Before we know it, kids will be on school break for the holidays. Did you know you can register Pre-K through sixth graders for an enriching week at the Zoo, with our Winter Break Zoo Camp? Registration is open now!

Winter Break Zoo Camp is Mon., Dec. 26 through Fri., Dec. 30. Full-day camps, for first through sixth graders, go from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pre-K and Kindergarteners can enjoy half-day camps from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Campers can attend for one day or any combination of all five days. This year’s theme is Winter Around the World. Campers will learn how animals in different parts of the world experience winter, with hands-on winter animal-based activities and explorations at CMZoo. Every day the programming is different, so campers can pick a favorite theme and attend that day, or attend all five days and learn something new every time.

Check out the daily themes offered throughout Winter Break Camp 2022:

– Mon., Dec. 26 – Frosty Forest: Grab your blanket and pillow as we join alongside our local hibernating animals on a mission to sleep through winter.
– Tues., Dec. 27 – Snowy Safari: Start stocking up as we learn about which animals store food for their long winter months and how they keep their snacks safe.
– Wed., Dec. 28 – Icy Underground: Learn all about our underground friends and what changes they make to survive the winter!
– Thurs., Dec. 29 – Winter Waters: Dive into the world of winter water adaptations as we learn how aquatic animals thrive under the ice.
– Fri., Dec. 30 – Warm Walkabout: Investigate the differences between various warm weather regions and what those differences mean for the animals that live there.

Campers should sign up for the camp that reflects the grade they are currently enrolled in. Each day of camp includes hands-on experiences, up-close encounters, games and more! Register for the whole week, or just a few days. Space is limited and camps are subject to selling out. Don’t wait to register your young explorer for the best winter break ever!

Visit www.cmzoo.org/camp to learn more about our Winter Break Camps and to register your camper!

Back to The Waterhole

It’s that magical time of year when many people search for the perfect holiday gifts for friends and family. Whether you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience or a truly unique stocking stuffer, these options are sure put a smile on every face on your list. Plus, when you purchase something from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, you know your funds are helping us continue our important work. As a nonprofit that doesn’t receive any tax support, we rely on admission, memberships, events and special programs like these to continue our work.

Animal Art Holiday Ornaments

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

VIP Tours

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

CMZoo Annual Membership

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

 

Tickets to Electric Moonlight and Electric Safari

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

Electric Moonlight returns to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Thurs., Dec. 8 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. This event is just for our 21-and-up guests, complete with holiday lights, live music and food and drink samples from local vendors, restaurants, distilleries and breweries (while supplies last). Plus, an elf told us that jolly old Saint Nicholas will be there to hear holiday wishes from the grown-ups! Tickets will be available at 8 a.m. on Mon., Nov. 7 at cmzoo.org/em.

Electric Safari starting Dec. 2, the Zoo opens its gates in the evenings where all ages can explore the Zoo and enjoy the wonder of 50 acres of twinkling lights, illuminated enormous inflatable animals, and more than 80 handmade light sculptures on display throughout the Zoo. Until Dec. 23, Santa Claus will be at Electric Safari to meet guests and listen to holiday wishes. This event is a magical way to get into the holiday spirit on the side of Cheyenne Mountain, where the views of the city lights below the Zoo can’t be beat. Electric Safari runs Dec. 2-4, 9-23, 25 – Jan. 1, 2023 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. CMZoo members have access to early-entry by reserving tickets between 4 and 5 p.m. Electric Safari is free for members, but everyone needs to reserve an advance timed ticket. Tickets will be available at 8 a.m. on Mon., Nov. 7 at cmzoo.org/electric.

Small group events and programs

These also make great gifts! See all of our options at cmzoo.org/events.

Animal Grams

Do you know someone who would love to open their front door to a skunk, tortoise, owl or otherwise? Surprise them with a CMZoo Animal Gram! Our EdVenture team will come to your home or workplace with a very special guest: an animal ambassador from The Loft or My Big Backyard. Each Animal Gram includes a 5- to 10-minute visit from an animal and staff, an animal art piece and photo opportunity. Get all of the information at cmzoo.org/grams.

 

Adopt an Animal

Lions, tigers, and bears – oh my! Gift a hippo, giraffe, moose or another animal of your choosing that we’ll mail to you or a loved one. Depending on the level of adoption package you choose, it could include a plush animal toy! All of our adoption packages include a certificate of adoption, an animal fact sheet and a photo of the animal at CMZoo. Each adoption directly supports the care of all our animals. You can find our array of adoption packages at www.cmzoo.org/adopt.

 

Water’s Edge: Africa – Tile Program – Coming Soon!

Our super-popular tile program is coming back! Have your name, a loved one’s name, or a short message engraved on a tile on our new Community Tile Wall, to be located in Water’s Edge: Africa. You can visit your tile every time you come to the Zoo and your donation will directly contribute to the care of our animals. Tile purchases will be available in November. Learn more at cmzoo.org/tiles.

Back to The Waterhole

 

 


Over the summer, you may have seen our ZOOMobile out in the community as we traveled across the state visiting various events! Did you know we can bring the Zoo to your birthday party, event, school class or group meeting?

Booths and birthday parties are offered throughout the year, but with the school year starting up, it is time to think about another popular ZOOMobile program: classroom visits! From kindergarten to 12th grade, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s EdVenture team offers engaging, age-appropriate programming for students of all ages!

Each classroom program includes 30 to 45 minutes with Zoo staff, interactive activities that reinforce the program content, and two to three animal encounters that also relate to the program material.

If an in-person program isn’t an option for your classroom, check out our virtual tours and programs! They can still provide a valuable up-close experience for students that allows them to receive answers to their questions in real time.

Additionally, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has scholarships available for schools and groups that may need financial assistance.

These classes and more can be found at cmzoo.org/zoom, where you can find more information on program themes, pricing, scholarship applications and booking. We recommend getting the request form in at least two weeks prior to your preferred program date, but dates book up fast, so get your request in today!

Back to The Waterhole

HAVE A WILD NIGHT FOR A WORTHY CAUSE AT THIS 21-AND-UP CMZOO FUNDRAISING EVENT – It’s your last chance to catch Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s 21-and-up evening music series, Tails & Tunes, from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Thurs., Sept. 29. There’s nowhere else you can feed a giraffe, have a drink, enjoy live music and breathe in the fresh evening mountain air. This truly unique event is perfect for a girls’ night out, work celebration or date night.

Advance tickets are required for members and the general public. Tickets are available now at cmzoo.org/tails.

Each admission includes two drinks and guests can purchase small plates from a chef-created custom Tails & Tunes menu to round out the night.

Attendees will have a wild night for a worthy cause, because proceeds help us care for our animals and cover operational costs as a non-profit Zoo that receives no tax support. In addition, 75¢ from every Tails & Tunes ticket goes to CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program, which has raised more than $4 million for frontline conservation efforts around the world since 2008.

What can you do at Tails & Tunes?

  • Your ticket includes two drink tickets for use at any bar throughout the event. Cash bars are also available.
  • Purchase chef-created small plates from our custom Tails & Tunes menu at our eateries ($5 per plate).
  • Enjoy local musicians performing throughout the Zoo.
  • Visit your favorite animals (most exhibits are open all evening).
  • Watch the sunset from the mountainside.
  • Feed the giraffe herd ($3 per lettuce bundle or $5 for two).
  • Ride the Sky Ride (weather dependent; $4 for Zoo members, $5 for non-members).

September’s Tails & Tunes musical lineup:

  • Brandon Henderson & Austin Johnson
  • Red Moon Rounder
  • Red Rocks Rebellion
  • The Midnight Sun
  • WireWood Station
  • George Whitesell

Tails & Tunes is presented with support from Cordera and CenturyLink Fiber. Thank you, event sponsors!

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.

ACTIVE DUTY AND VETERAN MILITARY MEMBERS RECEIVE 50% OFF BASE DAYTIME ADMISSION FOR ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s annual Military Appreciation Week kicks off today, Monday, Sept. 12, and continues through Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022. All active-duty, veteran and retired military members and their dependents who live in the same household will receive 50% off the base Zoo admission cost for the day and time they choose to attend. Timed-entry e-tickets are required and must be purchased in advance at cmzoo.org/military.

To validate their pre-purchased tickets at the front gate, military personnel or a spouse and any dependents must present a valid military ID at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s admission booth. Accepted IDs include: a valid military / retired military ID; a copy of form DD214; state driver’s license printed with veteran indicator or military identifier; or ID issued by the VA, VFW or American Legion. If a service member is deployed or absent, spouses and dependents are still entitled to this discount with a spouse’s valid military ID.

Fast Facts

Military Appreciation Week at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Monday, September 12 through Sunday, September 18

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily

Advance e-tickets are required

Active duty, veteran or retired military and their immediate family in the same household

50% off base Zoo admission

For more information and to purchase required advance e-tickets, visit: www.cmzoo.org/military

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Military Appreciation Week is possible because of the generous support of our partners, Black Bear Diner, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Ent Credit Union, Toyota and Vectrus.

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.

LOW-SENSORY EVENT ENCOURAGES GUESTS TO DISCONNECT FROM DISTRACTIONS AND RECONNECT WITH NATURE – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will reopen its peaceful, mountainside grounds for the community to enjoy an evening of mindfulness at Silent Night. From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 11, 2022, guests can recharge at this quiet Zoo experience with only the natural sounds of animals and the mountainside.

Guests can visit their favorite animals in this unique whispers-only environment while they meander through the natural setting and take a deep breath, slow down and reflect. Attendees are asked to silence phones and other noisy devices, and to keep all communication to a whisper. ‘Noise-friendly’ buildings are open for those who may need to take a moment to regroup or take an important phone call. The rest of the Zoo will be quiet.

All ages are welcome, but guests should consider whether they will enjoy and respect the quiet ambiance of the event.

Giraffe and budgie feedings will be available, along with limited low-noise dining options at The Grizzly Grill. Unlike our other evening events, we will not have live music, announcements over loud speakers, or keeper talks.

Advance tickets are required for Zoo members and the general public. E-tickets, pricing, and more information are available at cmzoo.org/silentnight.

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.

Experiential learning is the practice of teaching by involving all of the senses. It’s a method embraced by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s EdVenture team and it provides a more well-rounded and engaging learning experience for children. CMZoo offers a unique experiential curriculum specifically for our growing community of homeschoolers, ages seven through 17, with its Hands-On Homeschool program.

Each three-hour Hands-On Homeschool program provides enriching experiences for students to investigate a science-centered theme or topic. Participants also meet an animal ambassador up-close and work with their peer groups to dig deeper into each study focus.

Each Hands-on Homeschool program builds in time for peer groups to problem solve as a team. The goal is to help students build trust and understanding with one another to help encourage learning-based dialogue. The program has been growing since it started in 2020, with many returning students and families forming a sense of community.

Hands-On Homeschool students get a closer look at the animals at the Zoo with interesting animal adaptations. One example is our thorny devil insects, found in Australia Walkabout, which proved to be the crowd favorite. Each program participant had the opportunity to touch and investigate the insect up-close. “Why are the thorny devil insect’s legs so far apart?,”one student asked. “Are their bodies squishier when they are younger and harden as they get older?,” another questioned. These sorts of interactions with EdVenture staff and fellow participants are common in these small-group classes. Up-close encounters engage students’ natural curiosities and help set a memorable foundation for knowledge.

This year, for the first time, Hands-On Homeschool programs will welcome high school participants for a series named, ‘Exploration of Ethology.’ Ethology is the study and observation of animal behavior. In the series, students will use ethograms to answer questions about the husbandry and care of animals at a Zoo, such as; What behaviors are typical for an animal species? How do you keep an animal enriched and interacting with its environment? Finding answers to these questions encourages our learners to use their critical thinking skills to embark on a journey to discover the details that add up to exemplary animal care.

Excitement is building as staff prepare to welcome our homeschooling community back to the Zoo for a new school year of experiential learning. This year’s series of Hands-On Homeschool programs will begin in September for each age group. Register in advance and see the full schedule at cmzoo.org/homeschool.

Back to The Waterhole

HAVE A WILD NIGHT FOR A WORTHY CAUSE AT THIS CMZOO FUNDRAISING EVENT – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will continue its 21-and-up summer event series, Tails & Tunes, from 6 to 9:30 p.m. on Thurs., Aug. 25. There’s nowhere else you can feed a giraffe, have a drink, enjoy live music and breathe in the fresh evening mountain air. This truly unique event is perfect for a girls’ night out, summer work celebration or date night.

Advance tickets are required for members and the general public. Tickets are available now at cmzoo.org/tails.
Each admission includes two drinks and guests can purchase small plates from a chef-created custom Tails & Tunes menu to round out the night.

Attendees will have a wild night for a worthy cause, because 75¢ from every Tails & Tunes ticket goes to CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program, which has raised more than $4 million for frontline conservation efforts around the world since 2008.

What can you do at Tails & Tunes?

  • Your ticket includes two drink tickets for use at any bar throughout the event. Cash bars are also available.
  • Purchase chef-created small plates from our custom Tails & Tunes menu at our eateries ($5 to $8 per plate).
  • Enjoy local musicians performing throughout the Zoo.
  • Visit your favorite animals (most exhibits open all evening).
  • Watch the sunset from the mountainside.
  • Feed the giraffe herd ($3 per lettuce bundle or $5 for two).
  • Ride the Sky Ride (weather dependent; $4 for Zoo members, $5 for non-members).

August’s Tails & Tunes musical lineup:
– Daniel Ondaro
– Manitou Strings
– Red Moon Rounder
– Ryan Flores
– Seth Brown
– George Whitesell

After August 25, there’s only one more summer 2022 Tails & Tunes date:

  • 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Thurs., Sept. 29

Tails & Tunes is presented with support from Cordera and CenturyLink Fiber. Thank you, event sponsors!

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.


Ten members of CMZoo’s Teen Program recently embarked on a weeklong off-grid adventure to the wilderness of Glacier National Park in Montana. CMZoo’s Teen Program focuses on spending time exploring nature, learning about animals, and understanding other cultures. The program is known for its hands-on educational experiences at the Zoo and in nature, with exploration trips available for Teen Program participants year-round. These trips connect teens to local, national, and international wildlife and wild places. Each destination, adventure, and educational opportunity is intentional, and supports the program’s overall goal to inspire future leaders in conservation and animal care.

In June, Austin Kennedy, teen program supervisor, and other Zoo staff, led the ten teenagers to learn at the Glacier Institute outside of Columbia Falls, Montana. The Glacier Institute is an outdoor education organization that focuses on getting people outdoors and connecting them to the wild world of Glacier National Park. The Glacier Institute is the official education partner for Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest.

“While we were there, we spent our days fully unplugged and off-grid,” said Kennedy. “We did a lot of exploring, learning, and laughing.”

Kamrynn Eddy, a three-year Teen Program participant, will soon head off to Washington State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in zoology. She joined her fellow teens on this trip and called it “soul-changing.”

“Our programming at the Zoo is typically animal and conservation based, and this experience focused on the wild places we need to conserve,” said Eddy. “We got to touch, hear, see and feel these different environments, and it really expanded my knowledge and love for the outdoors. I’ve always loved animals, but this helped me learn to identify trees and rock formations, and even how certain trees grow and how they adapt. We saw incredible wildlife, too, and got to appreciate how conserving wild places means saving wild animals.”

The team participated in workshops on orienteering, geology, ecology, and more. They took day trips to neighboring towns and lakes, and even got to visit the National Bison Range, which is in the center of the 1.25 million-acre Flathead Indian Reservation.

“The National Bison Range is a living example of species restoration over time,” said Kennedy. “In the 1870s, bison were on the brink of extinction. Now, there are an estimated 300+ in this reserve, and other bison populations thriving elsewhere. We learned about the history of the U.S. government’s injustices to The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, whose land was unjustly used to establish the range. Today, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes are now the stewards of the bison herd, which descends from animals that Tribal members brought back to the Flathead Indian Reservation from east of the Continental Divide to help establish this new bison population in the early 1900s.”

During the teen’s National Bison Range exploration, they saw a grizzly bear, a black bear, deer, baby bison, an eagle and more! The teens get down-time on these trips, too. They played volleyball in the rain, went on hikes and formed bonds with each other. Eddy said one of her favorite memories from the trip was during a short hike to a waterfall, when she and her fellow explorers sat back and shared what had impacted each of them the most during this trip.

“We all have different experiences and different memories,” said Eddy. “Some of us will go on to pursue animal care and zoology, and others will go on to become doctors, lawyers or writers. But, no matter where we end up, we will all go through life with this foundational passion for animals and wild places.”

For more information on CMZoo’s Teen Program, visit cmzoo.org/teenprograms.

Back to The Waterhole


My Big Backyard is home to a brand-new button-nosed furry face! Help us welcome Hubble, a 4-month-old Virginia opossum, to CMZoo.

“We named him Hubble because he’s still growing into his big ears, which kind of resemble the space telescope,” said Bryce Oberg, keeper in The Loft and My Big Backyard.

Hubble lives next to Guy Fieri, CMZoo’s rooster, in an upward-built habitat that’s perfect for the very active arboreal baby boy. Guests can see him right away. Hubble’s care team is already hard at work preparing him for his future role as an ambassador for his species.

Hubble came to CMZoo from a wildlife rescue facility in Kansas after being found alone in the wild with a severely broken tail. Once he made it to CMZoo, his care team decided his best option was to amputate his tail, so Hubble has quite a unique look. Because he has learned to navigate without a tail from a young age, keepers haven’t seen Hubble’s unique difference slow him down at all. They report he’s quite the skilled climber, and his curiosity has already motivated keepers to adjust his perching because he has reached parts of his home they didn’t think he could.

“We will probably never know what Hubble encountered before being rescued, but we’re happy he’s starting to settle in here with us,” said Oberg. “He has been through a lot of changes in his short life, but he’s resilient. We’re working with him daily to earn his trust, which is a first step toward training with him. We’re taking him tasty treats and sitting calmly near him, so he can see that he’s safe and has choices when he’s with us.”

Next, he’ll train to voluntarily enter his transport crate, get comfortable with being touched, and then he’ll learn to interact safely with guests as an ambassador. Their goal for Hubble – once he’s ready – is to serve as an outreach ambassador, educating people about his species’ many wonders.

“There are a lot of misconceptions about opossums because when they feel threatened, they can look pretty scary with their big mouths full of 50 teeth – the most teeth of any North American mammal,” said Oberg. “But, they have to look scary because their defenses pretty much end there. If we respect opossums’ warning signs and give them space when they tell us they need it, 99 percent of the time they will move on with their peaceful opossum lives.”

There is one defense that opossums are famous for, which admittedly leaves them more vulnerable than unnerving: playing dead.

“When opossums play dead, it’s a last-ditch effort to make their perceived predators think they’re not going to be a good meal,” said Oberg. “It’s an involuntary response that is triggered when they’re startled or stressed. They release a really bad smell so they smell like they’ve been dead for a long time, their heartrate decreases, they drool excessively, stick their tongue out and fall over.”

Opossums have been known to play dead for hours at a time. So, as a general rule, if you see an opossum that isn’t moving and isn’t obviously injured, leave it alone. It could be playing dead and will wake up and move away on its own. If it’s been lying there for more than a day, it’s good practice to have it removed. If it’s in a road, call wildlife authorities to move it.

Opossums are slow moving, have poor eyesight and are nocturnal, which presents a lot of obstacles for North America’s only native marsupial. But, there’s a lot to love about opossums. The presence of opossums is an indication of a healthy ecosystem. They are opportunistic omnivores, which means they’ll eat just about anything. As scavengers, they are part of nature’s clean-up crew. They feed on carrion and help prevent the spread of diseases in carcasses, just like vultures do. They’re naturally resistant to snake venom, so they can safely eat snakes, which helps control the venomous snake population. Because of their naturally low body temperature, they’re virtually incapable of carrying rabies. They also eat ticks, which prevents the spread of tick-borne illnesses.

“Hubble has a long way to go before he can meet guests up-close, but we’re already seeing how inquisitive, resilient and energetic this little guy is,” said Oberg. “Once he’s ready, we’ll be excited for him to join us on walkabouts in the Zoo and on outreach programs.

Back to The Waterhole