The Waterhole Archives - Page 5 of 35

Celebrate our ‘flockstars’ on International African Penguin Awareness Day (IAPAD), on Sat., Oct. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Zoo!

Penguin enthusiasts will gather in Water’s Edge: Africa for crafts, games, and other activities available throughout the day – including keeper demonstrations during penguin feeding times, at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. There’s no cost to attend IAPAD events, but advance daytime admission tickets are required and can be purchased at cmzoo.org.

Each visit to CMZoo is conservation in action. Wild African penguin populations face many threats and continue to struggle in the wild. But, penguin protection organizations are making great strides to save this endangered species, including our partnership with the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).

SANCCOB rescues and rehabilitates adult penguins, conducts important research and educates the public about African penguins and their ecosystem. Thanks to our members’ and guests’ support, CMZoo has been a longtime supporter of SANCCOB, having donated more than $130,000 to African penguin conservation since 2010.

In 2020, we also joined the African Penguins SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) conservation effort, which is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Under this additional conservation commitment, the Zoo sends $3,000 annually to SANCCOB in support of their Robben Island Ranger. This ranger closely monitors the Robben Island penguin colony in South Africa, helping researchers keep track of the penguin population. The ranger also plays an important role in the direct care of penguins, and other seabirds, by identifying population crises and transporting birds in need of medical attention to the SANCCOB rescue and rehab facility for treatment and eventual re-release.

Learn more about our history of African penguin conservation, thanks to guests’ and members’ support, here: https://www.cmzoo.org/conservation/african-penguin-conservation/.

Back to The Waterhole

If Aaron Lippy and Kaitlyn Tullberg, two Teen Program participants at CMZoo, are any indication of the next generation of conservationists – rest assured, the planet is in good hands. The two enthusiastic high school students recently returned from a six-day off-the-grid CMZoo Teen Program adventure in Glacier National Park.

Tullberg and Lippy were in a group of 9 teens led by Austin Kennedy, CMZoo Teen Program supervisor, and other Zoo staff. Their wild adventure was full of brand-new experiences like camping, hiking, and making lasting connections with each other and the wildlife and wild places they explored.

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 summer trips take place annually, and they 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.

“We want to get them immersed into a really wild and protected area to see what can happen when people come together to protect the wild world, and national parks are a great example of that,” said Kennedy. “Giving teenagers, especially, these opportunities to get off their phones and into the natural world is important, and it’s really rewarding to watch their inspiration and excitement grow over the week we spend together.”

The group had an action-packed itinerary. They hiked daily and explored special places, like the National Bison Range, where they saw a black bear, a bald eagle, a lot of bison and the iconic Flathead Lake.

“We learned so much on this trip; it’s kind of insane, actually,” said Tullberg. “We learned about the seven signs of leave no trace, like taking only pictures and leaving only footprints. We learned about endangered species and how we can help protect them by taking action to keep the land wild. I think the overarching theme is being stewards of our environment in all of the ways possible – whether we do that by staying on trails and picking up trash or educating and inspiring others, just like this trip educated and inspired us.”

Some of the teens’ favorite memories were picking wild huckleberries, taking a night swim in the lake, and interacting with the ecosystem through workshops that took place in exciting locations – like in the middle of a stream. But, just sitting around the campfire and bonding over shared experiences was a big part of the adventure, too.

“At this stage in my life and with the careers that I want to have, it’s necessary for me to get out of my shell and camp in the woods, basically,” said Lippy. “I thought this trip would be the perfect opportunity and it really was. We connected with the land and with each other, and it helped me feel more confident relating to other people.”

At the end of each day, the group had their meal together and talked about what they’d learned, or how they interpreted the day and the impact it made. They also bonded as teenagers who are growing up in a world with a lot of distractions.

“To just sit around a fire and just ‘be in the world’ brings out the best parts of people, and these kids don’t get a lot of those opportunities,” said Kennedy. “Who you truly are starts to come out when you’re in the wilderness. I was so proud of this group’s focus on taking intentional time to be still and to figure out who you are at the core without distractions and devices. They’ll always have these special experiences with one another.”

They also studied survival skills, wildlife ecology and more 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.

If you know a teen who could be interested in connecting with like-minded teens through programs at the Zoo and in the field, check out requirements and opportunities at cmzoo.org/teenprograms.

Back to The Waterhole

3-year-old Alaska moose, Atka, has been busy growing an impressive set of antlers, exploring his yard and mastering navigation since he recovered from toe surgery earlier this year. Check in with the ‘prince of Rocky Mountain Wild’ and stop by to see his ever-changing antlers next time you’re at the Zoo.

Back to The Waterhole

– IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO –
Step up to the hoof block with Wednesday, our 10-month-old reticulated giraffe. As students around Colorado head back to school from summer break, our partners at Children’s Hospital Colorado have provided some excellent tips for helping kids settle into the routine.

At CMZoo, keeper teams help animals succeed as students, too! 10 months old may seem young to start studying, but Wednesday’s team wasted no time helping her learn foundational husbandry behaviors that will allow her to voluntarily participate in her own healthcare for the rest of her life.

Way to go, Wednesday!

Back to The Waterhole

Mahali, a 20-year-old male giraffe at CMZoo, is showing signs of reduced mobility and range of motion. While his care team supports him with pain medications and a sand-mix stall to rest comfortably on each night, veterinary and animal care teams have made the decision to move into a mindset of providing hospice care for him. This is a difficult decision for his team.

“He’s still having more good days than bad days, and although we know how quickly that could change, we’re focused on giving him every possible bonus day he can comfortably have,” said Jason Bredahl, animal care manager in African Rift Valley at CMZoo. “That also means we have decided not to provide extreme medical intervention going forward.”

Mahali has benefitted from his medical team going to great lengths for him in the past. For many years, he voluntarily participated in training for hoof care, blood draws and even applying orthopedic shoes to his hooves. In 2017 and 2020, Mahali went under anesthesia to receive simultaneous multiple treatments for his reoccurring foot and leg issues. Those risky, meticulously planned procedures successfully helped him heal and return to a good quality of life.

“Without his most recent treatment, in 2020, we might not have had these last three years with him,” said Bredahl. ” Mahali is doing well, considering his individual challenges, but we know he won’t be here forever and his time may come sooner than later. Right now, we’re committed to making him comfortable, and providing opportunities to be as active as possible and social with his herd.”

Mahali takes oral anti-inflammation and pain medications – in yummy rye cracker-and-honey ‘sandwiches.’ His team tracks quality-of-life data markers that they discuss regularly to ensure Mahali is still able to do things that fulfill him as a giraffe and as an individual. The team tracks Mahali’s specific activities daily and overnight, so they can adjust medications or activity levels for him as needed.

“We want to see Mahali finding areas to stand and rest more comfortably, interacting with the herd, walking, eating, sleeping, lying down and getting up safely,” said Bredahl. “On days we see he’s a little stiffer, we might encourage him to stay in the barn on a nice soft sand-mix stall, and he may agree that it’s a rest day or he may decide to go outside. He still participates and moves to spaces when we ask him, but he’s still making choices in his care.”

Mahali’s care team says he’s still making them laugh with his antics, too. He may have slowed down as he has aged, but they still see a twinkle in his eye and respect his position in the herd.

“When he was younger, he was a very physical giraffe,” said Brehahl. “He was tactile in those days, and he would push other giraffe out of the way to position himself front-and-center with his care team. He’d pull on our shirts with his lips to get our attention, and to interact with us and get snacks. These days, he seems more content in his own space.”

Mahali’s keepers say he has become more discerning in his golden years, and he only accepts certain food items as training rewards. If they offer lettuce as an incentive, he spits it out with a seemingly intentional aim for the keeper who offered it to him. Then he huffs at them until they reset for a behavior that will earn him his favorite: rye crackers. They have to save the crackers for the big training asks, like curling his hoof on the hoof block so they can visually check his feet, but Mahali doesn’t miss an opportunity to remind them he’d rather not waste his time on lettuce.

“You’ve got to admire the guy – he knows his worth,” said Bredahl. “He’s a big giraffe and a big presence in the herd, and we’re grateful for every day we will have with him.”

Mahali is one of five giraffe in CMZoo’s herd over the age of 20 – four years and more over the median life expectancy. Nearly one-third of the herd is considered aging. Females Muziki (25), Amani (24), Twiga (23) and Lakeisha (23) are the eldest members of the herd, and all receive various levels of care for age-related issues, depending on their individual needs.

The median life expectancy for a giraffe, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, is 16 years. Until recent data, which combines the median life expectancy for males and females, the AZA median life expectancy for a male giraffe was 14.7 years.

Back to The Waterhole

CMZOO OFFERS TWO MORE DATES FOR FURRY FAMILY MEMBER IN AUGUST

The dog days of summer will soon be over, but Dog Days at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo are back! Thanks to two successful test days in May and June, CMZoo is welcoming guests and their well-behaved dogs to explore the Zoo again, during two special afternoon and evening Dog Day events in August.

These two additional Dog Days, on Mon., Aug. 14 and Tues., Aug. 29, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m., will help the Zoo continue to perfect the best way to give furry family members an opportunity to visit the Zoo that also works best for our animals and families who are visiting without dogs. At Dog Days in May and June, CMZoo staff closely monitored Zoo animal behaviors, guest accountability and visiting dogs’ responses. Overall, it was enjoyed by guests, their dogs and Zoo animals. During Dog Day planning, the team accepted that there would be challenges, as there typically are during the development of any new program or event, but Dog Days went even better than we could have hoped.

“We can support healthy animal behaviors by providing a changing environment with diverse enrichment opportunities,” said Rick Hester, curator of animal behavior at CMZoo. “When we do this well, we observe animals behaving in varied ways to achieve different goals, including some of the behaviors and outcomes that appear to be most important to their species in the wild environment.”

Service dogs are always welcome at the Zoo, so seeing a dog was not an entirely new experience for animals that live at the Zoo. But, service dogs behave differently than a family pet, and they visit in much smaller numbers.

Most Zoo animals did not behave any differently than they do on a normal day. Others were excited for a short time, and then returned to their normal behaviors. Some animals, like ring-tailed lemurs and meerkats, noticeably strengthened their bonds as a group.

“Meerkats are well known for their sentinel antipredator behaviors, observed in the wild and in human care,” said Hester. “During both Dog Days, we observed the meerkats working together, presumably with the goal to remove dogs from their view. The meerkats would huddle together and approach a dog, which is called ‘mobbing.’ All the dogs would eventually move away as their group would walk on and the meerkats, having accomplished their goal, would resume other activities like foraging for food. From the perspective of the meerkats, they were successful!”

African lions and mountain lions were active, seeking opportunities to stalk and even pounce at the guest dogs. Giraffe were more interested in their daily guest lettuce feeding. Rocky Mountain goats perched high in their rocky cliffs to observe. Kwisha, a Western lowland gorilla, watched the dogs intently and calmly, as did African penguins from their indoor underwater viewing pool. By the afternoon, most of the Zoo animals were back to their normal activities.

“We’re continuing to monitor the behavior of our animals closely to better understand how Dog Days impact their behavior,” said Hester. “Our observations so far suggest that Dog Days, at some frequency, could play a role in meeting our enrichment goals for many species and individuals at the Zoo.”

The team is hoping to provide fun visits for our guests and maintain a level of novelty with the experience for Zoo animals. With that balance in mind, the Zoo added only two more Dog Day dates to the calendar, for now. On Mon., Aug. 14 and Tues., Aug. 29, the Zoo will stay open late for Dog Days until 6:30 p.m. A limited number of Dog Day tickets will be available for purchase at 3:30, 4, 4:30 and 5 p.m. on both days.

Zoo buildings, attractions and amenities will be open until 6:30 p.m., and Zoo animals will be out and about, just as they are during normal daytime visits, with a few exceptions for safety. Every person and every dog coming to the Zoo must have an advance timed e-ticket, available now at cmzoo.org. Dogs must have a designated dog ticket to enter the Zoo. Human tickets will not be honored for dog admission. Guests who would prefer to visit the Zoo without the company of canines are welcome to visit during the day, before dogs’ first allowed timed entry at 3:30 p.m.

Giving guests amazing experiences and providing excellent animal welfare are CMZoo’s top priorities, so it has been especially rewarding to see this new offering hit both of those marks at the same time.

For more information, visit cmzoo.org/DogDays.

Back to The Waterhole

With each passing day, the development of our black-footed ferret kits seems to be on fast-forward, as they eagerly explore their surroundings and pick up new skills. Black-footed ferret (BFF) kits are about the size of a pinky finger when they are born. They experience major milestones, such as growing their baby teeth, eating meat, and opening their eyes, in their first 60 days of life.

Since 1991, we have successfully bred 605 BFF kits in our behind-the-scenes conservation center. We have partnered with other zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, National Black-Footed Ferret Conservation Center and other organizations to breed, release, and monitor black-footed ferrets to increase their wild population.

Native to prairies stretching from Mexico to Canada, BFFs were thought to be extinct in the 1980s. During Western frontier explorations in the early 1900s, cargo ships from Europe and Asia inadvertently brought sylvatic plague to North America. The spread of the plague bacteria by fleas among prairie dogs (and other animals), combined with poisoning and eradication programs led by newly settled farmers and ranchers who saw prairie dogs as pests, drastically reduced the prairie dog population. Because prairie dogs are their main food source, BFF populations declined dramatically along with them.

On Sept. 26, 1981, a ranch dog named Shep caught a BFF. Shep’s catch led to the discovery of a small population of the elusive animals in Meeteetse, Wyoming. Since then, zoos, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center and other organizations have banded together to breed, prepare, release and monitor BFFs to increase the population.

Because they or their offspring could be released to the wild, every effort is made to keep the black-footed ferrets as wild as possible. So, they are not visible to CMZoo guests. Guests can see a BFF, named Rouge, in The Loft! Every CMZoo guest helps support this important program because 75 cents from every visit goes to Quarters for Conservation, which helps fund BFF conservation and other important efforts around the world.

Back to The Waterhole

Nine-month-old prehensile-tailed porcupine, Mocha, recently made her home in My Big Backyard and is turning heads with her captivating snoot and unique tail. Prehensile-tailed porcupines are native to the forests of Central and South America, making their homes high up in the treetops. True to their name, prehensile-tailed porcupines have a prehensile tail, which means they can grasp tree branches and hang solely by their muscular tail.

Mocha was given her name by her keepers because of her mocha-colored quills and to promote sustainable coffee. Using sustainable coffee helps protect the native habitat of the prehensile-tailed porcupine.

Mocha is still young, but she has already developed a sweet disposition and gently takes food from her keepers during training sessions. She is curious, smart, eager and already excels in husbandry behaviors such as target training, crate training and scale training. Mocha also lets her keepers touch her, which is foundational as they develop a trusting relationship and expand her training to include regular health checks in the future.

Back to The Waterhole

There’s a new face in Scutes Family Gallery! Aysan (ICE-on) is an 8-year-old female Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth who came to CMZoo to join 31-year-old male Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, Bosco, on a breeding recommendation.

Aysan and Bosco have settled in nicely together, and have even been seen touching noses and calmly interacting. Aysan’s keepers are working on building a trusting relationship with her and making the tree-filled atrium a comfortable new home for her.

Guests can see Aysan right away. Often, Bosco is on the right side of the atrium and Aysan is on the left side. To tell the sloths apart, look at their nails. Bosco prefers his nails to be longer than Aysan.

Back to The Waterhole

Last month, volunteers and conservation experts gathered in Wyoming’s Laramie Basin to release hundreds of critically endangered Wyoming toads to their wild native habitat. 200 of the toads were raised at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, including 10 little toads that CMZoo fans and guests named and followed online as they prepared for their big job: helping restore their species, which was once considered extinct in the wild.

Jeff Baughman, field conservation coordinator at CMZoo, has led the effort for the Zoo’s contribution to this multi-organization effort since 2008, along with partners from U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and others. The year-round effort to breed, raise and release the toads culminates each year in June, as he helps the toads – and thousands of tadpoles – make their debut in four designated reintroduction sites.

For many years, 1-year-old toads and tadpoles have been released each summer. This year, for the first time, 2-year-old toads were also released. This summer, CMZoo released 200 adult toads, bringing to total ever released to 1,425. The Zoo has released 46,651 tadpoles (yes, they count every single tadpole!), and 215 metamorphs and young toads over the years.

Baughman’s goal is for toads to breed and survive in the wild. The hope has been for the 1-year-old toads to overwinter and breed the next year. The 2-year-olds released this year could potentially reproduce this summer, so even if they don’t make it through the year, their offspring could.

“We have seen wild egg strands during surveys and releases, which is always so exciting,” said Baughman. “Maybe next year we’ll see even more egg strands, or we’ll see 1-year-old toads that hatched in the wild this summer. We’re going to continue testing ways to help more toads survive from year to year.”

Some of the toads are microchipped, so that any toads found in the wild can be scanned to see where they were born. Ten of those microchipped toads have names – pretty unusual for an endangered animal intended for wild release, but CMZoo social media fans chose a name theme for the ten tiny toadlets born last summer. Jim, Pam, Dwight, Michael, Phyllis, Oscar, Kevin, Angela, Kelly, and Stanley are now playing the most important roles of their lives, supporting their ecosystem or maybe, hopefully, bringing a new generation of toads to the Laramie Basin.

Each year on the day of the release, the team from CMZoo meets in the early morning hours to load the toads, already safely stored in tubs of cool and misty moss, from the conservation center into a van. That van will also transport CMZoo keepers, volunteers, board members and supporters on a nearly 4-hour drive to the meetup spot at a local fairground parking lot.

That’s where teams coordinate, learn how to safely handle the delicate toads, and pick up their waterproof boots before splitting up to see the toads off into the wild. After another drive, way off the main highway, and traipsing through knee-high waters, thick mud and mosquito breeding grounds, the teams arrive at the edge of a beautiful, crystal clear pond that’s brimming with life.

Pelicans, dragonflies, blackbirds, chorus frogs and more make their summer home in the basin, surrounded by the Medicine Bow and Laramie Mountains in the distance. In between steps – painstakingly placed to protect the well camouflaged toads hopping through the tall, wet grasses – the team stops to remember that wild places like this are well worth early mornings, boots full of pond water, mosquito bites and Denver traffic. Not to mention the daily dedication CMZoo’s conservation team and their partners have for the effort year-round.

“Being out in the Laramie Basin to release toads every year, and getting to bring volunteers who haven’t been before, really cements my passion for this ongoing effort,” said Baughman. “This is the only place in the world Wyoming toads live, and it’s up to us to help them recover. I always try to take a moment to reflect on the year we spent preparing these toads for release. It gets me excited for the year ahead.”

In addition to the toads released each year, CMZoo makes a second summer trip to the basin to release tadpoles to the wild. The toads and tadpoles are vital to the health of the ecosystem, serving as insect control, food sources for other creatures, and indicators of the health of their homes.

“I used to hear people asking why we put so much effort into saving a toad,” said Baughman. “Amphibians are facing the biggest mass extinction since the dinosaurs, and we’re their biggest hope. Without amphibians, insect populations would become out of control, and birds and other animals would lack an important food source.”

Pesticides, drought and a deadly amphibian fungus are the leading causes for the worldwide decline in amphibians. Chytrid fungus causes a skin infection that prevents amphibians from absorbing water and breathing through their skin, a process called cutaneous respiration. This often leads to organ failure and death.

For a long time, the approach has been to look for ways to address the fungus. Water adventurers can prevent the spread by disinfecting fishing gear, kayaks and other equipment used in water. But now, Chytrid is present in most wild waters, so Baughman and fellow scientists are looking for ways to help the toads become resilient to the fungus, or even adapt to it. That means intentionally exposing them to it.

“We think the tadpoles that hatch in Chytrid-infested waters might be more resilient to it than those born in Chytrid-free environments,” said Baughman. “Of course, introducing Chytrid to our breed-and-release facilities would pose a huge risk, because of the potential for it to wipe out entire populations. So, we need more wild-born toads to test the theory for us. In the meantime, we’ll continue building the numbers in the best way we know at this point, which is in breed-and-release facilities like ours, while we continue to test new methods.”

None of this work is possible without the support of CMZoo guests. Through CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program, 75¢ of every admission is dedicated to frontline conservation efforts like this, so guests can enjoy a day on the mountain with their favorite animals and support important programs dedicated to saving wildlife and wild places. Since 2008, when Q4C started, CMZoo’s guests and members have contributed more than $4 million to conservation projects worldwide.

Back to The Waterhole