As we prepare for the opening of Water’s Edge: Africa later this summer, we’re excited to introduce the future exhibit’s newest residents, Penelope and Alexander, eight-month-old common warthogs.

Have you ever seen a warthog do “zoomies”? Click below to learn about these two rambunctious siblings who will live alongside our hippos, and perhaps even venture outside to meet our guests face-to-snout!

It’s no surprise that Luna, Navarro and their gorgeous pups continue to be guest favorites at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. What did surprise guests, keepers and vet staff earlier this year was the arrival of the pups.

After decades of unproductive breeding attempts, the Zoo welcomed a litter of the endangered species. The pups and parents are very important to the continued survival of the species in human care, and as ambassadors for their endangered counterparts in the wild.

“Some people wonder why wolf demonstrations at the Zoo aren’t as hands-on as some of the other animal demonstrations,” said Basia Dann, Rocky Mountain Wild animal keeper. “We don’t want to create too much of a positive association between people and food because one of their biggest threats in the wild is the sometimes uneasy sharing of space between humans and wildlife. Regardless of how much we want to talk to them and encourage them with positive food reinforcement the way we do with other animals, it’s best for them if we keep our distance and they keep theirs.”

That’s because the ultimate goal is for CMZoo’s descendants to one day return to the wild, where populations have been dwindling.

The Mexican wolf has been protected as an endangered subspecies of gray wolf since 1976 under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Mexican wolves were near extinction in 1998, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and partner agencies initiated a captive breeding program descended from seven founder wolves.

USFWS reports that there are only 114 Mexican wolves in the wild and 300 in human care. The population of Mexican wolves in human care at Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoos is an important part of the plan to repopulate the species in the wild. The Mexican Wolf Recovery Program is run by USFWS, with cooperation from the AZA Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been a participant in the program since 1994. But, until this year’s litter, it had been 20 years since wolf pups made an appearance at the Zoo. For many years, the Zoo housed a bachelor pack of wolves, but within the past seven years, the AZA’s Species Survival Plan (SSP) placed various breeding pairs at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo with the hopes of offspring.

Luna, the 10-year-old mother of the 2018 litter, and two-year-old father Navarro and their pups, as exemplary animal ambassadors, continue contributing to the success of the Mexican wolf Species Survival Plan. One pup, Lupa has already moved on to another organization where the hope is that she will have her own litter one day. Her move was always part of CMZoo’s plan, but was expedited when keepers discovered Lupa limping one morning in November.

Immediately upon noticing Lupa limping, CMZoo vet staff took x-rays of her leg and discovered a fracture of the growth plate of her left femur, just above the knee. The injury is not uncommon among young wolves, but keepers and staff don’t know exactly how it occurred. With approvals from USFWS and the SSP, CMZoo took Lupa to the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colo., where surgeons discovered the fracture has worsened in the short time since her last x-rays.

After a successful surgery, Lupa returned to CMZoo, but staff quickly recognized the Zoo’s terrain and a quickly approaching Colorado winter we going to add challenges to her healing process. Although staff separated Lupa from the full pack for her recovery period and placed her in an adjacent area with a littermate, she was still a very active pup in a rocky and vertical natural habitat.

“Like your dog at home does after a surgery that requires stitches, she was irritating the wound by overstretching the incision, so it wasn’t healing as quickly as we would have liked,” said Dr. Eric Klaphake, associate veterinarian at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. “Because her leg was shaved in order to perform the necessary surgery, we decided the snow and cold temperatures would be uncomfortable for her. We didn’t want to keep her inside without socialization, so we found her a new home in a flatter, warmer environment, where she could receive a companion as well.”

Phoenix, Bluestem, Hope and Shadow, Lupa’s littermates at CMZoo, are flourishing. They have grown so much since their birth in May that it has become difficult to tell them apart from their parents by size alone. Luckily, CMZoo keepers have some tips on identifying them. Shadow’s face is darker than the rest of the pack, and she has light eyebrow patches. Phoenix is the biggest of the pups and has two dark spots in his left eyebrow. Bluestem and Luna are similar in appearance, with light fur and even lighter eyebrows. Bluestem is smaller than Luna. Hope has a dark face and dark eyebrows and has a black and white ‘V’ patter in the fur on her chest. Navarro is the biggest wolf whose face is a darker shade of red than the rest of the pack.

You can catch a glimpse of one of the rarest species in North America during a wolf keeper talk at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo every Monday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

— Calf made a big impact on many hearts during her brief life —

Colorado Springs, CO – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is heartbroken to announce the death of Penny, the giraffe calf. Little Penny was just shy of her two-month birthday when the humane, but extremely difficult, decision was made to euthanize her today.

Penny had been transported to the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO yesterday for surgical treatment for an infected abscess that was not improving through other treatments. Unfortunately, the expert team there found concerns that were far more serious than originally thought. In addition to the abscess that had spread further into Penny’s abdomen, there were also signs that pointed to infection in the bones of at least three of her legs.

The team also found a dislocated hip joint that multiple X-rays taken over the past several weeks did not show in the past. The team believes the chronic combination of the abscess, a degenerating femoral head and her need to stand awkwardly over an extended period of time led to a recent dislocation.

The highly skilled team at the hospital, along with key members of Penny’s CMZoo care team, discussed potential treatment options for Penny. Because she was facing multiple serious medical concerns, the team determined that her prognosis would be more than she could overcome to live a quality life.

Bob Chastain, president and CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, said tonight, “We will all miss Penny tremendously. Although our sadness at this time is palpable, we are taking solace in the fact that we truly believe we made the best decisions for her during her short life that we could. It’s always easy, especially in times of grief, to second-guess every decision you made. I have found myself doing that already, and I have cautioned Penny’s care team about this emotion. We will certainly use Penny’s case to help further giraffe medicine in the future, and ensure that the things we have learned from her will live on to help others. And we hope those who have watched Penny’s journey can take comfort in the fact that we made every decision with Penny’s best interests in mind, and we held nothing back from her fans. We were all in this together.”

Penny was definitely a fighter during her short time with us, and so many people around the world fell in love with her through the Zoo’s online documentation of her life – from the live-streaming of her birth, through her first eight days of bonding with her mom and other gentle female members of our herd, and ultimately through the medical struggles that followed her splay at nine days.

The CMZoo team also fell in love with Penny, and they allowed her to be part of her own naming at 10 days old. When the name choices were narrowed down to two finalists, “Mia” and “Penny,” her care team played the songs “Mamma Mia” and “Penny Lane” for her. When she heard the Beatles song, she perked up her ears. From that day on, she was officially known as “Penny,” and affectionately by many of her fans as “Penny Lane.” The original suggestion of the name “Penny” was inspired by Spencer and Julie Penrose, the Zoo’s founders.

Penny’s medical issues derived from her falling on day nine of her life into a splay position. “Splay” is a term used to describe when an animal’s legs go out from under them in an unnatural way. In giraffe, splaying can have varying degrees of severity, from moderately serious to life-threatening.

Since then, Penny’s care team provided around the clock care for her, providing her with everything they could to try to help her recover. They provided her with nourishment through bottle-feeding, and enrichment toys to play with, and assistance in laying down and standing, when she was unable to do it on her own. The Zoo consulted with a wide network of both veterinary and human medical experts along the way.

Although Penny’s own life was brief, her legacy will live on in the work Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is doing to develop cutting- edge medical and husbandry care for giraffe in Zoos around the world.

Penny has also helped to spread the message of the plight of giraffe in the wild.

A team of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo staff and a CSU veterinarian will be traveling to Uganda in the next few days to assist with giraffe conservation efforts as part of Operation Twiga III, in partnership with the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) and Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) to help protect vulnerable giraffe populations in Uganda. Our staff’s contribution to this effort will be dedicated to Penny’s memory.

For those who would like to pay their respects to Penny and thank her care team, the Zoo requests memorial gifts be contributed at www.cmzoo.org/helppenny. Any financial support beyond what is needed to help cover expenses for Penny’s care can be directed to either giraffe conservation or veterinary care for CMZoo animals. In order to direct your gift, please make a note in the “Comments” section online, or on the memo line when writing a check.

Out of respect for the keepers, the giraffe building will be closed to the public on Tuesday and Wednesday (7/31 and 8/1) to allow them some privacy. There will be a box outside of the building for guests to leave cards for the keepers, if they wish.

The Zoo is also starting the process of planning a memorial for Penny, and we will share details soon on how that process will move forward.

 

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s ONLY mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 230 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just nine operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues and donations for funding.

— Calf also Receives a Name…Earlier than Expected —

Colorado Springs, CO – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is continuing care for its 10-day old giraffe calf, which was the 200th to be born in the Zoo’s history. The calf was found splayed the stall she shared with her mom, Muziki, on Wednesday morning around 8:15 a.m. Since then, the Zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams have been partnering to provide the best possible decisions for the calf’s well-being.

Because of her recent health events, we decided to end the public name voting early and award her a name now. We looked at the two most popular names, Mia and Penny, and let the calf decide for herself, since her care team was split. They played Mamma Mia and Penny Lane for her, and it seemed like the calf is a Beatles fan. She will now be officially known as Penny, which was inspired by Spencer and Julie Penrose, the Zoo’s founders.

“Splay” is a term used to describe when an animal’s legs go out from under them in an unnatural way. In giraffe, splaying can have varying degrees of severity, from moderately serious to life-threatening. The Zoo’s staff immediately assessed the condition of the calf and determined the most urgent medical need was to raise her blood sugar levels. When those levels were more under control, she was reunited with Muziki, her mom, to see if the calf would nurse and gain strength. When those nursing efforts were unsuccessful and the calf splayed again, the difficult decision was made to separate Muziki from the calf and begin hand-rearing protocols.

Although the calf has walked on its own throughout the night, staff is still helping the baby stand and lay down, to prevent further injury. The extent of any injuries to her legs and hips is still being evaluated, and likely will be for some time. The calf has thus far been resistant to bottle feeding, so she is receiving tube feedings. Another attempt to have her nurse from mom this morning had mixed results, with the calf nursing for a brief time, but ultimately splaying again.

The Zoo’s care teams are well-equipped to treat the calf, and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been recognized nationally for the advances they are making in veterinary medicine. However, we still don’t know if the calf’s condition is something we can overcome.

The Zoo plans to continue to update the public through social media, with periodic live Facebook videos when we have news to share and it doesn’t interfere with the calf’s care. We would like to thank everyone who has reached out with thoughts, prayers and support. We are truly grateful.

If you would like to help support Penny please make a donation HERE.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s ONLY mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 230 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just nine operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues and donations for funding.

— Baby Sumatran orangutan is the third offspring for Sumagu —

Colorado Springs, CO – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of a baby Sumatran orangutan, born at 9:28 p.m. last night. The baby is the third offspring for 30-year-old mom, Sumagu (soo-mah’-goo), and 27-year-old dad, Baka (bah’-kuh).

Mother and baby are in their regular exhibit in Primate World, which will be open for guests. Depending on where Sumagu decides to spend time, she and the baby may or may not be visible to guests.

Mother and baby appear to be healthy and bonding well, so the Zoo’s staff has not intervened to determine the sex of the baby or any other details. The baby was clinging strongly to Sumagu within minutes after birth. Sumagu came over to animal and vet staff to take some fruit, and they could tell she had done a great job cleaning the baby up quickly. She then spent some time rearranging her nest after the birth. The pair have also been observed successfully nursing.

Sumagu’s two previous offspring were both males – Makan, born in January 2003 and Godek, born in February 2009. Both of them now make their homes at other Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos.

The Zoo’s last orangutan born was Bornean orangutan Ember, who is now 3 1/2 years old. Orangutans are pregnant for an average of 245 days, or a little over eight months.

In the wild, orangutan fathers do not usually participate in raising offspring, but they tend to do well in zoos where there isn’t competition for food and mates. Baka revealed great fatherly instincts with his previous two offspring. Staff are hopeful this will be the case with this new little one, but just to be sure, he will be kept separated from mom and baby for a short time.

Sumagu and Baka’s wild Sumatran orangutan counterparts are critically endangered. Non-sustainable palm oil production is fueling destruction of the rainforest habitat of Sumatran and Bornean orangutans, pushing those endangered species even closer to extinction. Found in cookies, crackers, frozen dinners, shampoo, lotions, cosmetics, pet food and many other products, palm oil is now the most widely produced edible oil.

You can help Cheyenne Mountain Zoo make a difference in this crisis by choosing the products you buy carefully using our sustainable palm oil shopping app. The app helps consumers make responsible decisions about the food and health/beauty products purchased every day – just scan a product in the app, and it will tell you how that company is doing with using responsibly sourced palm oil for their products. To download the app, or to learn more about the palm oil crisis, visit www.cmzoo.org/palmoil.

 

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s ONLY mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 230 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just nine operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues and donations for funding.

For further information, contact:
Jenny Koch, Marketing Director
719.424.7814 (office)
719.205.7430 (text)
[email protected]

— Calf is the 200th born at the Zoo —

Colorado Springs, CO – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is proud to announce the 200th successful giraffe birth in its history! The female calf was born last evening to a worldwide audience, as the birth was live streamed on YouTube and Facebook. The calf is the fifth offspring for 20-year-old mom, Muziki (moo-ZEE’-kee), and the fourth to be sired by dad, Khalid (pronounced cull-EED). The calf joins our existing herd of 17 giraffe, bringing us to a total of 18.

The calf was born at 8:20 p.m. MDT and started to try to stand up shortly after birth, which normal for giraffe calves. When it still had not been able to stand at about 10:30 p.m., the Zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams decided it was time to lend a hand. They were able to separate the calf from Muziki long enough to give it a quick veterinary check and help it to its feet. This was also when we found out she is female, the care team estimated her at 5’ 8” tall and approximately 120 pounds.

After the calf was observed standing and walking on its own for a few minutes, Muziki was allowed back into the birth stall with the calf. Since then, mother and baby are bonding well and we’re seeing the natural behaviors that we would hope to see.

Assuming everything is progressing normally with Muziki and the calf, guests will be able to see giraffe calf #200 in the giraffe building today. We limit access to ensure that things stay calm for the newborn.

Because Muziki was also born at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, she has grown up in the culture of voluntary husbandry training that the Zoo is known for. This means that she voluntarily participates in her own health care, which fosters a strong trust relationship between keeper and animal.

Through this training, the Zoo was able to voluntarily draw blood, confirming Muziki’s pregnancy early on. The Zoo was able to get limited ultrasound images of the calf during the pregnancy with Muziki’s cooperation, and they were even able to bank some of Muziki’s plasma, in case the calf had needed it after birth.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is not only a leader in the training and health of giraffe in human care, but they are also making a huge difference in conservation of giraffe in the wild. Since January 2017, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s guests and members have contributed $97,000 through Quarters for Conservation contributions to help the Giraffe Conservation Foundation and its programs to save giraffe in the wild. We have also provided staff on the ground in Uganda for several of those conservation efforts.

Prior to the birth, giraffe fans were able to submit names for consideration for calf #200. Now that we know the calf is female, CMZoo staff will narrow the suggestions down to three finalists, and the public will be allowed to vote on their favorite. More information will be shared soon.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to the world’s most prolific captive reticulated giraffe herd, with 200 births at the Zoo since 1954. Guests can get up close and hand-feed them on special indoor and outdoor elevated platforms anytime during the day, 365 days a year.

 

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s ONLY mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 230 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just nine operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues and donations for funding.

Colorado Springs, CO – At the end of their conference-planning meeting last night, eight teenagers from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Youth Leadership Action Board rewarded themselves with a quick visit to check on potential mom-to-be Luna, our 10-year-old Mexican gray wolf. They had no idea they would get the thrill of a lifetime to witness the birth of the Zoo’s first wolf pup litter in 20 years! The teens were able to identify two squirmy little pups around 8:30 p.m., and Luna’s labor produced more pups throughout the night and into this morning.

The births are not only incredibly exciting for the Zoo staff, who have been actively working to successfully breed the species for many years, but they are also highly significant for the future of the species. It is possible that these pups could go on to help repopulate the species in the wild.

For many years, the Zoo housed a bachelor pack of wolves, but within the past seven years, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA’s) Species Survival Plan (SSP) has placed various breeding pairs at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo with the hopes of offspring. Until now, none of the breeding pairs have been successful. Luna’s successful pregnancy is notable because she has very valuable and underrepresented genetics that the SSP was eager to have carried on in the captive population. When they are older, it is possible that Luna’s pups could be released to the wild to help provide genetic diversity in the wild, as well.

Luna is currently exhibiting great maternal behavior and is caring for the pups in a cozy underground den within the wolf exhibit. Staff members were able to monitor the births and Luna’s care of the litter through a camera mounted inside the den. The camera is connected to a monitor in the guest viewing area, so once the exhibit is reopened to the public tomorrow, everyone who visits the Zoo will be able to see footage of mom and babies at the exhibit. Video clips of mom and pups will also be shared on the Zoo’s YouTube and Facebook sites.

The sire for the litter is Navarro, who came to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo last November. The litter arrived just one day shy of Navarro’s birthday, giving him a wonderful early birthday gift! Navarro’s genetics are considered very valuable, also. Because Luna is showing quality maternal instincts, we have not intervened to determine the exact number or genders of the pups born.

The birth of this litter is significant because there are currently only 114 Mexican gray wolves in the wild, and only about 300 in human care. Until the 1900s, the Mexican gray wolf thrived throughout central Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico and western Texas. But by the 1950s, the species was virtually wiped out, with the last known wild wolf in the U.S. shot in 1970. When the Endangered Species Act went into effect in 1973, it led to the Mexican gray wolf being declared an endangered subspecies. Their number has since been increased through captive breeding programs.

The population of Mexican gray wolves in human care at Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoos is an important part of the plan to repopulate the species in the wild. The Mexican Gray Wolf Recovery Program is run by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, with cooperation from the AZA Mexican Wolf Species Survival Plan. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been a participant in the program since 1994.

“We knew there was possibility that Luna, our 10-year-old female, was pregnant, but it is also fairly common for wolves to experience pseudo pregnancies,” said Dina Bredahl, animal care manager for Rocky Mountain Wild. “Pseudo pregnancies exhibit the same behavioral and physical changes in the mother, so we were cautiously optimistic that this was an actual pregnancy. The keepers and I are thrilled that she has given us pups!”

Imagery: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/d8216ofok19ksz3/AAB_B7-JmLPxg5vNU2gCwR0fa?dl=0

 

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s ONLY mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 230 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just nine operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues and donations for funding.

Colorado Springs, CO – The due date for Muziki, a 20-year-old female giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, is now within a week, and 10-year-old Laikipia’s due date will follow shortly after. These two calves will be the 200th and 201st giraffe calves born at the Zoo, and the public is welcome to watch the birth live online at cmzoo.org/birthcam.

Giraffe gestations are typically 14.5 months, but, as with humans, can be shorter or longer depending on the individual pregnancy. Muziki bred with our nine-year-old breeding bull, Khalid, on Valentine’s Day 2017, which puts her due date at Saturday, April 28. Laikipia bred with Khalid about a week later, which would put her due date at Saturday, May 5. Keepers report that Muziki is starting to show physical signs that the birth is getting closer, but do not tell us specific timing (a few days to a week would be safe guesses).

The birth of the two calves would bring the number in Zoo’s herd to 19 giraffe.

Giraffe fans are also welcome to “shower” our giraffe moms-to-be with name suggestions for the 200th calf. For a $5 donation, the public can suggest a pair of names (one male and one female) at cmzoo.org/name. Proceeds benefit the enrichment and care of our giraffe herd. Name suggestions must be in PRIOR to the birth of the 200th calf, so we encourage suggestions soon.

The temporary birth cam at cmzoo.org/birthcam is scheduled to stream 24 hours per day until after the babies arrive. The cam shows the Zoo’s giraffe birthing stall, which has been prepared with about six inches of sand to cushion the fall when the babies are born. Giraffe calves can fall nearly six feet when they’re born.

The stall and camera will mostly be active overnight between 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. Mountain time. During daytime hours, our two moms-to-be will typically be with the rest of the herd, until we see signs of the actual birthing process. There may be other giraffes visiting the stall during the day, or viewers could see zookeepers tending to it.

At night, the camera will automatically shift into night-vision mode, and two dim red lights on the stall will help us view the giraffe moms at night. The red lights are enough for the giraffe to be visible with night vision, but not enough to disturb the natural daily cycles that they are used to. Although they are used to it being dark at night, they still only sleep about 20 to 60 minutes per night, just as they would in the wild. Giraffe can sleep standing up, so it is not usual for them to stay standing throughout the night, or to lay down for a portion of the night.

The first thing that viewers will see when the time comes is two front hooves emerging from mom. After that, they should see the head. The back hooves will usually be the last thing to emerge, and then the calf will drop to the ground, naturally severing the umbilical cord and stimulating baby’s first breath. After that, mom will encourage the calf to stand up within about an hour after birth, which can sometimes look like she’s nudging or kicking the baby.

During the down times with the birth cam, giraffe fans can also view our herd via two additional live streaming cams when they’re in the outside yard. These cams are always available at cmzoo.org/giraffecam.

Imagery

Moms-to-Be: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a3bkznf4bhmb873/AABxq9Ileyl5TK76ZrC-jAEza?dl=0

Giraffe Feeding Photos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/2sm0fmng1vz2nq3/AAAS1RUJS4Q8aWi4KEwD0Fnga?dl=0

Giraffe Feeding Videos: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/f96wflb7z9yirzn/AAD1jyG-GisTtTPdByHsFmrGa?dl=0

 

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s ONLY mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 230 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just nine operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues and donations for funding.

Colorado Springs, CO – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has begun the live-streaming watch for their 200th giraffe calf…and the 201st…and we’re inviting the public to watch along! Two of the females in the Zoo’s herd of 17 giraffe are pregnant and due at the end of April or early May 2018.

Twenty-year-old Muziki (moo-ZEE’-kee) and 10-year-old Laikipia (luh-KEE’-pee-uh) still have a couple of weeks to go before their anticipated due dates, but just like humans, they can sometimes give birth earlier than anticipated. Because of that, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has made their public live birth cam available now, so the public can watch along with CMZoo staff.

The birth cam can be found at cmzoo.org/birthcam, and it is scheduled to stream 24 hours per day until after the babies arrive. The cam shows the Zoo’s giraffe birthing stall, which has been prepared with about six inches of sand to cushion the fall when the babies are born. Giraffe calves can fall nearly six feet when they’re born.

The stall and camera will mostly be active overnight between 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. Mountain time. During daytime hours, our two moms-to-be will typically be with the rest of the herd, until we see signs of the actual birthing process. There may be other giraffes visiting the stall during the day, or viewers could see zookeepers tending to it.

At night, the camera will automatically shift into night-vision mode, and two dim red lights on the stall will help us view the giraffe moms at night. The red lights are enough for the giraffe to be visible with night vision, but not enough to disturb the natural daily cycles that they are used to. Although they are used to it being dark at night, they still only sleep about 20 to 60 minutes per night, just as they would in the wild. Giraffe can sleep standing up, so it is not usual for them to stay standing throughout the night, or to lay down for a portion of the night.

The first thing that viewers will see when the time comes is two front hooves emerging from mom. After that, they should see the head. The back hooves will usually be the last thing to emerge, and then the calf will drop to the ground, naturally severing the umbilical cord and stimulating baby’s first breath. After that, mom will encourage the calf to stand up within about an hour after birth, which can sometimes look like she’s nudging or kicking the baby.

During the down times with the birth cam, giraffe fans can also view our herd via two additional live streaming cams when they’re in the outside yard. These cams are always available at cmzoo.org/giraffecam.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s ONLY mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 230 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just nine operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues and donations for funding.

— Both giraffe moms are due late April/early May –

Colorado Springs, CO – The lab surprised us with results one day earlier than anticipated, and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is excited to report that Laikipia’s pregnancy has been confirmed by hormone blood test. That means that both she and Muziki, another member of the famous CMZoo giraffe herd, are both due to give birth in late April or early May. The next calf will be the 200th giraffe calf born since Cheyenne Mountain Zoo began breeding giraffes in 1954.

This story began when Muziki (moo-ZEE’-kee) and Laikipia (luh-KEE’-pee-uh) bred with our bull, Khalid (kuh-LEED’) around Valentine’s Day last year. Both giraffe initially tested positive in pregnancy tests administered in June 2017, but until now, only Muziki had been confirmed pregnant via a second blood draw. A first attempt at a second blood sample from Laikipia failed last Friday, but was successful on Tuesday during a live broadcast on the Zoo’s Facebook page. The video was originally planned to film a practice session only, but Laikipia cooperated for an actual blood sample.

Giraffe gestation isn’t an exact science. It typically ranges between 14.5 and 15 months, but can be as little as 13 months. Because of these variations, either mom could give birth first. There are plans in the works to put a live-streaming “birth cam” inside the building as the due dates get closer, so giraffe fans will be able to monitor the “Race to 200” in real time. We also have plans to make the moms easily identifiable with markings that are easy for our guests to see. Stay tuned to our e-newsletter and social media for more giraffe baby news to come!

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s ONLY mountain zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s hope that 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 just ten operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues and donations for funding.