Saying Goodbye Archives

MUZIKI WAS THE OLDEST GIRAFFE IN THE CMZOO HERD, AND THE FIFTH OLDEST IN HUMAN CARE IN THE COUNTRY – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said a grateful goodbye to Muziki (pronounced moo ZEE-key), a 27-year-old female reticulated giraffe, on Fri., March 13, 2026. After a quick decline in her health due to age related issues including bone density loss in her jaw, her care team made the difficult but compassionate decision to euthanize her. She was the oldest giraffe in the CMZoo herd and the fifth oldest female reticulated giraffe in the country.

Muziki was born at CMZoo, and she would have turned 28 years old on April 3, 2026. The median life expectancy for a female giraffe in human care is 20 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

“I’ll remember her as a leader in the herd,” Kacie Meffley, giraffe animal care manager, says. “She was gentle and confident. She taught newborn calves and giraffe who moved to our Zoo how to be giraffe at CMZoo because the herd would naturally follow her lead.”

Muziki also taught people. She was eager to participate in training, and her care team often relied on her skills at giraffe care workshops, hosted by the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe at CMZoo. When giraffe care teams from other organizations want to learn about giraffe care, they can attend the workshops and work directly with the CMZoo giraffe care team and herd to learn skills they can take home to benefit the giraffe in their care.

“Muziki was the herd matriarch, and giraffe and humans alike worked to earn her respect,” Kacie says. “She wouldn’t let just anyone train with her, so once you earned her trust and respect, it felt pretty special. I remember one day, when we were applying an ointment to her joints to help with arthritis. She would step away when others approached, but she stood perfectly still for me to do it. That’s when I knew we had formed a real bond.”

Supporting animals through their senior years is a privilege, and the giraffe care team provided excellent care for Muziki through the end of her life. The Zoo aims to give animals their Last Best Day, with a goal to find the best possible timing to say goodbye while giving the animal as many fulfilling days as they can.

“Muziki’s last best day was spent doing her favorite things, enjoying the sunshine outside and receiving lettuce from guests, volunteers and staff,” Kacie says. “At the end of the day, she had the entire barn, with lots of choices to rest on sand or participate in enrichment while she spent time with other giraffe and staff.”

Muziki’s death comes just five days after the death of Mashama, a 15-year-old reticulated giraffe who passed away on Sunday. Yesterday, Bob Chastain, CMZoo President & CEO, addressed the difficult week in a letter to CMZoo members.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2025, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised more than $6 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo staff and giraffe fans around the world are remembering Mashama (pronounced muh-SHAW-muh), an older male giraffe who passed away early Sunday morning. He experienced sporadic ‘off’ days with bouts of lethargy and decreased appetite over the past few months, but he was still having far more good days than bad ones. Despite consistent care and monitoring, and weekly diagnostics, no patterns or causes for his ‘off’ days were clear. He passed away somewhat unexpectedly around 1 a.m. MT on Sun., March 8, 2026.

Mashama would have turned 16 years old on March 23, the median life expectancy for a male giraffe in human care. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is now home to 15 giraffe, including Jasiri, a breeding bull who is visiting from Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance. Forty percent of the herd is either approaching, at or beyond the median life expectancy for giraffe in human care.

Mashama was born at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and made millions of connections with visitors, fans online and staff over the years.

Amy Schilz, senior animal behaviorist at the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe at CMZoo, worked with Mashama for 13 years.

“He’s always been so gentle,” Amy says. “He was eager to please and eager to train. I’ll remember him as a calm, steady and gentle soul who absolutely loved training.”

He was easy to identify in the herd because his coat was lighter than most and he had a unique way of chewing with his mouth wide open. He was one of the tallest giraffe in the herd, and he would use his size and confidence to shift to the front of the herd to take lettuce from guests. If you have a selfie with a giraffe who’s chewing with his mouth open, that’s likely Mashama, Mash, Mash-Man or Mash Potato, as his keepers endearingly called him.

“Mashama was the best friend you could ask for on a hard day,” Amy says. “With his quiet presence, it felt like he somehow knew you needed him. He would come over, gently press his face against yours, breathe out slowly and simply stand there while you petted him. Most of the other giraffe expect food if you want to touch them, but not Mash. He just wanted to be close and spend time with you.”

Mashama was an important part of the herd. He was always the last one to shift into the barn from the main yard each night. He would make sure the entire herd came in first, and only then would he run from the main yard into the building.

“He loved the babies and the babies loved him,” Amy says. “Young calves would follow him around and peek out from under his huge legs. They must have felt safe with him.”

Many fans called him ‘Uncle Mashama’ because he was playful and gentle with new giraffe calves, often standing over them in the yard as they learned to navigate the outdoor space with the large herd. Just after the three-minute mark in this video, you can see Mashama excitedly meeting now 5-year-old BB during her first yard adventure in 2020. In his younger years, he would get the zoomies and encourage the whole herd to run around. As he got older, the zoomies happened less frequently, but his excitable spirit remained.

When Mashama wasn’t relaxing with the herd in the Colorado sunshine, getting lettuce snacks from guests or helping youngsters settle in, he was a powerhouse in the training barn. Positive reinforcement and cooperative care allow animals to participate in procedures that would otherwise require anesthesia – always risky for any animal. As with all positive reinforcement training at CMZoo, Mashama always had the choice to walk away from sessions without consequence, but he nearly always chose to stay and participate.

“When we have giraffe training workshops, Mashama was our go-to giraffe for helping giraffe caretakers learn how to perform hoof care and blood draws,” Amy says. “He was so stellar that he’d allow people he’d never met to learn these important skills with him so they could help their own giraffe.”

Mashama was a pioneer in giraffe husbandry care, eagerly participating in training and treatment sessions with his care team. In 2019, he fractured his foot when a particularly frolic-filled day in the yard ended in a stumble. To help mend his fracture, he received an innovative orthopedic shoe, and he stood still to have the shoe fitted.

To assist in healing, he trailblazed giraffe care again, by being the only known giraffe to receive multiple stem cell treatments while fully awake. He participated in acupuncture and laser therapy. He lived well for several more years thanks to this technology and his incredible enthusiasm to participate in these sessions.

He participated in cooperative blood draws. His team would gather blood samples from a vein in his neck while he stood still, getting lots of lettuce and crackers as a reward. That behavior allowed Mashama to contribute to the Giraffe Plasma Bank regularly, supplying emergency blood and plasma for giraffe throughout the country who needed supportive care. He saved many calves’ lives through this contribution, and allowed veterinarians to learn more about giraffe blood testing, which continues to serve giraffe in human care and in the wild.

This week, Amy is teaching a giraffe care workshop at CMZoo, and most of the lessons she will share, she learned alongside Mashama.

“I have a slide about him in my presentations that says, ‘Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear spots,’” Amy says. “He has saved many giraffe lives and taught us so much. He’s a hero.”

Mashama will continue to help people learn about giraffe. Veterinarians will perform a necropsy (an autopsy for animals) and the Giraffe Center team will study his hooves. What they learn will help inform giraffe hoof care and training practices for decades to come.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is reflecting on the incredible legacy of Khalid (pronounced “Kuh-LEED”), a 17-year-old breeding male giraffe. Khalid was humanely euthanized on Fri., Dec. 12. His care team had been supporting him through mobility issues, and Khalid’s health rapidly declined over the past week.

After exhausting all possible humane treatments for Khalid, and considering his advanced age, they made the compassionate decision to say goodbye. Khalid would have been 18 years old in May, and the median life expectancy for male giraffe in human care is sixteen-and-a-half years.

Known affectionately by many as “Big Daddy,” Khalid’s presence at CMZoo was as big as the legacy he leaves behind. Weighing in at 2,500 pounds and standing sixteen-and-a-half feet tall, he was the Zoo’s only breeding bull since he arrived in June 2010. He fathered seven calves, including 6-year-old Viv and 3-year-old Wednesday – two female giraffe that currently live at CMZoo. Giraffe are critically endangered in the wild, and Khalid’s kids represent important contributions to the genetic diversity of the assurance population of giraffe in human care. He recently became a grandfather when his daughter, BB, gave birth to Thorn, a male, in March 2025 at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.

“He was a gentle giant,” Kacie Meffley, giraffe animal care manager at CMZoo, says. “He had this huge imposing head and body paired with a surprisingly gentle demeanor. Many people will remember him leaning over the fence into the nursery stall when his babies were born, so he could delicately smell them and lick their heads. He was also gentle with guests, who would save lettuce especially for Khalid when feeding our herd.”

Khalid had an enormous fan club. They would visit him on his birthday, World Giraffe Day and every day of the year, making sure they fed Big Daddy after visiting the rest of the herd. He met thousands of people through up-close encounters over the years, when guests would remark at the size of his hooves, often exclaiming, “They’re bigger than dinner plates!” His care team remembers one very special moment between Khalid and a blind guest who visited the Zoo.

Khalid’s head was bumpier than the rest of the herd’s, which is a natural occurrence for male giraffe whose testosterone encourages calcium deposits to grow on their heads and around their ossicones (the horn-like points on top of giraffe’s heads). Noticing the visually impaired guest exploring the Zoo with her hands, Khalid’s keeper team asked if she wanted to feel his head – an offer she quickly accepted. Khalid calmly leaned his big, bumpy head into her. She gasped with delight at the sensation and size of his head, and the time he spent with her. She made an incredible connection with Khalid that day, and he enjoyed the head scratches.

Khalid’s relationship with his keepers was vital in his care. His trusted team provided a myriad of treatments and environmental changes, like different ground substrates to stand on, enriching activities and places to explore. The team, led by leading hoof care experts at CMZoo’s International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe, worked tirelessly for Khalid, and consulted with giraffe care experts around the world on his case.

Care teams at CMZoo always work hard to give animals their Last Best Day. For Khalid, it was a peaceful passing, and his expertise in training allowed him to receive his injection cooperatively and calmly.

“He was the best boy today, as always, and he will be deeply missed,” Diana Miller, giraffe specialist at CMZoo’s International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe, says. “He got lots of head scratches, bananas and browse. He nuzzled some of the giraffe and then he came over to train for the most beautiful voluntary hand injection, then shifted into spaces where we could give him his final care. He had a good last day and that’s all we could hope for. His legacy will live on in all of the things we learned from him.”

Khalid’s care knowledge will be shared with other giraffe care professionals in workshops, educational videos, consultations and network through the Giraffe Center. Even after his death, Khalid will continue to make contributions to his species. Veterinarians will perform a necropsy (an autopsy for animals) and his hooves will become part of a groundbreaking study on giraffe hoof anatomy that will benefit giraffe in human care and in the wild for decades to come.

Committed to continuing to grow and diversify the population of giraffe in human care, CMZoo plans to welcome another breeding bull to the Zoo as soon as possible. There are no concrete plans at this point, and CMZoo will share more when the time is right.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

THE SIX-YEAR-OLD SLOTH PASSED AWAY ON WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24, DUE TO HEART DISEASE – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is reflecting on the impact that Bean, a Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth who lived in The Loft, made on members, guests and staff. Bean passed away on Wed., Sept. 24 after a short illness.

Last week, Bean lost her appetite and was ‘off,’ so she went to the Zoo’s veterinary hospital for supportive treatment and bloodwork, which revealed kidney disease. By Wednesday, her kidney levels had improved due to her care team’s support, but Bean unfortunately passed away unexpectedly that evening. On Thursday, a necropsy (an animal autopsy) revealed significant heart disease, which did not present heart-specific symptoms that would lead to heart testing in such a young sloth.

Bean was born on May 14, 2019, in Monkey Pavilion, which used to sit where the Zoo’s playhills are now. A guest favorite from the start, she was the first sloth born at the Zoo in 15 years, and she was born in view of a few lucky visitors who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

In her first few months, she allowed guests and staff to feed her grapes, which she eagerly took, exposing her adorable bright pink tongue. She was extremely outgoing, appearing on several local television stations who sent crews out to meet her.

When Bean reached maturity, she moved to The Loft, where she quickly connected with guests who could look up to see her as she explored the rafters overhead. The confident and curious sloth had been known to temporarily snag a guest’s hat or two from her overhead vantage point.

“Sloths have a reputation for being slow, but Bean was pretty fast when she wanted to be,” Jackie Watson, senior animal keeper in The Loft, says. “I loved when she’d climb right in front of our ‘Welcome to The Loft’ sign, like she was our guests’ official welcome sloth. People would always ask with excitement, ‘Is that sloth real?’ and then we’d get to tell them all about her and her species.”

She had an endearing mischievous and adventurous side, but her keepers will remember her as focused, self-aware and incredibly intelligent.

“It’s my passion to connect people with animals, and Bean made my work easy,” Jackie says. “She had such a knack for it that I could sit back and watch her work her magic, with very little input needed from me. I think she had such good energy because she had good boundaries. If a group of guests wasn’t interacting with her to her preferences, she wouldn’t hesitate to just leave. I aspire to her level of genuine connection, intelligence and spunk.”

Bean’s intelligence was groundbreaking. She knew how to enter a crate voluntarily, position herself for visual health checks, and she was close to perfecting a cooperative blood draw – unheard of in sloth care as far as her care team knows.

She was also the only sloth in the Zoo’s history to perfect painting. Keepers fixed a paintbrush to a stick that Bean could hold in one hand while she hung upside down. They would hold a canvas near Bean, and she would paint on the canvas and receive her favorite snacks – hard-boiled eggs and primate biscuits — as rewards for participating. Many guests over the years enjoyed painting sessions with Bean, or purchased artwork created by Bean to support the Zoo’s animal care.

“When she first moved to The Loft, I started training her to paint so we had more opportunities to bond,” Cassie Spero, senior animal keeper in The Loft, says. “A couple of months later, she was swiping a paint brush on canvases, my hands, and often her face. We bonded so much that whenever I was training a skunk, owl, or porcupine, she would wake up, climb to wherever I was, and hang down from the ropes to interrupt my other training sessions. Bean helped shape my career, and I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know her.”

In addition to painting sessions, Bean was part of countless marriage proposals, birthdays, anniversaries and just-because special encounters inside and outside of The Loft. She loved the sunshine, and Bean’s team worked to extend her rope system outside to the front porch of The Loft so she could enjoy it frequently.

“On sunny days, we’d open up the doors and I’d hang out with her in the sunshine,” Alia Cooper, senior animal keeper in The Loft, says. “Her body would totally relax while she soaked up the sunshine, and I loved getting to tell people about her as they walked by. People would come to The Loft to see her, and she opened the door for people to stay and learn about reptiles and smaller animals that they might not otherwise visit.”

Bean made a lasting impact and will be deeply missed. Her father, Bosco (33), her half-sister, Olive (9 months) and Olive’s mom, Asyan (10), live in Scutes Family Gallery.

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. 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 to fund animal care, conservation, Zoo operations and improvements.

SHE WAS THE OLDEST ASIATIC BLACK BEAR IN HUMAN CARE IN THE COUNTRY WHEN SHE PASSED – On Sunday morning, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said goodbye to Beezler, the oldest Asiatic black bear in human care in the U.S. She came to CMZoo in 1994 with her sister Honey, who passed away in 2022.

Part of planning her Last Best Day included giving Zoo Family a chance to say goodbye. Before Beezler was humanely euthanized, staff, docents and board members gathered to express their gratitude for her. Staff shared their appreciation for Beezler’s contributions, signed a card and shared in the joy of watching Beezler relaxing in the sunshine, enjoying cookies, whipped cream, muffins and meatballs.

“It may sound strange, but we work hard and have hours of discussions to make sure we’re giving each animal its Last Best Day,” Bob Chastain, president and CEO at CMZoo, says. “We wanted to make sure Beezler was healthy enough to pass peacefully. That meant a few things for us. She needed to eat something so we could keep her medicated, and we needed her to be comfortable and peaceful while the process took place. The team was able to achieve that peaceful passing for Beezler, and that’s comforting to all of us. She’ll be deeply missed.”

Beezler, with her bright brown eyes, big round ears and fluffy mane, has kept a quiet corner of the Zoo for many years. Up above the playhill and tapir-okapi yard, many Zoo visitors enjoyed the calm and peaceful setting, taking time for lunch at the picnic tables or quietly watching Beezler.

Beezler has been a celebrated member of the community for decades, and she was especially inspirational to many in their golden years.

“She was the oldest Asiatic black bear in human care in the country, but it seems like she only turned ‘old’ really recently,” Jessi Palmer, Rocky Mountain Wild animal keeper, says. “She was still so mentally sharp, observant and engaged. It’s like we knew she was old, but she didn’t believe it. I think many people who are aging related to her and were inspired by her. She just kept going.”

At 30 years old, Beezler surprised her care team by climbing up a structure, about 15 feet high.

“We were delivering an enrichment item via zip line into her outdoor area, and it got stuck just above the structure,” Kelsey Walker, Rocky Mountain Wild senior animal keeper, says. “Before we could shake it loose, Beezler was scaling a diagonal tree trunk and balancing on her back legs to reach it. That was typical Beezler – defying the odds and making you rethink everything you thought you knew.”

Erika Furnes, Rocky Mountain Wild senior animal keeper, worked with Beezler for nine years, and can attest to the adorable bear’s ability to keep you on your toes. Erika describes Beezler as sweet, confident and patient – with a side of respectable sass.

“During training sessions, sometimes Beezler was training us,” Erika says. “If you weren’t delivering her training rewards the right way – holding the tongs at just the right angle, getting the food portions perfect and pacing them as quickly as she wanted them – she would start taking the food from the tongs with a bit more quickness and intensity. She was still gentle, taking the food just with her lips, but she would definitely communicate if your performance wasn’t up to her standards.”

Over nearly a decade, Erika and Beezler worked closely together, learning new training techniques and making accommodations that allowed Beezler to cooperate in her own health care as she aged.

“She taught us a lot about making accommodations for aging animals, to support their natural behaviors as their bodies slow down,” Erika says. “In her later years, we turned one of her pools into a dirt pile, which she loved. We made adjustments to her enrichment, so she was still challenged and we could encourage her to stay flexible, but she could still feel accomplished. We never stopped offering her ‘young bear’ enrichment, like a log that smelled like one of our porcupines. We weren’t sure if she’d be interested, but she tore it up like a cub.”

Beezler got a smaller pool, along with mud wallows and 24/7 access to her climate controlled den to keep cool. Guests often shared sentiments of support, knowing the Zoo was offering Beezler opportunities to nap in the cool den, where they couldn’t see her.

“A lot of members came to the Zoo just to see Beezler,” Courtney Rogers, CMZoo registrar and former Rocky Mountain Wild keeper, says. “They would sometimes ask where she was, and when I explained that she might be choosing to take a nap in her den, they would say, ‘Good for her!’. People respected Beezler, and like us, wanted what was best for her.”

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 had a giant presence at CMZoo and around the world through the Zoo’s social media channels.

“A big part of our role is to help guests fall in love with animals, but she didn’t need us,” Erika says. “She did that on her own. People connected with her in so many ways, and she was the perfect ambassador for her species.”

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2025, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised nearly $6 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

HE WAS THE SECOND-OLDEST MALE GIRAFFE IN HUMAN CARE IN THE COUNTRY WHEN HE PASSED – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo staff and giraffe fans are reflecting on the life of a legendary giraffe, Mahali [ma-HAUL-ee]. After an age-related decline in his health, Mahali’s care team made the difficult but compassionate decision to euthanize him on Thurs., April 10. Mahali was the second-oldest male reticulated giraffe in Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities in the country at 22 years old.

Mahali’s team remembers him as self-assured and particular, and they’re most grateful for what he taught them. Later in life, Mahali experienced foot and leg issues that affected his mobility. In 2017 and 2020, Mahali went under anesthesia to receive treatments, and those procedures helped him heal and return to a good quality of life. In 2023, his care team decided to avoid future risky anesthesia, and focus on helping Mahali live well as an old giraffe by making environmental accommodations for him.

“Mahali changed the way we think about caring for aging giraffe,” Rick Hester, CMZoo animal behaviors curator, says. “It’s not often you have the opportunity to work with a male giraffe this old, and once we understood each other, we could try all sorts of accommodations to help him age comfortably.”

Mahali advanced giraffe care by allowing his team to glue orthopedic shoes to his hooves, and by helping his team understand quality-of-life measurements that made sense for him as an old giraffe, as opposed to a young giraffe. A good quality of life for an aging giraffe includes having comfortable places to rest, participating in husbandry training, socializing with giraffe friends, eating well, being able to lie down and stand up, and traversing all terrains.

When keepers noticed Mahali was ‘saying no’ to training consistently around 2017, Amy Schilz, senior animal behaviorist at the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe at CMZoo, asked Rick to put his decade of animal training experience to the test with Mahali. After Mahali developed a communicative and trusting relationship with Rick, it was game on.

Even in a busy barn, Rick could call out, ‘Hey, Mahali,’ in a low monotone voice. Mahali’s eyes would sharpen focus, his ears would perk up, and he’d start scanning the crowd. Once he spotted Rick, he’d walk right over. Rick and Amy worked consistently together with Mahali’s training, and Mahali learned to trust that he was in control with these humans, who were going to notice his subtle communication cues.

“Mahali had special needs, and what worked for the rest of the herd wasn’t working for him as he aged, so we worked to find the right nuance for Mahali,” Rick says. “When we were together, we were really focused on each other, and Mahali responded well for many years.”

Rick and Mahali stayed focused on each other for Mahali’s remaining years, perfecting the animal-human communication that all CMZoo animal trainers strive for, to provide excellent cooperative care for an animal. Thanks to his dedicated team, Mahali got many more years of quality health, and giraffe fans got many more years of Mahali.

“Mahali was a rascal in his younger years,” Amy says. Amy worked with Mahali for 12 years. “Some might remember we used to sell lettuce for giraffe feedings near the railing of the giraffe yard. We moved it because Mahali could reach over the railing, and he kept nudging staff to give him lettuce, like, ‘Hey, I see what you have there.’”

As Mahali grew up, his confidence was on full display. His team described him as ‘tactile.’ He was known for pulling on keepers’ shirts or pushing other giraffe out of his way to be the center of keepers’ attention. If Mahali didn’t want to move, he wasn’t moving. At the end of the day, when keepers welcomed giraffe to the barn from the yard, he would sometimes opt for a few more hours outside.

“He had a great last day,” Jason Bredahl, CMZoo curator of animal environments and former giraffe animal care manager, says. Jason was present for Mahali’s entire life. “He went out into the yard with an enthusiasm we hadn’t seen in a few days. He soaked up the sunshine and ate lettuce and tree branches while socializing with his herd and our guests. We’re proud of the ‘bonus years’ we’ve been able to give Mahali, and we’re grateful for all the guests he has inspired and animal welfare he has taught us. It’s always hard when we know it’s time to say goodbye, but it’s also our final act of compassion and stewardship for our animals.”

Mahali was the first giraffe calf born in the current giraffe barn, hours before Mother’s Day in May 2003. As the Zoo makes progress on its giraffe habitat expansion and a new 12,000 square-foot giraffe building, giraffe staff say they will take the lessons Mahali taught them to their new giraffe center, and share with keepers around the world through the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe’s workshops, information sharing and consultations. His legacy will live on in every giraffe that gets to live old well.

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.

THE FEMALE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA WAS THE THIRD OLDEST IN THE U.S. WHEN SHE PASSED – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is remembering the long life of Roxie, a 48-year-old female Western lowland gorilla. Roxie was humanely euthanized, due to age-related decline, on Tues., April 8, surrounded by her animal care team.

Roxie was an icon, as the Zoo’s longest living resident. She was born at the Zoo in 1976, and she was a constant on the mountain for generations of staff and visitors ever since. As the fifth oldest Western lowland gorilla in Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) human care in the U.S., and the third oldest female, she was well known throughout the gorilla care community.

Although Roxie did not have offspring, she contributed to the Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan and SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) Gorilla in many important ways – including playing a key role in the cohesiveness of the troop at CMZoo.

Roxie was the ‘cool aunt’ to 32-year-old female gorilla, Asha, often playing and wrestling with her when she was a baby. She also helped now-32-year-old Kwisha settle in at CMZoo, when Kwisha was not accepted by her mother at another zoo and moved to CMZoo at 8 months old.

Roxie adored Asha’s daughter, Tumani, and son, Dembe, who were born at CMZoo and now live at other AZA-accredited zoos. Many will remember Roxie wrestling and chasing with the young gorillas when they lived at CMZoo. Most recently, Roxie was an instrumental social support, leading Asha and the troop one step closer to future offspring by helping Goma, CMZoo silverback, learn his place in the troop.

Roxie’s confidence around Goma helped him learn how to lead female gorillas with respectful dominance. Partly because of Roxie’s calm and gentle leadership, the other female members of the group followed her lead and learned to embrace him.

“She was the first gorilla we ever saw have a tickle fight with Goma,” Ashton Asbury, Primate World keeper, says. “Goma and Roxie shared a special relationship. She gave him grace and reacted calmly to his natural displays, which helped the troop’s level of calmness during some of those introductions, but she also banded with other females to help him learn limits.”

Roxie was known for her playfulness and excitability. She would often ‘tap’ other gorillas on the rear end when they walked by her to initiate play. Even in her older years, she would beat her chest, clap and grumble (which is a ‘happy gorilla noise’) when she saw a keeper preparing to train with her.

“I think about how much her life and world changed over the years, and how much our profession has advanced in terms of animal welfare during Roxie’s life,” Debbie Fenton, senior keeper in Primate World, says. Debbie first worked with Roxie 20 years ago. “She taught us that you can teach an older gorilla new husbandry tactics, and make things better together. She became quite the expert at participating in her own care.”

Gorillas are extremely intelligent and social. After she passed, Roxie’s care team moved her back into the space with her troop, so they could say goodbye and understand her absence. The loss of Roxie will likely be felt by the CMZoo gorilla troop, Asha, Kwisha and Goma, as much as the humans who cared for her.

Animals are extremely resilient, and the troop’s dedicated care team will monitor behaviors closely and respond as needed. Roxie’s legacy will continue to serve Asha, Kwisha and Goma as they settle into a party of three.

Keepers ask supporters to honor Roxie and the troop and help save their wild counterparts by recycling small electronic devices at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Western lowland gorillas are critically endangered, and their numbers continue to decrease in the wild. In addition to disease and poaching, they face habitat loss due to logging for agricultural use, human settlements and mining. Many of the West African lowland forests and swamps that these animals call home are also natural deposits of coltan, a mineral used in cell phones and other electronics. Due to the ever-increasing demand for cell phones across the world, the destruction of these gorillas’ habitats for mining purposes has unfortunately increased.

Coltan is recyclable, and by donating old cell phones, we can help supply valuable coltan for future phone production. Guests can bring electronics to CMZoo admissions or Primate World, where there’s a recycling collection bin near the gorillas’ indoor dens. CMZoo will send them to Eco-Cell, an organization that recycles the phones, as well as tablets, smart watches, Bluetooth devices, GPS devices, e-readers, digital cameras, handheld gaming systems and their accessories.

Mango and Basha, 1-year-old Amur leopard brothers, are growing up – and gearing up for their next big adventure. As the first Amur leopard cubs born at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in nearly 20 years, their highly anticipated births made history in May 2023. Now, their care team is preparing them to leave CMZoo for other zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to continue their important work in furthering the species.

Amur leopard Mango portrait — Amur leopard, Mango.

Mango, with his playful and unpredictable nature, and Basha, known for his quick learning and keen observation, are sure to make lasting impressions wherever they go. Their moving dates have not been set, but they could be as soon as this fall or next spring. The boys will go to separate zoos on eventual breeding recommendations to help support the Amur Leopard Species Survival Plan. Although they’re reproductively mature now, they’re not likely to meet potential mates right away. Male leopards are usually most successful mates when they’re a bit older.

Mango and Basha, who previously lived with their mother, Anya, have most recently been living together, apart from their mom. It is natural at this age for male leopards to leave their mothers, and Anya was showing keepers she was ready for the boys to move out. For the last couple of months, the brothers have been living together and spending more time independently from each other.

Amur leopard Basha up-close portrait — Amur leopard, Basha.

The steady transition is part of a comprehensive plan to foster their independence and confidence as independent leopards in new homes. Basia Dann, lead animal keeper in Asian Highlands, and her team are creating a detailed big cat transport plan and best practices program. They have started sharing the program with other big cat teams at professional conferences. Their hope is that this program can help Mango and Basha, as well as other big cats, make successful transitions between AZA-accredited organizations.

“It’s likely that most animals will move between organizations eventually,” Basia says. “We want Mango and Basha to be comfortable and confident during training, throughout their transport and as they settle into their new homes. We’re preparing them for various environments and situations they might encounter in their new zoos.”

The preparation began early, with keepers training Mango and Basha in a range of skills essential for their upcoming moves, as early as just a few months old. Crate training has been a key component, because the leopards will embark on their journeys by voluntarily entering transport crates and being awake for the trips to their new homes.

“We’ve been ‘practicing’ moving with the boys by asking them to voluntarily enter and sit calmly in a variety of crates and environments,” Basia says. “This helps them get used to being in different settings, and it can reduce their stress during a move. We want them to learn that they can feel confident in a crate, that crates are temporary, and that they’ll get a big treat when they’re done in the crate.”

In addition to crate training, keepers have been rotating Mango and Basha through different spaces within their current habitat. This includes areas that simulate conditions they might encounter in their new homes, such as public viewing spaces and routine quarantine settings. The aim is to familiarize the leopards with varied environments and stimuli, helping them build skills that make them adaptable and resilient.

Communication between zoos is another critical aspect of preparing an animal for a successful move. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is working closely with other facilities to coordinate Mango and Basha’s transfers, including sharing detailed information about the leopard’s individual preferences, tendencies, habitat layouts, experiences, training and behaviors.

“We share information about their favorite resting spots, perching systems, preferred enrichment and feeding habits, too,” Basia says. “This helps the receiving zoos prepare environments that feel as familiar as possible for them. If an animal is most relaxed up high on a branch, let’s make sure they have that waiting for them after their transport.”

As Mango and Basha prepare to leave, there’s a mix of excitement and bittersweet emotion among CMZoo staff.

Amur leopard Basha behind a rock — Amur leopard, Basha.

“Working with their mom through her pregnancy and seeing them grow up have been some of my most rewarding experiences as an animal keeper,” Basia says. “I will definitely miss them, but it’s not about me. We do this work alongside our animals to help save species, and I’m so glad we got to play a supporting role in helping Mango and Basha learn how to do that.”

Amur leopards are widely known as the rarest big cats on the planet. Only around 100 individuals remain in the wilds of Eastern Russia and China. CMZoo’s four Amur leopards represent four percent of the wild population. Helping Basha and Mango master the skills needed to successfully adapt to a new home in the future will hopefully give them the opportunity to breed and have families of their own, increasing the number of Amur leopards in the world.

When their moving plans are more concrete, CMZoo will share details. Visit the boys now to ensure you can wish them well on their way, and stay tuned to the Zoo’s social media channels for updates.

Back to The Waterhole

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is mourning the passing of a truly iconic animal: Juju, a 43-year-old female Western lowland gorilla. After a significant decline due to kidney disease and other age-related ailments, her care team made the compassionate decision to euthanize her today.

A month ago, Juju underwent an immobilization and treatment to address a downturn in her health. At that time, they unfortunately discovered late-stage kidney disease and held onto hope that she could live a comfortable life for longer than this. After a recent rapid decline, they ruled out additional care under anesthesia because it is always risky and is not a long-term solution for good welfare. It was clear to Juju’s team that her best care option was to give her a peaceful passing without pain.

Juju came to CMZoo at the age of 2, in September 1982. She was one of the Zoo’s longest residents, and many Zoo members, staff and guests made connections with her, thanks to her confident role in the gorilla troop.

“She was such a leader in the group, and she made it clear to her keeper team that she was the one in charge, too,” said Amy Tuchman, senior animal keeper. “I remember once scattering food from the roof into the gorilla yard with a colleague who didn’t know her preferences as well. She was sitting on the hill with her hand out, catching food from us when he threw her a carrot – not her favorite. She threw it right back at him with such intention.”

Juju was a big presence in so many ways, including her volume. She was extremely vocal, often grumbling loudly – a sign of a satisfied gorilla – when she got a favorite piece of produce. She was also gentle and playful with her gorilla bestie, Roxie, a 47-year-old female.

“She had the most incredible relationship with Roxie of any two gorillas I’ve ever seen or heard about,” said Carrie Supino, animal keeper in Primate World. “Occasionally, we’d get the rare benefit of catching them in the middle of tickle fights where they’d wrestle with each other and make happy play faces, which for two ‘old ladies’ was always such a heartwarming thing to see.”

Juju wasn’t just playful with Roxie; she would also engage in play behaviors with her keepers.

“Sometimes, she would come over to the mesh near keepers and grumble her happy grumble and want you to play with her,” said Debbie Fenton, senior animal keeper. “Gorillas can be ticklish and when Juju wanted to be tickled, she would stand up, put her back against the mesh and raise her big arms, so you could tickle her through the fencing under her arms and on her back as she ‘laughed’ in her own gorilla way.”

A truly multifaceted individual, Juju was also an excellent participant in voluntary husbandry training, which she learned at the Zoo through positive reinforcement, a training method by which animals have the choice of whether to participate, and get their favorite treats when they choose to engage. This training helps animals live healthy lives full of choice and care when they are healthy, and allows them to receive lower-stress care when they need medical attention. Juju’s repertoire of training skills allowed her to calmly receive an anesthesia injection when she recently presented her shoulder to keepers, which they interpreted as her asking for help when she was not feeling well at the end of October.

“She was always eager to train, even when the training was for a more difficult behavior, like receiving an injection or, more recently, getting a blood pressure reading on a finger cuff or participating in a cardiac ultrasound,” said Ashton Asbury, animal keeper in Primate World. “She learned voluntary blood pressure reading and cardiac ultrasound behaviors in just a few sessions, which is phenomenal.”

The median life expectancy of a female Western lowland gorilla in human care is 39 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Primate World is closed today to allow staff and the remaining gorilla troop of four to process her passing. Because gorillas are tightly bonded social animals, caregivers plan to give the gorillas, Goma, Kwisha, Asha and Roxie, the opportunity to view Juju after her passing. The animal care team will closely monitor the troop’s individual behaviors and social dynamic, and will make adjustments to care plans, if needed. Please keep Juju’s keepers and troop members in your thoughts as they process the loss of such an iconic CMZoo presence.

“Juju was a special gorilla,” said Jon Wild, lead animal keeper in Primate World. “Her strength and leadership within the troop, her ability to delight guests by wearing a blanket or scarf while carrying a boot and the relationships she developed with her troop and caregivers are just a few examples of her remarkable impact on those around her. She has helped me, and many others, be a better animal keeper and a better person. Thank you, Juju, for allowing me into your world.”

FELINE CAPTURED MILLIONS OF HEARTS THROUGHOUT HIS LIFEFTIME – An adored member of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo animal family died from complications of advanced kidney disease late last week. Following his diagnosis earlier this year, we knew Bhutan’s time with us was limited, but it was still heartbreaking to lose him.

Bhutan, a 15-year-old snow leopard, passed away due to a respiratory event caused by muscle breakdown from the kidney disease. This type of disease is common in all felines, big and small, exotic and domestic. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ median life expectancy for snow leopards in human care is 15.1 years.

No matter when we would have had to say goodbye to Bhutan, it would have been too soon. But he was able to live a full lifetime of adoration and care here at CMZoo. In his 14 years with us, he touched millions of hearts with his characteristic tail and feet, and his bouncy personality.

Not all of the animals at the Zoo are as universally loved as Bhutan was. Most Zoo staff are reluctant to name favorites, but truth be told, Bhutan (or “Boots,” as he was affectionately called by his keepers) was at the top of the list for many.

After asking our staff to share their memories of “Boots,” we wanted to share just a sampling of the touching responses we received.

Paulette Provost, groundskeeper, said “Over the years, I have had the honor of seeing Bhutan every morning during my cleaning route. As a groundskeeper, I am responsible for cleaning Scutes Family Gallery, so I was able to visit with him every day. Playing peekaboo with him always filled my soul with joy. I never in a million years thought I would make a friend with a snow leopard! What I know is that not only myself, but everyone else in our Zoo family feels that the world is a bit dimmer without his funny and gentle presence. I will miss him.”

Basia Dann, lead animal keeper in Asian Highlands, said “Bhutan was the best at building a community. I watched him recognize old caretakers, Zoo members who would come visit, docents and volunteers dedicated to educating people about snow leopards and various members of the multi-faceted operations teams at the Zoo. He always had a chuff to give in greeting. He knew and cared for his people fiercely. Whether you were away for your weekend or hadn’t seen him in years, he always seemed to remember and be happy to see you and give thanks for the role you played in his life.”

Amy Tuchman, animal keeper in African Rift Valley and former animal keeper in Asian Highlands, said, “Snow Leopards were ‘it’ for me throughout my entire childhood. I studied them, had tons of pictures, but never actually saw one in real life until I moved to Colorado. Then in 2015, my craziest dreams came true, and I actually got to start working with one! Bhutan. He was sassier than I would have guessed and always had a lot to say but I admired how he was always so true to himself. He kept everyone on their toes and I loved all the games he wanted to play. To gain his trust was a huge accomplishment and he really was the one animal that made me absolutely fall in love with training. He was so smart and fast and up for anything, literally. I asked him to climb a tree one day and he just went for it and it was so much fun that we decided to add it as part of his show. He was exciting and had a huge presence and he will be greatly missed here by so many.”

Courtney Rogers, registrar and former animal keeper in Asian Highlands, said, “Everyone works so hard to be the bridge between the animals we care for and the people who meet them, but Boots didn’t always need our help to make lasting impressions. It was easy to spot the people who knew him…they knew his favorite resting spots in each of his exhibits, knew he’d come say hi if you waited long enough (and he felt like it), could tell when he was excited to hear his keepers walk by. If you think he recognized you and that you had a special relationship with him, well, it’s probably true.”

Snow leopard wild populations are listed as “vulnerable” and “decreasing,” according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List. Bhutan’s genetics are extremely valuable to the Snow Leopard Species Survival Plan, but he always preferred a solo life and was not successful breeding with a female. Bhutan’s sperm is valuable because he doesn’t have offspring and has an extremely high sperm count. His sperm has been collected and is kept in a “frozen zoo.” If the need arises, conservationists can pair Bhutan posthumously with a genetically valuable female snow leopard.