RETICULATED GIRAFFE TO MOVE TO DENVER ZOO IN SUPPORT OF SPECIES SURVIVAL PLAN

BB, a 21-month-old giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, will soon be cruising up I-25 to meet her new playmate, 5-year-old Dobby, and his mom, Kipele, at Denver Zoo! Although BB’s exact moving date will not be shared, guests can see her at CMZoo through the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Giraffe 'BB' portrait
The move is in support of the Giraffe Species Survival Plan (SSP). SSPs are managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). They match individual animals throughout AZA-accredited organizations for breeding. The goal is to create the most genetically diverse assurance population of animal ambassadors possible in human care. Zoos accredited by the AZA, including CMZoo and Denver Zoo, regularly participate in animal moves like this for the greater good of the species in our collective care. Although BB won’t immediately participate in the SSP breeding recommendation, this move is a step in that direction. BB’s genetics are valuable to the future diversity of giraffe in human care.

Many people remember BB’s birth at CMZoo in September 2020 to first-time giraffe mom, Bailey. Before the calf received an official name, keepers nicknamed her “BB,” short for “Bailey’s Baby,” and the nickname stuck. Giraffe fans all over the world tuned into her live birth.

Since BB’s personality started to shine, around six months old, keepers have described her as brave and curious. These days, BB is known for pushing through CMZoo’s 16 other, much larger, giraffe to get the best spot for a lettuce snack. Although Denver Zoo plans to give BB quiet time to adjust to her new home, if she shows them she needs it, her care team is confident she’ll adjust to her new life with Dobby and Kipele in no time.

Nearly two years old may seem young to move a giraffe to a new herd, but CMZoo’s and the SSP’s many years of experience have proven that moving smaller giraffe who are no longer dependent on their mothers is ideal. BB has been independent of her mother, Bailey, for a long time.

“We always miss our animals when they move on, but we’re excited to know that BB will be just up the interstate getting excellent care from the team at Denver Zoo,” said Jason Bredahl, African Rift Valley animal care manager. “We know their team well, and have worked with them many times before. They’re committed to the best possible welfare for their animals.”

Giraffe 'BB' portrait
Dobby, who will be one of BB’s new herd mates, was born at Denver Zoo prematurely, weighing just 73 pounds, in February 2017. Dobby struggled in his first few weeks of life, but his care team’s commitment helped him overcome his early obstacles. In addition to around-the-clock care, Dobby received plasma from the Giraffe Plasma Bank, a program co-led by CMZoo and Columbus Zoo. Mashama and Msitu, two well-known giraffe at CMZoo, donate plasma to help struggling newborn calves, which is often what they need. Four years later, Dobby is thriving at Denver Zoo, and we can’t wait for BB to meet him.

BB is outgoing and energetic – but she’s also extremely intelligent. Her keepers at CMZoo have prepared her for this move, by building trusting relationships and following a customized training program that allows BB to make choices and receive positive reinforcement for participating in training. Building on her foundation of training, BB is preparing for her road trip up north.

“We’ve been introducing BB to new training opportunities, like walking through the trailer loading area by herself, stepping onto the loading ramp, and more,” said Bredahl. “We’ll pack the trailer with her favorite snacks, elm branches, and enriching activities for her short trip and when she’s settling into her new home in Denver.”

Visitors can see BB at CMZoo at least through the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Keep an eye on Denver Zoo’s social media channels for updates and information on when guests can see BB with her new herd, and help us wish BB bon voyage on her big adventure!

Back to The Waterhole
 


When you give Lucky, one of six CMZoo African elephants, an apple, you’re giving her wild counterparts a better chance at survival. Since 2016, CMZoo’s scheduled paid elephant feeding opportunities have sent $25,000 annually to Tsavo Trust, our frontline conservation partner in Tsavo National Park. Now, guests are raising $75,000 per year for our frontline African elephant and rhino conservation partners, Tsavo Trust, just by participating in elephant feedings.

From May through October, guests can hand-feed one of CMZoo’s African elephants for $10 to $15 per bundle of produce. These special experiences are available, as long as weather allows, from 11 to 11:30 a.m. and from 2:30 to 3 p.m. daily. Animals at CMZoo always get to decide if they want to participate in these up-close guest experiences. The aging elephants at CMZoo consistently show their keepers they enjoy the interactions, which are mentally stimulating and full of yummy snacks like carrots, apples, zucchini and more.

By participating in this add-on experience with our ‘Golden Girls,’ which we affectionately call our elephants because they are in their golden years, guests can make special connections with them. These feeding opportunities help guests make that connection and make a difference for wildlife at the same time.

“Standing at the feet of one of CMZoo’s multi-ton African elephants and watching her incredible trunk reach out to take a piece of produce right from your hand is life changing,” said Nicole Chaney, CMZoo administrative and research assistant. Chaney is heavily involved with CMZoo’s conservation efforts, including our relationship with Tsavo Trust. “But, it’s not just life-changing for our guests. It’s also saving the lives of wild elephants and rhinos in Tsavo National Park. I love that we can foster these individual relationships between our elephants and guests, and that our guests have this opportunity to send support directly to wild elephants.”

Tsavo Trust works to protect the last of the big tuskers, which are African elephants with tusks weighing more than 100 pounds, and other species, like black rhinos, in Tsavo National Park. Funds raised by CMZoo guests pay for pilot hours of frontline aerial surveillance that protects rhinos and elephants from poachers seeking their ivory and horns.

Along with funding from the Kratt Family Foundation, CMZoo guests’ support has helped build permanent housing that allows staff to live on the land where these critically endangered giants live. It has funded the construction of a vehicle maintenance building, which means their team isn’t delayed by having to take their vehicles outside of the park for repairs. It also funds special projects in local communities, which help residents form a connection with the elephants they share land with. One special project supported by the Kratt Family Foundation and CMZoo was the construction of two clean water boreholes in nearby communities, which have helped their conservation outreach efforts by helping locals learn more about conservation and even become inspired to protect their animal neighbors.

With this additional funding, CMZoo guests are supporting another special project focused on water, which is a precious resource for humans, animals and their entire ecosystem. This funding, and ongoing funding, is assisting with the construction of a sand dam in the park this year, which will help preserve drinking water for wildlife.

A sand dam is essentially a reinforced stone wall built across a seasonal sandy riverbed, usually on top of a stone bedrock. Water behind the sand dam raises the water table and collects on the sand, which acts as a sponge and holds water for long dry periods without evaporation.

Tsavo Trust has already constructed eight sand dams as part of a plan to construct approximately 25 for wildlife in the Tsavo National Parks. The sand dam method is a tried-and-tested method of providing small, but consistent, amounts of water through a seepage system on the downside of the dam wall, where animals can drink it. They’re ideal in arid areas, like Tsavo National Park, and don’t create the ‘desertification effect’ that’s sometimes associated with sinking of boreholes in protected areas where higher numbers of elephants live.

“Sand dams have been used to great effect in dry arid regions for humans and livestock, and now, through this project, there is no reason why wildlife cannot reap the same benefits within wildlife conservation areas,” said Chaney. “Water supply and distribution for wildlife in Tsavo National Parks has always been a huge challenge, particularly during the dry season, due to erratic rain patterns and soils that cannot hold water for extended periods. The sand dam plan could be one answer to this problem, and we’re proud to be able to support the efforts to construct several well-designed and distributed waterholes for animals over the coming years within the Tsavo Conservation Area.”

 
Back to The Waterhole
 

If you’ve ever wanted to save the rainforests from the comfort of your smartphone, now’s your chance. With a brand-new free global mobile app, everyone has the power to advocate with their shopping choices, and to make large companies listen to their demands for sustainably produced palm oil.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo), under the direction of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), is launching a mobile app, called PalmOil Scan. The free smartphone app will empower consumers to make informed, environmentally-friendly shopping decisions, just by scanning a barcode. PalmOil Scan is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play in the U.S. and Canada now.

“With this app, consumers can easily make informed choices that benefit wild animals and their habitats,” said Tracey Gazibara, executive vice president at CMZoo and co-chair of the WAZA Palm Oil Subcommittee. “If worldwide consumers show preference for companies that source only sustainable palm oil, we can create a demand that other companies can’t ignore. When more companies realize their potential customers will not stand for the use of unsustainable palm oil, we can prevent more deforestation and help endangered animals recover in the wild.”

Palm oil is an edible oil that can be found in about half of the products consumers purchase. It is used in candy, soaps, cosmetics, pet food, and even toilet paper. Because of high demand, unsustainable palm oil production has resulted in deforestation across Southeast Asia, and other tropical areas, which means critically endangered species like orangutans, tigers, and elephants are losing their homes.

However, when produced sustainably, palm oil is the most productive edible oil available. Oil palms – the trees that palm oil comes from – produce four to ten times more oil than alternatives like soy, olive, canola and coconut. Switching to these alternatives would cause even more deforestation in tropical areas, which is why consumers must demand sustainable palm oil.

Conscientious consumers can scan the barcodes on thousands of products in the app’s extensive database (which is being updated and expanded constantly) to see if they are produced by a company that has committed to sourcing sustainable palm oil. The new app also has a search feature, so if consumers scan a product that isn’t orangutan-friendly, they can easily choose an alternative that is.

Companies that have previously relied on their customers’ lack of knowledge about unsustainable palm oil and its impact on orangutans, tigers, rhinos, and elephants will soon recognize their competitors have the edge on them.

“Companies that continue to use unsustainable palm oil in their products need to see that consumers have the tools and knowledge to find out whether they value the habitats that so many endangered species depend on,” said Gazibara. “Sustainable palm oil production is possible, and it is time for us all to hold companies to a higher standard.”

CMZoo has been a leader in sustainable palm oil advocacy for more than a decade. The Zoo launched a similar mobile app for consumers in the U.S. and Canada in 2014. More than 160,000 verified users have educated themselves by using CMZoo’s app. Its design, database and user experience served as the foundation for the design of PalmOil Scan, which has the potential to reach millions more people around the world.

With the launch of PalmOil Scan, CMZoo has discontinued its former app. Depending on individual smartphone settings, users who previously used the CMZoo palm oil app may have automatically downloaded PalmOil Scan, or they may need to delete the old app and download PalmOil Scan manually. It is available now in the U.S. and Canada, and will be available in additional countries later this year.

To learn more about sustainable palm oil, and how the power of consumer choice can save critically endangered animals in Southeast Asia, visit cmzoo.org/palmoil.

Download the PalmOil Scan App

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 2022, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #3 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 $4 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 239 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

The soft serenade of Wyoming toad mating calls will soon echo through the hallways of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo conservation center, as Field Conservation Coordinator Jeff Baughman welcomes ten breeding pairs of critically endangered amphibians back from 38 days of hibernation.

“It’s a busy time of year for us,” said Baughman, who has been intimately involved in Wyoming toad recovery at CMZoo since 2008. “The next several weeks are really crucial as we help bring this species back from the brink of extinction. Our adult toads are waking up from hibernation and moving into their breeding suites. Soon, we’ll have our hands full, welcoming thousands of their babies into our care.”

It may sound dramatic, but we believe it is. Wyoming toads are listed as “EW” or “Extinct in the Wild,” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

Why give a hop? Toads are worth saving. They play a vital role at the center of the prairie environment, as the best bug control available and as sustenance for migrating birds and native mammals in search of food. If the toads don’t survive, the whole ecosystem suffers. They’re also what’s known as an indicator species, meaning they indicate the overall health of their ecosystem – and it’s in desperate need of attention.

Amphibians worldwide are facing mass extinction due to a pandemic known as the Chytrid fungus. Chytrid fungus causes a skin infection that hinders amphibians’ ability to breathe and absorb water. This often leads to organ failure and death. But, thanks to zoos like CMZoo, these hoppers stand a chance.

Over its 26-year commitment to the cause, CMZoo’s conservation team has released more than 41,629 tadpoles and nearly 1,444 toads into the wild. Next week, 66 more one-year-old toads will take their first hops into the wild to join them in the Laramie Basin of Wyoming.

Although the releases happen each June, the team works year-round to prepare for the toads’ and tadpoles’ hopeful sendoff. The yearly process begins by simulating hibernation for the toads. They’re placed in moss-lined containers inside a hibernaculum, which reduces their temperature slowly over a few days to 38 degrees Fahrenheit. The toads, very much alive, stay at that temperature for 35 days, receiving periodic checks from the conservation team who mist and monitor the sleeping beauties.

Over the last few days of their low-temp slumber party, the hibernaculum’s temperature is slowly raised back to around 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and they start to wake up. The cycle triggers their instinct to breed, as they would in the wild after winter, and that’s when the magic happens.

“We bring them out of the hibernaculum and place genetically desirable breeding pairs into tanks,” said Baughman. “We also play audio tracks from the Laramie Basin, which include Wyoming toad breeding calls, so the environment is just right. It only takes about a week for fertilized eggs to develop into tadpoles.”

The team will release thousands of those tadpoles into ponds and streams in Wyoming at the end of June. Some of the tadpoles hatched this year will stay at the Zoo, under the care of the conservation team, to grow into yearling toads before being released the following summer. The tadpoles held back get a yearlong head start at the Zoo, hence the term ‘headstart toads.’ New this year, others will be held back for two years to see if wild reproduction increases with more sexually mature toads being released. Clean Chytrid-free water, climate controls and plenty of yummy meals of crickets and cockroaches give them all a better chance at surviving in the wild. Not to mention, they won’t be on the menu themselves. Most importantly, it means there are more toads ready to breed in the wild because they will have survived and reached reproductive maturity at two years old.

When they’re about eight months old, each toad is microchipped, so when the team goes back to the release location, they can track survivorship or prevalence of the Chytrid fungus. The microchips also help the team identify and monitor individuals during their stay at CMZoo.

Amphibian allies don’t need a hibernaculum or a fresh supply of crickets to help these little guys. Disinfecting outdoor recreation gear used in and near water can stop the spread of the deadly Chytrid fungus. Leaving your fishing or kayaking gear in a hot car or the sun to dry it out for 3 hours, will kill the fungus and prevent water enthusiasts from accidentally transferring it to another body of water.

“Recovering a species definitely takes time,” said Baughman. “But we’ve seen some promising signs that the toads are starting to bounce back – or hop back – in the wild. During field surveys, we’ve seen wild egg strands, which means toads or tadpoles that have been released, or the offspring of released toads, are starting to do the work for us. As a conservationist, there’s nothing you want more than to be out of work.”

This year, Baughman and his team are taking CMZoo followers on a wild real-time adventure, following a group of tadpoles throughout their year of development in the CMZoo conservation center. We’ll share the successes and the struggles these tiny creatures face, even in the safety of their nursery under the care of our team.

“We have a pretty good record of raising tadpoles to adulthood, but they really struggle in the wild,” said Baughman. “In the wild, only about four of every thousand tadpoles makes it to maturity, and that’s on a good year. On a bad year, only about two survive to breeding age, on average.”

Starting in early June, tune into CMZoo’s social channels, on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube, to get closer than ever to ten little tadpoles. Watch in awe as eggs turn into tadpoles. Be mesmerized by metamorphosis, as they grow legs and absorb their tails, earning the title of toadlet. Root for them as they learn to hunt and grow into dime-sized defenders of their species. Then, follow along as they go through the year-long preparation for their eventual wild release in June 2023. We’ll keep you posted.

Back to The Waterhole
 


Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and its guests and members are celebrating a huge milestone, having raised $4 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.

In recent years, CMZoo staff have traveled to Africa, Central America, Indonesia and the prairies of Wyoming and Colorado, to lend their expertise in support of our partner organizations around the world. Our guests’ support is far-reaching. It benefits the organizations we support, their teams, local communities and the animals they protect. It also enriches the lives of our teammates who return to the Zoo to share new experiences and reignited passions for protecting wildlife and wild places.

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, we can contribute more money to conservation. In the past few years, CMZoo has collected about half a million dollars per year through Q4C. In the Zoo’s 2021 fiscal year, guests contributed nearly three-quarters of a million dollars. The Zoo’s membership and EdVenture programs also contribute to conservation. CMZoo’s current beneficiary species include giraffe, Panama frogs, orangutans, black-footed ferrets, African elephants and rhinos, Wyoming toads and African vultures.

About Our Current Q4C Legacy Projects

Q4C beneficiary species truly run the gamut, from 18-foot-tall giraffe in Africa, to tiny toads in Wyoming.

Q4C helps support a multi-organizational giraffe conservation project in Uganda, called Operation Twiga. Operation Twiga began in 2016 to give giraffe a better chance of survival by establishing new populations of giraffe in safe habitats, in partnership with Giraffe Conservation Foundation, Uganda Wildlife Authority and others. Operation Twiga V (2020) was a continuation of Operation Twiga IV (2019), which CMZoo staff attended to assist with anesthesia and moving the giraffe. Both giraffe translocations contributed to populations in Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, an historic habitat in Uganda where giraffe hadn’t existed for more than 20 years. Ongoing Q4C funding supports the teams who continue to monitor and protect these newly established wild populations.

Q4C also funds CMZoo’s on-site breeding programs for black-footed ferrets and Wyoming toads. These endangered prairie species were declared extinct in the wild in the 1980s and early 1990s, and are only around today because of decades of recovery efforts from zoos and partner organizations. 18 ferret kits were born at CMZoo in the 2021 breeding season, and six juveniles were released into their natural habitat by CMZoo staff and wildlife partners in the fall. In Spring and Summer 2021, CMZoo staff released 228 yearling “headstart” toads, 58 metamorph toadlets, and 5,338 tadpoles to their native habitat in Wyoming. Summer 2022 breed-and-release efforts are well underway, and later this year, more of these vital species will join their relatives in the wild, thanks to CMZoo guests’ support.

Wyoming toads are symbolic of so many amphibian species in decline all over the world, including Panamanian frogs, which also receive support thanks to Q4C funds and frontline CMZoo staff support. In February 2019, three CMZoo staff members went to Panama to assist the Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Project by remodifying two feeder insect pods into frog pods. For this 10-day trip, the goal was to set up two shipping containers to house and breed approximately 450 additional frogs brought in from El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center, and later released. This involved disinfecting the shipping containers, painting, installing plumbing and water filtration, assembling racks, and drilling and prepping tanks.

CMZoo’s work to save habitats for orangutans through advocacy for sustainable palm oil production is also largely supported by Q4C. Thanks to that financial support, CMZoo’s sustainable palm oil team consults staff at other conservation organizations on starting their own palm oil programs. The CMZoo sustainable palm oil team continued to focus on international work through the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The team was instrumental in the creation of the WAZA Short Guide on Sustainable Palm Oil and the sustainable palm oil shopping app, which allows shoppers to scan the barcodes of items to learn whether producers have committed to using sustainable palm oil.

Through Q4C, CMZoo also supports a conservation partner called Tsavo Trust – an organization in Kenya that works to protect the last of the big tuskers, which are African elephants with tusks weighing more than 100 pounds. CMZoo’s funds helped Tsavo Trust build permanent housing that allowed staff to live on the land where these critically endangered giants live. It also paid for pilot hours of frontline aerial surveillance that protects rhinos and elephants from poachers seeking their ivory.

The seventh Q4C legacy partner is VulPro – protectors of African vultures. The dedicated staff at VulPro, in South Africa, save vultures who have been injured as wild birds, and rehabilitates them to release. Those that are too injured to survive in the wild find a permanent home at VulPro.

For more information about these projects and Quarters for Conservation, visit cmzoo.org/conservation.

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 2021, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #4 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #3 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. Of the 242 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.

It’s springtime in the Centennial State, which means nature lovers from all over the world are making plans to explore Colorado’s beautiful wild places. Part of planning your adventure can include planning ways to take pride in every step you take.

“Exploring the great outdoors can be incredibly fulfilling, and as much as we benefit from exploring those places, there are ways we can show our gratitude for them while we enjoy them,” said Carrie Supino, Primate World keeper who is an avid conservationist and outdoorsperson.

Give it a thumbs up! If you see wildlife, a great way to tell if you’re giving it enough space is by holding your thumb up at arm’s length in your line of sight of the animal. Can you still see the animal around the outline of your thumb? Back up and enjoy that magnificent creature from farther away.

“Giving animals space keeps us and the animals safe,” said Supino. “Plus, if you keep your distance, you’re more likely to witness natural behaviors and you usually get more time to observe it.”

Make it a ‘trash-ure’ hunt. Leaving only footsteps is a great way to respect the outdoors, but what if you took it to the next level by gathering others’ (hopefully) accidental leave-behinds?

“I like to bring an empty peanut butter jar on hikes and fill it up with any trash I see,” said Supino. “The plastic jar is light, so you’re not adding much weight to your pack. Plus, if you come across anything stinky, just close that jar up tight and you’ll forget it’s there until you trash or recycle it later.”

Note the coordinates. Making memories with loved ones is even more special when you’re surrounded by the magic of nature. We want to etch those moments in time forever. Instead of leaving a mark on a tree or rock, use a GPS mobile app to note your exact coordinates. Imagine how much fun it will be to return to the exact location years later to re-discover it just as you saw it for the first time.

Tap into your inner artist. It’s only natural to want to bring a piece of a special place home with you, but a rock or wildflower in your pocket can’t do its job protecting a root system or feeding a bee. Bring a small notebook on your exploration, and take time to sit and truly observe the place you want to take home. Describe or sketch what you hear, see, smell and feel. Chances are, you’ll notice even more beautiful details, and instead of having just one piece of that place, you can use your imagination to relive that scene anytime.

“I love getting to my destination, but I really encourage people to stop and let the magnificence sink in,” said Supino. “Give yourself permission to stop and be quiet. You’ll see things you didn’t know were there.”

Trust the experts. Many destinations now require advance permits that limit the number of people on trails or at landmarks. This effort helps preserve the health of the location and the enjoyable experience for visitors. Destinations often share specific guidance that can help you protect the place you’re visiting, too. Check out the website, take the experts’ advice, and plan ahead for your next adventure.

“Making small changes can add up to a huge difference for our delicate ecosystems,” said Supino. “Whether you’re one of the Rockies’ 90 million annual visitors or you live here, consider how you can take pride in every step you take, knowing you’re protecting the future of Colorado’s great outdoors.”

Back to The Waterhole
 

In its third consecutive year of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members’ support, International Crane Foundation’s work to save crowned cranes in East Africa is gaining momentum. The project, based in Kenya, is critical in understanding why wild crowned crane populations have declined by more than 80 percent in 25 years.

“We have to learn why something is happening before we can intelligently change that course,” said Philip Waugh, lead keeper in Water’s Edge: Africa. Waugh, along with his team, cares for Inzi and Tagi, CMZoo’s two East African crowned cranes. He first championed this conservation project in March 2020. “I hope our members know what a huge impact they’re making for these incredible birds. This research wouldn’t be possible without our members.”

A vital element of the project, led by International Crane Foundation (ICF), in partnership with Endangered Wildlife Trust, is identifying individual cranes. The team locates crane nests, and once the fledglings are born, they apply a combination of color-coded bands to the chicks’ legs. Then the researchers track them as they grow up and compare data to see why some populations survive and others don’t.

Thanks to knowledge gained since beginning this project in 2020, ICF now believes there is a significant gap in the number of juvenile birds surviving to adulthood. Cranes seem to hatch and fledge at a healthy rate, but far fewer than expected make it to mature adulthood. Identifying what threats these juvenile birds face, and helping them survive to breeding age, could be the key to saving this species.

“Once a crane reaches maturity, its plumage doesn’t change, and there are no obvious visual indications of age,” said Waugh. “We could think we see a healthy flock of cranes, but they could all be well beyond breeding age. We need to know why one population of cranes is living into its late twenties, while another population isn’t surviving to adulthood.”

Each colored band on a bird’s leg tells an important piece of its story. One band indicates its country of origin, another defines where it was banded, and another specifies when it was born. We will learn a lot about which waterways the cranes depend on, how many offspring each crane typically contributes to a population, how they prefer to roost and their movement patterns.

The team is covering a lot of ground, and learning a lot about crowned cranes. In 2020, the team banded 48 chicks. In 2021, they banded 79. In the last year, they also banded a clutch of four chicks. Most crowned cranes lay 1-2 eggs per clutch. There are fewer than ten records of a group of eggs this large ever documented in Kenya. More great news, all four chicks in that family survived and were banded! Researchers also observed the first-ever recorded instance of East African (also known as Grey) crowned cranes nesting in a tree.

“They’ve been wanting to start this fieldwork for more than a decade, so when they learned our members could potentially support it, they were excited and so were we,” said Waugh. “It’s inspiring to see how ICF and our members have prioritized this project. It goes to show that just by being a member at CMZoo, you can make big impacts for conservation around the world. Our members have allowed an organization with a presence on multiple continents to focus a lot of energy on this one project.”

A vital piece of any conservation success is local community support. In their recent report, ICF said they have been encouraged by local support for the banding project. Community members have been helping conservationists by reporting sightings of the birds. They attribute this positive community response to increased community engagement.

Every membership and every visit to CMZoo are conservation in action. Since 2015, the Member Conservation Vote has provided $525,000 of membership revenue to support field conservation worldwide. Each year, a total of $100,000 of membership revenue is contributed to conservation in two ways:

  • $25,000 to the Quarters for Conservation program, which in total contributes half a million dollars on average annually to CMZoo’s legacy conservation partners
  • $75,000 to projects voted for by CMZoo members through the annual vote

Last week, CMZoo members voted to decide how each of seven nominated conservation projects will be funded in 2022, including a continuation of this effort to save East African crowned cranes. Stay tuned for the results, coming soon!

Back to The Waterhole
 

Zoos play a pivotal role in the care and conservation of the world’s most vulnerable species. From the largest land mammals, like giraffe and elephants, to the smallest jungle dwellers, like tree frogs and insects, species all over the world are regularly facing challenges that can threaten their future. The best tools to protect these species are education and sharing knowledge. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has an event that equips our young visitors (and adults!) with this power in a fun and engaging way.

Endangered Species Day is a Zoo-wide event, geared towards other school groups’ participation, on Friday, April 15. They day-long event features 25 interactive stations led by 7th graders from Cheyenne Mountain Junior High School. Homeschool groups, scout troops, and preschools have all attended in previous years.

The 7th grade presenters have spent months researching endangered species and the conservation actions in place to protect them. The stations will feature student-made posters with powerful information and visuals, as well as interactive games, activities, and demonstrations that engage Zoo guests in captivating ways. These students are passionate and excited about sharing their knowledge and inspiring others to care for these species.

Though the day is geared towards other school groups’ participation, other groups can participate! We even encourage small groups, like parents and their kids, to register to attend Endangered Species Day.

You must register in advance as a group for CMZoo’s Endangered Species Day to receive a passport that aligns with the stations throughout the Zoo. As participants interact with the stations, their passports will receive a stamp. After visiting all 25 stations, and the passport is full of stamps, participants will be equipped with new knowledge and actions to better protect wildlife and wild places. Endangered Species Day registration includes admission to the Zoo for that day. To register and learn more about Endangered Species Day, visit cmzoo.org/ESD.

Members and zoo guests who are not affiliated with a group may also reserve daytime admission to the Zoo on April 15, and interact with the stations as a supplemental part of a regular Zoo visit. Advance daytime admission tickets are required. Tickets are available at cmzoo.org/visit.

Back to The Waterhole
 


In July, we told you about the new shipping container farm growing produce for animals at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Since then, CMZoo’s horticulture team has been working through challenges and growing their knowledge, along with lots of lettuce.

Last month, they harvested their first test yield of romaine lettuce for CMZoo’s giraffe herd!

“They ate it up!,” said Denny Patton, senior horticulturist at CMZoo. “After so many months of trial and error, testing, failing, and trying again, it was really cool to see the animals enjoying this produce that we’ve worked so hard to provide.”

Like every Colorado gardener knows, farming in The Centennial State is no easy feat. Using a complex, year-round growing system like this one requires commitment, patience and ongoing education.

“We’re learning so much,” said Patton. “I don’t think any of us thought we’d be programming computers and testing water’s oxygen levels in this role. We love this project. It’s a challenging and rewarding adventure.”

It’s hard to find a project much greener than this. The system is energy-, water- and space-efficient. Because the growing system’s shell was a freezer shipping container in its previous life, it’s heavily insulated. That will protect the plants from Colorado’s extreme temperature ranges, and allow the team to grow produce year-round.

The hydroponic lettuce growing system inside the container is one of the most efficient ways to grow lettuce – and as anyone who has visited our 17-member giraffe herd knows, they go through a lot of lettuce. On average, the Zoo uses more than 3,500 heads of romaine lettuce per month. Romaine lettuce is a small part of the giraffes’ diet, but it’s a huge part of our guests’ experience. The long-term goal is to grow about 55% of the Zoo’s lettuce using systems like this one, by expanding the number of shipping container farms at the Zoo.

The team is learning through trial and error. They’re testing how often they need to replace the water in the hydration tanks, which kinds of seeds grow well, how the automatic climate controls work (and don’t!), and how they could potentially improve growing conditions by altering the climate and nutrients in the system depending on the plants’ stage of development. That’s down the line, though, and only if this testing phase is deemed successful.

“Right now, we can grow about 2,500 plants at a time,” said Patton. “We’re testing how to make this as energy-efficient and water-conservative as possible. We’re even looking into different grow racks, because we might be able to double the number of plants we can grow at once by shuffling around some of the shelving.”

The single shipping container farm should produce about an acre’s worth of lettuce using only 40 gallons of water per day. The system also uses a dehumidifier to capture excess water from the air and filter it back into the watering reservoirs. The ebb-and-flow hydroponic system uses less than a typical shower to fuel hundreds of heads of lettuce.

“We’re planting on a weekly schedule,” said Patton. “On any given week, you’ll see brand-new seedlings, growing heads of lettuce and mature lettuce, ready to be fed to our animals. It’s a constant cycle, which we hope will eventually reduce the Zoo’s dependence on outside food sources.”

The team’s commitment to mastering this art-and-science project is paying off. They’re producing about 230 heads of lettuce a week – that’s between 30 and 50 pounds – for CMZoo’s animals, at a 90 percent success rate. Having nailed down a successful growing plan for romaine lettuce, the team is expanding the menu. They are also growing kale, which was a treat for our orangutans recently.

“The orangutans’ keepers said they didn’t usually eat the store-bought kale, but they gobbled our Zoo-grown kale right up,” said Patton. “I don’t think there’s a better compliment than that.”

Lettuce and kale aren’t the only things growing – much to our animals’ delight.

“Browse is a huge part of our animals’ diets, but its availability is limited in our state – especially in the winter months,” said Patton. “When you come and peek through the shipping container’s window, you’ll see some tiny sticks in there. We’re attempting to grow our own tree branches and leaves through propagation. We did a batch of native coyote willow for our wallabies, and they loved it!”

The horticulture team will continue testing the efficiency of the growing system, and sharing the fruits of their labor with CMZoo’s animals. Guests are welcome to check out the project, next to the carousel, on their next visit.

Back to The Waterhole
 


Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will soon bid bon voyage to Bluestem, a three-year-old female Mexican wolf. In the coming months, she will leave her home in Rocky Mountain Wild for a Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding recommendation at a facility in Mexico.

CMZoo’s seven Mexican wolves serve their species as ambassadors for wild wolves, and the pack matriarch, Luna, and patriarch, Navarro, have contributed six offspring to this important population in human care.

Wolf Woods, at CMZoo, was designed to preserve the wolves’ wild instincts as much as possible because they or their offspring could one day be released into the wild to support those populations. According to the Arizona Fish and Game Department, there are only about 186 Mexican wolves in the wild, but their population is growing. Bluestem’s move to start her own pack in human care could increase the chances of more CMZoo Mexican wolf descendants joining wild populations.

In 2002, a Mexican wolf born at CMZoo, named Estrella, and her pack made their way into the wild from a pre-release pen in Arizona, as part of a Mexican wolf reintroduction program. She created a prolific legacy of offspring. Her offspring lead four wild packs and she lived to be a grandmother. She was once the oldest-known wild Mexican wolf. Estrella’s group was named the Bluestem pack, which is where Bluestem got her name.

“True to her namesake, Bluestem is a natural leader and a confident participant in her pack,” said Kristen Cox, Rocky Mountain Wild wolf keeper. “In the wild, some wolves leave their packs to start their own families or join other packs, and I can totally see Bluestem doing that. I have complete confidence in her as she takes on this new adventure.”

We participate in multiple SSPs which sometimes require saying goodbye to an animal for the good of its species. But, moving internationally doesn’t happen every day. Making CMZoo news is nothing new for Bluestem, though. She was part of Luna’s and Navarro’s first litter of pups, born in May 2018.

“Bluestem and her siblings were the first wolf pups born at CMZoo in 20 years,” said Rebecca Zwicker, Rocky Mountain Wild animal care manager. “She and her pack have helped thousands of people learn about and fall in love with wolves. Now, she gets an opportunity to contribute to her species’ growth at another facility, and we are so excited for her.”

When Bluestem’s two-year-old sister, Uno, was born in May 2019, she and her female siblings were quite curious. They went into the den when Luna went into labor with Uno, and she allowed them to see what was happening. When Uno was a few weeks old, Luna let them into the den again and they would observe her. Those experiences have helped prepare Bluestem as she potentially becomes a mother to her own pups in the future.

“Usually, when our animals make moves like this, we say we’re ‘cautiously optimistic,’” said Cox. “This time, I’m just optimistic. Of course, I’ll miss her, but somehow I just know she’s going to do well. I can’t wait to hear how she embraces her role as leader of her own pack.”

Back to The Waterhole
 

Search