction of two water boreholes for subsistence use for Tsavo Trust HQ and the community
• construction of sand dams to preserve drinking water for wildlife in the drought-stricken park
• purchase of anti-poaching helicopter
• construction of a helicopter and fixed wing aircraft hanger
• construction of on-site staff housing
• construction of a guest house for additional fundraising opportunities
• funding for staff salaries, anti-poaching pilot hours, administration and operations

CMZoo helps fund infrastructure expansions at Tsavo Trust

“We’re providing millions of miles of anti-poaching surveillance for African elephants, black rhinos and the wildlife and communities that share that part of Kenya,” Nicole Chaney, CMZoo conservation manager, says. “What our guests, members and donors have been able to contribute is incredible. What Tsavo Trust can do with that support is even more impressive.”

According to Tsavo Trust, in full collaboration with Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and other conservation partners, Tsavo Trust has played a vital role in reducing elephant and bushmeat poaching by at least 70% from 2013 to 2023. Joint Tsavo Trust and KWS activities have resulted in 7,555 hours flown covering 897,903 kilometers. That surveillance led to them making 1,521 arrests and removing 9,164 snare traps used for hunting.

Tsavo Trust rangers display snare traps removed from Tsavo National Park.

Tsavo Trust and KWS collected 995 elephant tusks, eliminating them from the ivory trade, which is still a leading cause of elephant poaching. Tsavo Trust has located, removed and protected 744 elephant carcasses, preventing poaching by getting to elephants who have passed naturally before others can collect their tusks.

“We’re not satisfied housing animals purely for public education purposes; the animals deserve expert, compassionate care, and they need to provide a way for people to make a direct conservation impact,” Nicole says. “The elephants at CMZoo and our partnership with Tsavo Trust are an excellent example of how that works.”

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Bowie, one-year-old panther chameleon, has unique adaptations. From his eyes that can see the ultraviolet spectrum and rotate independently to his tongue that’s double the length of his body, Bowie is a great ambassador for teaching guests about these incredible chameleons. Don’t forget to stop by Scutes Family Gallery and visit Bowie during your next trip to CMZoo!

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