Run with us on Saturday August 8!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo invites world class runners and families alike to join in the Run to the Shrine on Saturday, August 8, 2009.

This 2.1 mile run to the Shrine begins at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s admissions gates and curves through the Zoo and some of the most stunning mountain scenery this side of the Rockies, finishing at the historic monument, Will Rogers Shrine! For details visit our website!

To register online, click HERE!

Teddy Bear Days!

Thank you to all of our fantastic volunteers for supporting our annual Teddy Bear Days this past weekend including Memorial Hospital nurses, T.Rowe Price, Pikes Peak Library District and others! And the event was a huge success because of our valued sponsors: Kaiser Permanente, Memorial Hospital, My 99.9FM, Comcast and The Gazette! With the fabulous weather and families seeking affordable family excursions, attendance was huge! We saw 9,722 people throughout the weekend and 1,285 bears at the clinic! Enjoy these fun photos from the weekend’s festivities:

Theodore Roosevelt talked with Zoo guests about the history of the teddy bear.

Broadmoor Fire & Rescue and AMR opened their vehicles – a great interactive display!

Memorial Children’s Nurses gave great teddy bear check ups and even performed CPR to save a bear’s life:

Erica’s First Update from Kenya!

As you may recall, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Loft educator Erica Garroutte traveled to Kimana, Kenya to work at the School for Field Studies station to study wildlife of the Rift Valley and involve local communities in local conservation projects.

Here is her latest update all the way from Kenya:

Hujambo rafiki yangu CMZ, (Hi my friends from CMZ)

So I finally made it to Kenya and I am now aware of what it means to be in the wild! I just officially started the research position at a station near Kilimanjaro and already I have interacted with my fair share of wildlife. The camp is in the middle of a small watershed full of farms and pretty much the only vegetation for miles. This side of Kenya is experiencing one of the worst droughts in history, so this one oasis of water from Kilimanjaro is where all of the animals and people are crowding. It creates a very interesting dynamic because local maasai people, the research station and the animals have to coexist and share. There are several elephants walking through the area at night knocking down trees, several giraffe, baboons, vervet monkeys, snakes, zebra, tons of different birds, and of course countless inverts. All of these animals have to compete with the goats, sheep and cows that the Massai herd in for water. The elephants are the greatest problem because they come through the farms and destroy a years worth of food in a couple of hours. This is an extreme problem because of the drought. Many farmers burn bonfires all night to keep them out of the farms and chase them away with pots and pans. Needless to say, I really pray that we will get water soon.

To Be Continued… Check back next week for another update from Erica!

Perspective on Zoo Camp

Check out the article written for the Denver Post by local student reporter!

Thank you for the 'shout out' Taylor!

Have you registered to run?

Registration is officially underway for the upcoming Run to the Shrine scheduled for Saturday, August 8, 2009 at 7:00 am!

Run as an individual, family or relay team! All the details and registration information can be found on our website.

We look forward to galloping with you August 8!

Baby Budgie

Photo and post by Ashley Arimborgo

’Parakeet’ is another name for a Budgerigar, and the term that most people are familiar with. What most people probably don’t know is how they look when they are newborns since parakeets use nests in trees to brood their young until they know how to fly. The young budgie in this photo is about 2 weeks old and what looks like small white needles on its’ skin are actually the beginning of feathers. They should start looking like full feathers in another week or two and the young bird will fledge (begin flying) as soon as the feathers grow out.

The Budgie Buddy house at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is lucky to maintain a steady population of free flighted birds year-round thanks to the dozens of nest boxes that have been placed throughout the exhibit. Stop by next time you visit to see how our birds are doing and for just a dollar you can feed them and have a wonderful family experience!

Camping in Bear Country

When you camp in Colorado’s great outdoors, you’re heading into country that’s long been home to black bears. Before you head into the wilderness, learn more about how to enjoy the outdoors without creating problems for yourself or these intelligent and resourceful animals.

If you want to avoid problems for yourself and the bears, make sure there’s nothing to attract bears to your camp. Here are some tips from the Colorado Division of Wildlife. To learn more, be sure to join us for the Camping Safety Demonstration at the Grizzly Exhibit in Rocky Mountain Wild during Teddy Bear Days on July 18 and 19.

From the Colorado Division of Wildlife:
Stash Your Trash. Use bear-proof containers when available. If they’re full, double bag trash and lock it in your trunk or RV. Never leave trash outside.
Store Attractants Safely. Store food, beverages and toiletries in air tight containers and lock in your trunk. Many bears have discovered that coolers, bags and boxes are full of food; never leave them in your tent or anywhere a bear could see, smell or reach.

Keep a Clean Camp. Bears are attracted to odors of all kinds and will investigate anything interesting in hopes of finding food.
Keep a Clean Tent. Don’t bring anything with an odor into your tent—that includes all foods, bever¬ages, scented toiletries, gum, toothpaste, sunscreen, candles, and insect repellant. Don’t sleep in the clothes you cooked in; store them with your food.

Lock RVs and Vehicles. Close windows and lock your vehicle and RV when you leave your camp site and at night before you go to sleep.

Dakota

-Written by Megan Sanders, Animal Behavior Programs Manager

Last week, our beloved mountain lion, Dakota, left our Zoo family. She lived to be just shy of 20 years old, and boy did she live!

She has always been a cat that did everything with gusto. I have never met an animal that could turn a refrigerator box in to confetti as fast as she could. She had a “soft side” too. Some of my favorite memories here are working the late shifts and sitting with her a few minutes in the evening having a “chat”. She never failed to come over, blow a little puff of smelly cat breath in your face and then roll in the mulch, always stopping to give you that look of hers while she was upside down.

Dakota has absolutely left her mark on this zoo and on anyone who came into contact with her. A guest recently commented that “she was the prettiest Mountain Lion” they had ever seen. She showed a generation of kids just how it looked and felt to see a cat stalk you, and passed that talent on to the 4 cougars who now stalk in the Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit. She initiated more keeper talks and conversation through her playing and her training, I can only imagine the far reaching impact she may have had.

Most guests know her by name and those that don’t know her by reputation. I can’t even count the number of times I have been asked for directions to the “grandma cat”, “the old lady” or the “log cat”… Dakota and her log…it’s a beautiful thing. That was her throne from which she surveyed the comings and goings of peafowl, guinea fowl, wallabies and the occasional raccoon. I was happy to find her in her favorite log this morning and have one last “chat” while we watched the wallabies shift out for the day.

Dakota taught me so much and defined my career in many ways. I am the trainer that I am today because of her. She was a patient and willing pupil and because of that she allowed me to grow along with her. I was proud and humbled to share one last session with her this morning.

My love and respect goes out to everyone who has worked with, taken care of, stopped to talk to and “fairy god-mothered” Dakota throughout her life. I know we did right by her up to the very end and I think, in some way, she knew that. She was an amazing animal and I know that she is up there, healthy and robust, rolling in fields of cat mint, eating steak and having a good fly when the mood strikes!

I’ll miss you Dakota. Thank you for all you gave me. Be at peace old girl.

Country and Americana Music Fans!

Join us this Thursday, July 9 from 7-9 pm for the Country Night at the Mountaineer Sky Ride! Have a beer provided by Bristol Brewing Company and enjoy chef Beau’s Gumbo, grilled garlic bread and corn on the cob! Then visit with outreach animals and boot scoot and yee haw to hoppin’ Americana folk sounds of Jason Bennett and The Legend Band!

Meet CMA Artist, Candice Crain, who will be making a special appearance and signing autographs part of the evening's festivities!

For more information about the Mixer Series, visit cmzoo.org.

Pawnee Montane Skipper Conservation

Thank you to Zoo employees Della and Chuck who, in conjunction with Wild Connections, helped close an “off highway vegetation” trail on National forest lands and reseeded with native grasses.

They hiked in over a mile with tools and seeds. Great work! Click to learn more about butterfly conservation and be sure to vote for your favorite Quarters for Conservation project in the kiosks at admissions plaza!

Rumors Confirmed!

The rumors have been confirmed! A giant Panamanian Golden frog has taken residence downtown at the corner of Pikes Peak and Tejon! Thank you to all our loyal readers, guests and members who alerted us to this amazing phenomenon!

Head downtown to see this terrific site for yourself, then enjoy a scoop of Panamanian Golden Fudge at Josh & John’s! 50% of proceeds go to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo!