Creative Valentines

Want to include a sweet treat with your valentines this year? Choose a treat from our Palm Oil Free Valentine Candy Guide! Remember, palm-oil free candies are orangutan safe!

My son’s class will get these cute valentine treats made from Pearsons Mint Patties – 100% Palm Oil Free!

Scavenge for Vultures!

-Photo Credit: Tracey Gazibara
Post by Jenyva Turner

Our Zoo docents are holding a "Scavenge for Vultures" sale on Saturday, February 6th in the Lodge at Moose Lake beginning at 12:00 pm. Docents plan to bring a variety of animal-themed items to sell. The funds raised will go towards Cape Griffon vulture conservation in South Africa. Come scavenge around for something you'd like!

Why save vultures? As obligate scavengers, vultures play a vital role in the health of an ecosystem by cleaning up animal remains and helping prevent the spread of disease. Unlike other scavengers, vultures have powerful stomach acids that kill many diseases that affect humans and other animals.

In areas where vultures have disappeared, the ecological cycles cannot be completed successfully. The Vulture Programme in South Africa is working with local communities to ensure that existing vulture populations prosper so that they can repopulate areas where vultures no longer exist and once again restore ecological balance.

We welcome you in our efforts to help vultures!

Party Time!

Thanks to all who attended the birthday celebration for Tumani and Godek on Saturday!

We celebrated alongside the primates with special palm-oil free treats for the apes - and humans. Thanks to everyone who brought birthday enrichment gifts! Keepers were so appreciative of all the guest donations like Dixie cups, burlap, sheets, and frozen veggies that will be used for animal enrichment.

And what a turnout of local media for the “Media Challenge”! After peeling a banana without the use of their opposable thumbs, these folks had to peel a hardboiled egg and unwrap a piece of candy – all without the use of their thumbs! (An animal species is said to have opposable thumbs if the thumb is capable of bending in such a way that it can touch all the other digits on the hand. Opposable thumbs are a signature feature of the primate family, and played a large role in the ancient humans' invention and use of tools.)

Alongside their media colleagues, Barbara Cotter (Gazette), Lindsay Watts (KRDO), Craig Coffey (Fox 21) and Andy Koen (News First 5) took part in the challenge. Andy walked away the returning champion!

Enjoy this slideshow of the party people – and primates!


Photo Credit: Thea Etchells

Animal Profile: Huey & Ari

By Roxanna Breitigan, Animal Care Manager

Meet Red River Hogs, Huey and Ari! Huey was born on July 7, 2007 and came to us from San Diego. Ari was born on April 24, 2002 and came to us from Dallas.

After their mandatory 30 day quarantine, they were moved to their new home in the African Rift Valley exhibit. After a little time, they began to settle in to their new indoor enclosures. They learned pretty quickly how to maneuver the chute system that allows access to their outdoor exhibit!

They spend their days rooting around for treats the keepers have hidden, moving logs, playing with the enrichment items the keepers have set up for them and napping. They are a very vocal pair who ARE not shy to let their keepers know it is meal time or time to go in for the night. You may not see them out regularly during the winter months since the minimum temperature for them to go outside is 40 degrees and sunny. They get along really well and animal care staff is hopeful that they will be able to have piglets.

They are a very smart species to work with and keepers train them daily. We are currently working on ultrasounding with Ari so that we can know if she becomes pregnant. We have taught both of them to lay down on cue and Huey will do a turn behavior on cue. They both hold their positions on cue which means they stop what they are doing.

Next time you visit the African Rift Valley exhibit, be sure to look for Huey and Ari!

Will You Hang Out with Me this Valentine's Day?

Looking for a creative gift for someone who has everything? Chances are they don't have a Bornean or Sumatran orangutan! The two species of orangutans are both endangered in the wild.

Share in the care of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's animal residents and purchase a special Valentines Day adoption package in the name of your friend or loved one.

You gift includes:

Cuddly 12” plush orangutan
Personalized adoption certificate
Fact sheet about orangutans
Invitation to Parent Day in August 2010 for adopt parent and one guest
Full-color orangutan photo
Adopt parent recognition on website
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Get yours now while supplies last!