One the of many benefits of living at the Zoo is our animals’ access to round-the-clock expert veterinary care. Combined, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s veterinary team has more than 100 years of experience in the veterinary field. The team of six brings an extensive background in animal medicine, conservation, research, education, animal husbandry training and clinical practice to the hundreds of animals that live at the Zoo. From elephants to axolotls, their passion for animals of all shapes and sizes is a driving force at CMZoo.

Just like humans, animals get varying levels of medical care. Depending on what a person needs, they might go to their primary care team, or an urgent care or emergency care center. Our partner, Children’s Hospital Colorado has human tips on how to choose the best level of care based on what’s going on.

At CMZoo, the veterinary team works closely with keepers and animal care managers to provide varying levels of care, too.

“Our goal is to provide the best medical care available for our animals, and to care for them in a way that helps them feel in control and confident,” said Dr. Jon Romano, CMZoo head veterinarian. “Unlike human doctors, we can’t explain to our patients what kind of care they need. Animal care teams work with animals to participate in voluntary husbandry training, which means the animals get positive reinforcement – like treats – for doing a behavior we ask of them, and that allows us to care for them with their participation.”

Through husbandry training, animals can receive routine care, like blood draws, vaccinations or x-rays, in their homes. With mobile veterinary equipment and special exhibit ports that allow our vet team to safely access animals, the scene is set for successful, low-stress diagnostics.

“When we’re working with an animal that could potentially be dangerous, we always put our staff safety first,” said Dr. Romano. “Our maintenance team has built ports into many of the animal exhibits, which allow us to draw blood from a grizzly bear’s paw or from an African lion’s tail, for example. Those voluntary blood draws help us track an animal’s health routinely, or address any concerns their care team might have.”

Abuto, CMZoo’s 10-year-old African lion patriarch, deals with ongoing kidney issues. Because of his trusting relationship with keepers and his voluntary trained behaviors, Abuto’s team can give him subcutaneous fluids if he’s not feeling well, right there in his home. They can also track his kidney levels through routine voluntary blood draws. Giraffe, elephants and many more animals at the Zoo participate in voluntary blood draws. With testing equipment at the CMZoo clinic, the veterinary team can get fast results from those blood tests and start treating an animal quickly.

When BB, CMZoo’s one-year-old reticulated giraffe calf was born in September 2020, the team saw her front legs were more bent than usual. To make sure BB wasn’t dealing with something more serious than tight ligaments (which corrected themselves in a few weeks), her animal care team brought the clinic to BB, in the giraffe barn.

“Because BB was only a couple of days old, we were able to safely go into to the stall with her to take blood draws and x-rays of her legs with our mobile equipment,” said Dr. Romano. “Being able to diagnose BB quickly, in her own home, and with as little stress as possible, was a huge benefit to BB. And, it meant that she was only separated from her mom for a few minutes so we could check on her.”

Thankfully, BB turned out to be just fine, but the diagnostics gave the vet team immediate answers about any treatments she may have needed. Once the veterinary team has diagnosed an issue, they can often treat it on-site.

“Our veterinary hospital is equipped for us to house an animal that needs consistent monitoring, or temperature control, or needs to be separated from its group to receive care,” said Dr. Romano. “We can also perform procedures that require animals to go under anesthesia. We try to avoid that as much as possible because anesthesia always presents a risk. Because we can perform more involved diagnostics here at the Zoo hospital, they’re under anesthesia for a shorter time than if we had to transport them somewhere else, which reduces that risk somewhat.”
These procedures take place at the Zoo in the clinic’s treatment room, which houses anesthesia machines for all sizes of patients, and monitoring equipment including heartrate, respiratory rate, and blood pressure. Juju, CMZoo 40-year-old Western lowland gorilla, recently benefitted from a diagnostic procedure at the vet clinic and has since recovered well.

There are many aspects to providing the best possible care for the animals who live at the Zoo. The veterinary team’s expertise, the hospital and mobile equipment, voluntary animal training, exhibit modifications, and keepers’ personal relationships with their animals all benefit the animals in their care.

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ACTIVE DUTY AND VETERAN MILITARY MEMBERS RECEIVE 50% OFF ADMISSION FOR ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s annual Military Appreciation Week kicked off Monday, Sept. 13 and continues through Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. 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 and their 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, 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 13 through Sunday, September 19

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, Colorado Springs Pediatric Dentistry, ENT Credit Union, and your Colorado Springs Toyota Dealers.

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 2020, 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 241 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.


Have you noticed the shipping container next to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s historic carousel and wondered what’s going on? CMZoo is planning to grow lettuce using a retired shipping container. But, that’s simplifying things. Inside the modified shipping container’s sturdy walls lies a high-tech, energy efficient, and bio-safe grow house.

It’s hard to find a project much greener than this. The new grow house is energy-, water- and space-efficient. Because the grow pod’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.

The hydroponic lettuce growing system inside the container is one of the most efficient ways to grow lettuce – and anyone who has visited our 17-member giraffe herd knows we go through a lot of lettuce.

“It fluctuates throughout the year, but on average, we use more than 3,500 heads of romaine lettuce per month,” said Alex Crochet, CMZoo horticulture curator. “It’s just a small part of the giraffes’ diet, but it’s a huge part of our guests’ experience. The goal is to grow about 55% of the Zoo’s lettuce using grow pods like this one, if this test is successful.”

Crochet’s excitement for this project is contagious, and his hope is to inspire gardeners who visit the Zoo.

“It’s a whole new adventure for our horticulture team, and we’re really excited about all we’re going to learn,” said Crochet. “Eventually, we hope to have our grow pod set up in a way that our guests can learn more about sustainable farming, too. As residents of a drought state, we Coloradans can take advantage of technologies like these to save water and still grow our own produce.”

The single grow pod should produce about an acre’s worth of lettuce using only 40 gallons 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, which Crochet hopes to plant and harvest on a schedule that produces delicious fresh lettuce on a weekly basis – eventually.

The test pod is now connected to electricity, and next, it will be hooked up to a water supply. After that, the team will get started on planting. Swing by and take a peek through the glass doors of the container to see the progress for yourself.

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ROCKY MOUNTAIN WILD NAMED #3 BEST ZOO EXHIBIT IN NORTH AMERICA – For the fifth consecutive year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been voted one of the top ten zoos in North America in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. This time, America’s mountain Zoo was recognized in two categories: #4 Best Zoo in North America and #3 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America, for its Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo aims to set itself apart by making every guest experience inspiring. With its simply stated vision, “Every Kid. Every Time. Goosebumps.” at its cultural core, CMZoo creates environments and experiences that bring people closer to animals. Exhibits are designed to remove as many physical barriers as safely possible between guests and animals. Guests can experience this for themselves by hand feeding the giraffe herd – one of the largest herds in North America, with 17 giraffe – or by waddling alongside penguins or getting eye-to-eye with a hippo at CMZoo’s newest exhibit, Water’s Edge: Africa. CMZoo’s goal is to foster connections that inspire guests to take action to protect animals and their habitats in the wild.

Rocky Mountain Wild, an area of the Zoo that is home to animals from the Zoo’s native region, was named #3 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America. Rocky Mountain Wild opened in the summer of 2008, appropriately hugging the highest elevations of CMZoo’s developed mountainside acreage. The area is home to a pack of endangered Mexican wolves, four Canada lynx, an Alaska moose, two North American porcupines, a bald eagle, two grizzly bears, three mountain lions, two river otters, free-roaming turkeys and a flock of wood ducks. Rocky Mountain Wild is known for its expansive natural exhibits, exquisite views, and enthusiastic and passionate team of animal keepers.

This is the third time Rocky Mountain Wild has been nominated in the Best Zoo Exhibit category, and the fifth time Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been nominated in the Best Zoo category. A panel of travel experts, recruited by USA TODAY editors, nominated 20 North American Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos and exhibits, and supporters had four weeks to cast their votes once per day for the nominees of their choice.

The 2021 USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Top Ten Best Zoos in North America, in ranking order, are:

  1. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden – Cincinnati
  2. Fort Worth Zoo – Fort Worth
  3. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – Omaha, Neb.
  4. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – Colorado Springs
  5. Nashville Zoo – Nashville Zoo
  6. Brevard Zoo – Melbourne, Fla.
  7. Audubon Zoo – New Orleans
  8. Saint Louis Zoo – Saint Louis
  9. Dallas Zoo – Dallas
  10. Denver Zoo – Denver

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 233 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of very few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

Spring is here! As many Coloradoans start exploring our beautiful wild places, it’s important to help our curious native black bears stay safe, by helping them avoid human-wildlife conflicts.

Although grizzly bears aren’t found in the wild in Colorado, our CMZoo grizzlies are here to help you learn how to keep our native black bears safe. Rocky Mountain Wild keeper, Kelsey, provides campsite safety tips while Emmett and Digger explore a campsite full of examples of how NOT to camp – and prove why Kelsey’s advice is important to follow.

Help do your part to keep curious wild bears safe by practicing these campsite safety tips:

  1. Keep campsite food smells to a minimum.
  2. Use bear-safe food storage and toiletries containers.
  3. Don’t store food or toiletries in your tent with you.
  4. Keep a clean campsite. When you leave your campsite to explore, make sure you’re not tempting a curious bear with food, trash or other interesting smells.

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We hear it all the time from members and guests in African Rift Valley: “I needed some giraffe therapy!”

Just being around the giraffe (or whichever species you connect with) can lighten a mood, slow a racing mind, ground us to nature, and provide a quiet moment for a deep breath — which the daily grind of life can sometimes make difficult to muster.

“We started Silent Night in 2019 and ran it as a smaller ‘test’ event to see how our community responded,” said Amanda Ulrich, special events manager at CMZoo. “The events started with low attendance, but after the year we all endured in 2020, we saw how much our guests and members valued the Zoo as a natural setting where they could get away from it all. Because Silent Night is a no-noise, evening Zoo event that guests can enjoy at their own pace, our attendees can really slow down and reconnect in a mindful environment.”

CMZoo will host Silent Night from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesdays May 5, June 2, July 7 and Aug. 4, and Saturday, Sept. 11. Timed, advance e-tickets are required for all guests and members, and all ages are welcome. But, please consider whether attendees will appreciate and respect the quiet ambiance of the event, so all can enjoy its purpose.

“It’s a unique way to schedule yourself some time to unwind and stop to appreciate our beautiful natural setting, soothing soundscapes and the animals who live here,” said Ulrich. “It may be a first for some attendees, but we ask everyone to silence their phones and their voices throughout the event. You won’t hear any loud speaker announcements or carousel sounds. We even limit our dining menu so we’re not using loud culinary equipment to prepare food.”

There are sound-friendly zones in Safari Lodge, Lodge at Moose Lake and Safari Cabin for those who need to take a phone call or have a conversation while they’re at the event. Giraffe feeding and Budgie feeding experiences are available at Silent Night. Grizzly Grill will be open during the event with a limited menu.

Visit cmzoo.org/silentnight to secure required advance e-tickets and to read more about the event.

In addition to finding peace and quiet at Silent Night, the Zoo’s mountainside setting allows our guests to enjoy a little exercise as they explore. Our partner, Children’s Hospital Colorado says that exercise benefits children, just like adults. Children who get even 20 minutes of moderate physical activity in their day show increased attention, comprehension and learning ability over children who don’t — meaning exercise can even help kids in school.

If a walk through the Zoo sounds therapeutic, how about a walk or run through the Zoo, up above it to Shrine Road and back down? Once a year, during Run to the Shrine, participants can travel by foot on gorgeous Shrine Road. Ascending 1,000 feet above the Zoo, which sits at 6,714 feet above sea level, Run to the Shrine participants enjoy a peaceful journey on a paved road through the forest above the Zoo, with breathtaking views of Colorado Springs from Cheyenne Mountain.

“Run to the Shrine has become a Springs tradition for good reason,” said Ulrich. “It’s one of my favorite events to plan because we get to welcome people from all walks of life and abilities to enjoy a really special part of the Zoo – and the city – that you don’t always get to experience. Plus, when you finish the course, you get a real sense of accomplishment and community with the other participants.”

After completing the 4-mile course, participants can cool down by enjoying the rest of the Zoo until the event ends at 8 p.m. Advance registration is required to participate in Run to the Shrine, from 3:20 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 15 and Sunday, May 16. There are still a handful of registrations available for Run to the Shrine on Sunday, May 16. All registrations are sold out on the original date of Saturday, May 15.

Register now and get more details at cmzoo.org/run. Thanks to our Run to the Shrine partner s, Children’s Hospital Colorado and Cordera, for helping us keep the Zoo ‘running’! As a nonprofit that doesn’t receive any tax support, CMZoo depends on attendance at these events to provide excellent animal care and support Zoo improvements and operations.

Children’s Hospital Colorado Earth Day Mindfulness Webinar (Pre-Recorded April 22, 2021)

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Part of what makes Cheyenne Mountain Zoo so special is its beautiful forested mountainside landscape. In addition to maintaining and improving animal exhibits, guest areas and behind-the-scenes animal care spaces, CMZoo works to responsibly manage its expansive grounds, of which many guests might not be aware.

“The Zoo property spans 142 acres on the mountainside and 70 of those acres are developed, so there’s a lot going on behind the scenes to keep our Zoo and surrounding community safe – especially at a time when wildfires are increasingly common in our area,” said Dave Ruhl, vice president of operations and campus planning at CMZoo. “Like many Colorado forests, our landscape experiences damaged and downed trees from insects and the natural cycle of regeneration. It’s important for Colorado Springs residents to participate in fire mitigation practices, and we’re hoping to inspire others to feel that shared accountability to help protect our local wildlife, open spaces and nearby structures.”

This project is made possible thanks to a generous gift from The Dusty Loo Family and a matching grant. The Zoo first started working with the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) on a fire mitigation plan in 2011. The plan encompasses approximately 72 acres of natural undeveloped land surrounding the Zoo. To date, the team has mitigated nearly 25 acres of that undeveloped property. There are 47 acres of undeveloped land that need to be addressed, as well as a section of the Zoo that was mitigated in 2011 that needs to be revisited.

In early March, the Zoo, in partnership with Colorado Springs Fire Department, Wildfire Mitigation Section, continued work on its long-term fire mitigation plan, focusing on nearly 22 undeveloped acres of forest above Asian Highlands and Rocky Mountain Wild. This priority project is expected to take about 8 weeks to complete. If guests hear heavy equipment near the top of the Zoo, it’s probably due to this important work. The fire mitigation team is working with CMZoo’s animal care team to make sure the noise doesn’t negatively impact the Zoo’s animal residents who live nearby.

“We’re clearing large fallen trees, branches and brush in that area,” said Ruhl. “We’re grateful to have CSFD and Front Range Arborists on our team. We bring the specific local knowledge of our landscape, the contractor manages the complicated removal logistics plans and provides the manpower, and CSFD brings the fire mitigation expertise.”

The most recent fire season resulted in Colorado experiencing its worst fire year ever, in 2020. In Colorado Springs, on November 11, 2020, the Bear Creek fire burned more than 25 acres just a few miles north of the Zoo. Because of the proactive fire mitigation efforts of residents in that area and a quick response from firefighters, dozens of homes were saved.

“Spring is a great time to see if your property needs any attention before the next inevitable wildfire season,” said Ruhl. “When we keep our own backyards free of extra debris, we help our entire community and our firefighters respond to more manageable wildfires.”

With that in mind, CMZoo encourages all community members to help each other and our local flora and fauna, by taking the following fire mitigation advice provided by the Colorado Springs Fire Department, Wildfire Mitigation Section.

  1. Create a 30-foot defensible space surrounding homes, including rooflines and decks. This includes thinning out vegetation, trimming up trees and planting fire-resistant species close to structures.

    “What we hope to see on every homeowner’s property is 15 feet of clearance from tree branches to the structure,” said CSFD Wildfire Mitigation Program Coordinator, Melissa Hoffman. “We know this isn’t always possible, but the goal is to create as much clearance as you can, while still maintaining the health of the trees.”
  2. Trim lower branches of trees up to 10 feet, as long as that leaves at least 70% of the tree’s canopy. Pruning trees and removing ‘fuel ladders,’ like lower branches, will help keep a fire on the ground verses it climbing up into the canopies of the trees.
  3. When possible, use ‘home hardening’ features, like stucco siding, instead of wood. Composite decking material is another option that’s more ignition resistant than wood decking.
  4. Rake and remove leaves and needles at least 15 feet around your home.
  5. Keep your roof, gutters, and window wells cleared of leaves and needles.
  6. Consider placing landscaping rock 1-3 feet directly around the perimeter of any structures. Wood mulch should be at least 3 feet away from a structure and no more than 4 inches in depth.
  7. Pick your trees wisely. Hazardous brush or trees, such as junipers and conifers, should not be planted within 15 feet of a structure due to their high oil and resin content. Hoffman says those species burn hot and fast, so avoid having them near structures that the fire could jump to.

“Our tagline here at CSFD Wildfire Mitigation Section is ‘Sharing the Responsibility’,” said Hoffman. “If homeowners can do their part on the front end, it makes it much more manageable for our firefighters to do their jobs in protecting homes during a wildfire event.”

CSFD’s Wildfire Mitigation Section offers free onsite consultations for residents. Team members will come to Colorado Springs residences and provide recommendations for mitigating fire risks around the home. Schedule a free onsite consultation by calling (719) 385-7493. Colorado Springs residents can find more information and requirements at coloradosprings.gov/wildfiremitigation.

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Get your locally grown, native, pollinator plants from the Zoo! Order online April 1-26 for curbside pick-up April 30-May 2, or make plans to join us in person on May 22 and 23, at the Zoo! With traditional plants, like vines, ferns, butterfly bushes, grasses, and lilies, plus new offerings like hanging baskets, fruits trees and veggies, you can reach all of your green-thumb goals while supporting the Zoo. This annual fundraiser keeps getting bigger, and your support means we can focus on even more horticulture projects at the Zoo! Check it out at cmzoo.org/plantsale.

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will reopen to the public at noon today. Advance tickets are available for this afternoon at cmzoo.org/open.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is closed to the public today until at least noon due to a water main break. Refunds for advance ticket holders for 9 through 11:40 a.m. entry times will be processed automatically within a few business days; funds will be returned to their original form of payment as soon as the refund clears the banking system. Ticket holders do not need to contact the Zoo to request a refund.

A decision about whether the Zoo can open at noon will be made by 11 a.m. Please check the green bar at the top of cmzoo.org or our social media channels to see whether the Zoo will open. If the Zoo cannot open, refunds will be processed automatically, as described above.

At about 6 a.m. today, a water main break was discovered within the Zoo. Zoo staff quickly mobilized to address the break, which required water to be shut-off to the entire Zoo. Both ice on roadways and a lack of access to restrooms and water within the Zoo created conditions that required closure to the public for today.

Animal care staff was able to store enough water for our animals to get them comfortably through the shut-down.

The Zoo anticipates being able to reopen on Saturday at 9 a.m., if not sooner. Barring any additional announcements, ticket holders for Saturday and beyond should visit the Zoo at their ticketed time and date.

Further updates will be posted at the top of the page at cmzoo.org, and on our social media channels.