This Just In! Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is awesome!

Check out this fantastic article by Colorado Kids reporter Taylor Kelly, age 10, from Castle Pines North!

Celebrate the 4th at the Mountaineer Sky Ride!

Spice up your red-white-and-blue celebration by viewing the city’s fireworks displays from the Summit of the Mountaineer Sky Ride from 7-10 pm! This locale will bring a new point of view to your Independence Day celebration! Bring your own blanket and savor the All American BBQ menu available for purchase from 7-9 pm. Beer and wine will be available for purchase as well!

We’re sorry, outside food, beverage and/or coolers, and camp chairs are not allowed on the Sky Ride. CAPACITY IS LIMITED. Please arrive early to ensure a spot. For more details, visit cmzoo.org.

Spend the Night at the Zoo!

The Great American Backyard Campout® is officially on Saturday, June 27, 2009, but camping is something you can do year-round, and we encourage you to give it a try. Get started on planning your next camping trip today!

Better yet, go nocturnal and spend the night at the Zoo through our WildNights program!

The Zoo needs YOU!

As part of Teddy Bear Days this year, the Zoo would like to present a “Grizzly Campsite Encounter” demonstration. To do this educational demonstration, we need a tent and plastic cooler. If you have an old tent or plastic cooler you’d like to donate to the Zoo, please contact the Zoo Blog Keeper at blogkeeper@cmzoo.org.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is looking for kid-safe ponies, preferably geldings, for our pony ride program.

Please call or email with information about the pony and asking price to the following:

Roxanna Breitigan, Animal Care Manager: 719/633-9925 ext.167 or email her at rbreitigan@cmzoo.org

Help Celebrate National Pollinator Week

Did you know that one out of every third bite of food comes to us thanks to pollinators? From beautiful butterflies to busy bees, it's clear that pollinators are essential to life on our planet.

Declines in pollinators in North America and around the world pose what could be a significant threat to biodiversity, global food webs and human health.

June 22-28 is National Pollinator Week. Learn what you can plant in your region to help your local pollinators by visiting the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign website.

Mix it Up – Jazz Style

The second event in the Mountaineer Mixer series is set for Thursday, June 25 from 7-9 pm with light Jazz provided by the Colorado Springs Conservatory and Jazz Trio, Calybra. Mixer attendees will also have the opportunity to meet a variety of live animal ambassadors from the Zoo’s Zoo on the Move program. Chef Beau Green of Wild Things Catering designed the menu for the evening which features:

Honey bourbon pork lollipops
Grilled peaches with blue cheese & red wine glaze
Granny smith apple coleslaw
Vegetarian option: Vegetable Lollipops

Sovereignty Wines will provide the following wines Collineri Pinot Grigio and Pinot Nero.

Tickets are $12.50 per person and can be purchased at the entrance to the Mountaineer Sky Ride. Check out our website for additional Mountaineer Mixer Series dates and details!

“Tweet” with Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

After twittering with Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Budgie Buddies, head home to “Tweet” with your Zoo ”Tweeps”!

That’s right, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has joined one of the most popular social networking sites, Twitter! Now you can follow us while you are on the go!

Twitter is a great site where you post what you are doing. Then people can follow you and you can follow them. The best part is that you can get your updates on your phone, blackberry or other portal device.

Follow us on Twitter and get insider updates and stories via our “tweets”. Find us at profile name CheyenneMtnZoo or address: http://twitter.com/CheyenneMtnZoo!

SAVING CORAL REEFS IN THE ROCKIES

Here are a dozen simple things YOU can do here in Colorado to protect coral reefs and oceans throughout the world:


1. Conserve Water – the less water you use, the less wastewater finds its way back to the ocean

2. Recycle and Reuse – keeping trash out of oceans and landfills will improve water quality

3. Use Environmentally Safe Cleaning and Gardening Products – no matter how far from the ocean you are, the residues will make their way back to the ocean

4. Don’t Dump Waste in Drains – all eventually lead to rivers that flow to the ocean

5. Walk, Bike, Carpool or Ride the Bus – fossil fuel emissions from cars leads to ocean warming causing mass bleaching of corals which can lead to widespread destruction of coral reefs

6. Be a Responsible Seafood Eater – over-fishing, destructive fishing gear and poor aquaculture practices impact significantly on marine wildlife and habitats

7. Be an Informed Consumer – carefully consider the coral and marine fish you buy to insure that the harvest was legal, sustainable and ecologically sound

8. Learn More About Coral Reefs and Oceans – when you further your own education, you can help others understand the fragility and value of the world’s reefs and oceans

9. Support Conservation Organizations – many like Reef Check have coral reef programs and your monetary or volunteer support will make a difference

10. Become a Member of Your Local Aquarium or Zoo – ask what they are doing and what your donation can do toward saving the world’s reefs and oceans

11. Become an Ecotourist – when visiting the oceans and reefs, minimize your impact on these fragile systems by respecting all local guidelines, recommendations, regulations, and customs

12. SPREAD THE WORD – be the voice for our coral reefs and encourage others to get involved!

Coral Reef Awareness - Sunday June 21!

Join us Father’s Day, June 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Loft for a celebration of the planet’s coral reefs!

Learn how Rocky Mountain residents can protect coral reefs and oceans around the world! Meet a representative from Diver’s Reef Dive Shop who will chat about adventures in snorkeling and diving and try on diving equipment! Also learn how to grill “ocean-friendly” fish at the Grizzly Grill grilling demos and enjoy “fish” face-painting!

We look forward to celebrating Father’s Day with you. Remember dads, you get $5.25 admission all day this Sunday!

Conservation Animal Show

Domestic or wild, every animal has an important role in their own environment. We too have an important role in making sure these animals will be around for the future by conserving, recycling and just keeping our surroundings clean. The best place to start is in our own backyards.

Come visit our pot-bellied pig and other "Backyard Stars" as they help us learn about their adaptations and ways to help keep our environment clean. See the Conservation Animal Show every Thursday – Monday at 2:00 pm in My Big Backyard.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Investigates GIANT Frog Sighting

Officials from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have been asked to investigate the sighting of a GIANT Panamanian Golden Frog in downtown Colorado Springs.

The Panamanian frog, believed to be extinct in the wild, was first spotted Sunday morning on the corner of Pikes Peak Avenue and Tejon Street.

By Monday afternoon, the giant frog had taken up residence on the east face of the Chase Bank Building…

Have you spotted this GIANT amphibian? If you have any information, please comment to share your story…

Tickets going fast for the Orangutan Fundraiser this Saturday!

Join us for “Swinging in the Rainforest”, an Orangutan Fundraiser on Saturday, June 20! For all the details or to purchase tickets, visit our website.

Stargazing Series premiers Friday evening 6/19!

Alan Gorski, President of the CS Astronomical Society

Don’t miss the Stargazing Series at the Mountaineer Sky Ride which provides a unique experience to soar over the Zoo as the sun goes down!

Get closer to a creature of the night as you learn about our Egyptian fruit bats and traverse the night sky via the telescopes and guidance of the Colorado Springs Astronomical Society .

Bring the family for an evening of star gazing Fridays, June 19, July 17, August 14 and September 4, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults, $4 for children ages 3-11, and members receive $1 off. Light refreshments will be available for purchase at the Mountaineer Market.

Toxic Waste in Cigarette Butts Harms Wildlife

Did you know that one of the most common forms of litter is cigarette butts? Have you seen the recent study by San Diego State University researchers that says filter-tipped cigarette butts are toxic to marine and fresh-water fish?

To read more about the study and to find out how you can help, visit Blue Living Ideas.

Mix & Mingle at the Mountaineer Sky Ride!

Check out the hottest new venue to mix and mingle high above the Zoo! The summer Mountaineer Sky Ride Mixer Series presents a unique opportunity to ride the Sky Ride, watch the sun set, savor a cocktail and light meal while listening to musical accompaniments to set the mood!

Tickets are $25 per couple and $12.50 per person and can be purchased at the entrance to the Mountaineer Sky Ride. Ticket includes one beverage per person, a light meal by Wildthings Catering and entertainment. A cash bar and additional snack items will also be available for purchase.

The first evening of the series is set for Thursday, June 11 with the acoustic sounds of “Negative 2” as the featured music for the evening. Mixer attendees will also be interacting with a variety of live animal ambassadors from the Zoo’s Zoo on the Move program. The menu of appetizers for the evening will be mini pepper encrusted sliders and side of sweet potato fries, with beer and ale from Bristol Brewing Company.

Check out our website for additional Mountaineer Mixer Series dates!

Protecting Frogs through Natural Lawn Care

Photo Credit: Joel Sartore

Amphibians are highly sensitive to contaminants like fertilizers, weed and pest killers, and detergents released into their environment. This is because amphibians breathe and absorb water through their skin providing an easier way for contaminants to enter their bodies.

Homeowners use up to 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on crops.

You may not think that you can make a difference, but caring for your lawn in an eco-friendly way can make a bigger impact than you think. Help frogs by following these simple tips:

Choose non-chemical weed control methods like mulching, spading and pulling weeds whenever possible.

Feed your lawn naturally with grass clippings.

Use compost in your garden.

Use organic fertilizer rather than synthetic ones.

Provide good drainage to prevent standing water that attracts pests such as mosquitoes.

Plant native grasses, shrubs and trees which are less susceptible to pests.

Grow natural insect repellents such as lemon balm.

Source: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

For more information on natural lawn care, visit Safe Lawns.

To find out more about frog conservation, visit our summer exhibit, Leaping to the Rescue, located in the Aquatics Building.

We flip for eScrip!

What is eScrip you say?

It’s a nifty way to provide funding to feed and care for our animals without having to write a check!

Participating merchants contribute to the Zoo each time your family makes a purchase using your grocery club or registered cards. And all you on-line shoppers, there are lots of eScrip options for you as well!

Visit our website to learn more or sign up at eScrip.com.