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Cofan, Male Mountain Tapir, Recovering from Kidney Removal Surgery
Cofan, our 17-year-old male mountain tapir, is recovering from having a kidney removed in mid-February. In December 2020, his keepers noticed he was starting to act unusually and that his symptoms were progressing quickly. He was uncoordinated, was not shifting to his outdoor yard, and was eating less and losing weight. “Cofan is normally eager . . .
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Work to Protect Wild Okapi Continues Thanks to CMZoo Members
Found in the heart of one of the most biologically diverse areas in all of Africa, okapi have only been widely documented in science since 1901. Threatened by habitat destruction, mining, poaching and civil unrest, there may be as few as 10,000 left in the wild. Okapi are only found in the rainforests of the . . .
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A New Breeding Opportunity for Chewy and Savelii, CMZoo Amur Tigers
Next month, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will move forward with revised plans to contribute to the Amur tiger Species Survival Plan. Since 9-year-old female Amur tiger, Savelii, arrived at CMZoo in November 2019 on a breeding recommendation, she has been settling in, getting to know her keepers, training for important husbandry behaviors, and participating in ‘howdies’ . . .
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Meet Diego the Newest Resident at The Loft
Degu (pronounced ‘DAY-goo’)? What in the world is a degu? Most people have never heard of these pint-sized rodents that are native to the grassy slopes of the Andes Mountains, in South America. Chinchillas and guinea pigs are close relatives of the degu. Now, along with chinchillas and guinea pigs, a degu has joined our . . .
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New Faces in The Loft
What’s small, has a wiggly nose and adorable eyes, and feels like a cactus? A hedgehog! The Loft at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is now home to two adorable African pygmy hedgehogs, named Mantis and Groot. These animal ambassadors are sisters, and are about a year and a half old. Hedgehogs are primarily solitary, so you . . .
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Sumagu Learns Voluntary Blood Draw and EKG Reading
Primate World keepers are working with Sumagu, a 33-year-old female Sumatran orangutan on behaviors that allow her to participate voluntarily in her long-term health care. The incredibly intelligent ape has learned new husbandry behaviors, including EKG and blood draw training. Come behind the scenes with Sumagu and her keepers to learn how they customize her . . .
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Abuto’s Care Team Trains New Health Care Behaviors
Abuto, our 9-year-old African lion patriarch, is participating in impressive training that supports his ongoing health care, thanks to the creativity and dedication of his animal care team. We have been keeping you informed as Abuto’s kidney disease and high blood pressure progress, and these two new behaviors – a ‘drink’ cue and subcutaneous fluid . . .
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CMZoo Continues Conservation Support Despite Pandemic
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s conservation partners are still hard at work on the front lines, despite the pandemic that has slowed much of the world. The Zoo and our supporters continue to send funding to important efforts around the world, including Operation Twiga, a giraffe conservation project in Uganda, and Tsavo Trust, an elephant and rhino . . .
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Six Months of Moose Magic with Atka
He’s quadrupled in size, started training and is growing his first set of antlers – Our 8-month-old Alaska moose, Atka, has been with us for half a year – and what a busy six months it has been! We’re looking back at his progress and filling you in on what’s next for this quickly growing . . .
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CMZoo Mountain Lions Move In Together
Our mountain lions are – like many of us – adjusting to a new normal. Seven-month-old Koda is now living full-time with 1-year-old mountain lion siblings, Adira and Sitka! Because Koda was so much smaller than Adira and Sitka, and because he was found alone at such a young age, introducing the three cougars was . . .