Electric Safari 2011

Pasta for Christmas?

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the zoo
Not a creature was stirring, not even Tamu.
The stockings were hung by the exhibits with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

According to a tradition traced back to 1820, Santa Claus lives at the North Pole with Mrs. Claus, his nine reindeer and many elves. Each year on Christmas Eve, Santa and his elves pack the sleigh for a worldwide adventure, leaving toys for all of the good girls, boys and yes, even the animals here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

On Christmas morning when the keepers arrive, there are two special packages awaiting them. The packages aren’t for the keepers though; they are for the animals. A special food package may hold elk or deer hide, animal legs or even pasta to cook, and a large gift box (yes, it’s wrapped) is full of special items, including:

-         Burlap bags for the apes to use as toys. The bags usually end up over their heads at some point, mimicking what they would do with a large leaf in the wild.

-         Peanut butter & jelly is the favorite of most animals here at the zoo. The keepers will spread it on the walls within an animal’s exhibit or place it on a razor board (a hard plastic board with holes) and allow the animals to pick it out of the holes.

-         Sugar-free Gatorade or Kool-Aid is used to make ice treats for the animals adding a little flavor to their water.

-         Jell-O is given to all areas of the zoo for a special treat. Due to the red coloring, we stay away from cherry or strawberry flavors. We don’t want visitors to think our animals are injured.

-         Coconuts are given out to numerous animals including the primates, and they are the porcupine’s favorite treat.

-         Cereal is a great training tool, and rumor has it the animals love Raisin Bran.

-         Spices and perfumes are sprayed randomly in an animal’s exhibit to ignite their senses. When the animals approach the new scent, it is very intriguing to them and makes for a sometimes comical reaction.

These presents are used throughout the year for animal enrichment. In the wild, animals would spend many hours a day trying to find, collect and eat food.  At the zoo, they obviously don’t have to work quite as hard to “earn their living” but still have a lot of adaptations and energy that they need to use.  This is where enrichment comes in.  The items listed above are used for activities which provide mental and physical stimulation, with the goal of promoting species-appropriate natural behaviors in the animals under our care. We identify specific behaviors, such as foraging or grooming, and create toys or activities to encourage that behavior.  These activities challenge our animals’ bodies and minds to keep them active and engaged.
If you are interested in playing Santa Claus to the animals, check out the “Wish List” on the Electric Safari event page.  The list includes the items we are currently accepting. Plus, when you bring an item during Electric Safari, you’ll receive discounted admission.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! 

“Oh, Christmas lights, keep shinin’ on…”

 Santa Claus is in the zoo, the scent of smoked almonds wafting out of Grizzly Grill and over one million plus twinkle lights are lit for our 21^st Annual Electric Safari event. The event runs December 16 through January 1, from 5:30 to 8:30pm each evening (closed Christmas Eve). For many individuals, Electric Safari is a family tradition, but for others this may be their first time.  

For those of you who have never been to Electric Safari, here are the zoo’s top five tips, based on Christmas songs, to help you enjoy the event.

1. “Baby its cold outside…”

We help cut the chill of the evening air with numerous heaters and fire pits placed along the Electric Safari trail, but weather here on Cheyenne Mountain is always changing, so be prepared.  Wearing layers is always the best way to go and don’t forget your hats, mittens and scarves!

2.  “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”

Nothing says Electric Safari like the aromatic smells coming from the Grizzly Grill, open nightly during Electric Safari. Make sure to stop by for hot chocolate, fresh roasted nuts and a variety of holiday baked goods.

3. “It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size…”

Just a reminder, we are America’s only mountain zoo. When planning your clothing for Electric Safari, please remember to wear comfortable shoes with good traction. The Electric Safari trail runs throughout the zoo and most animal areas are open for evening viewing.

 4.        “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas…”  

When arriving at Electric Safari, make sure to check the Animal Happenings schedule. We host numerous animal keeper talks and animal enrichment activities each evening, beginning at 6:00pm. If you missed one of the demonstrations, don’ worry! Create holiday magic by helping make items used during the animal enrichment activities in The Loft.

5. “Santa Claus is coming to town…”

Make sure to see Santa and Mrs. Claus in Primate World, from 5:30 to 8:15pm each evening through Friday, December 23. Beat the lines and make Santa Zone your first stop of the evening.

  

Zoo members receive FREE admission! General admission is $8.25 for adults and $5.25 for children age’s (3-11). Receive $2 off an adult admission or $1 off a child’s admission when you bring an item listed the animals’ wish list. Visit cmzoo.org/electricsafari for more event information. 

Meet the Snow Leopards

Have you ever wondered how snow leopards get their fur so soft and fluffy? Or how they make the most of their exhibit here at the zoo? We took your questions, posted on our Facebook page, straight to the leopards themselves (or maybe to their keepers), to get you answers.  Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to two snow leopards, a 3-year-old female named Kisa and a 3-year-old male named Bhutan.

Facebook Question: Wouldn't life for you be way better if your enclosure was larger ? :)

Answer: Actually, life is pretty great!  The enclosure you see me in is not the only area I live in.  All of us leopards rotate through the three leopard yards and the leopard building, so I get to be in a new area every day, which is very interesting! Sometimes the keepers give me access to multiple enclosures at the same time, which gives me a ton of space to play in!

Facebook Question: What do you want SantaCatPaws to bring you this year? I already know you been a great cat this year.

Answer: Well, you are right...I HAVE been a very good leopard this year! Santa always brings us lots of fun treats and toys for Christmas, but this year I hope he brings me some special meat treats, like deer hides or steak. Those are my favorite!

Facebook Question: Are you as soft as you look?
Answer: Thank you for noticing!  Yes, my fur is very soft on top and feels similar to rabbit fur.  My fur underneath, which is the fur that keeps me warm when it's cold outside, is thicker and more coarse, like sheep wool.


Facebook Question: Can you change your spots?
Answer: I can’t change my spots.  A leopards spots are very much like a human’s fingerprints - they are unique to each individual and never change.  Many people don't know this, but our skin is spotted just like our fur coats!

Facebook Question: Do you know that white is out of season after Labor Day?

Answer: Yes, we know snow leopards are very fashion forward!  But when you're this pretty, you can totally pull off white after Labor Day!

Here are a few more snow leopard facts. A snow leopard’s average height is two feet, average length is six to seven-and-a-half feet, and they weigh from 77 to 121 pounds. Female snow leopards weigh approximately 30% less than males. Snow leopards live for as long as 21 years in captivity. Their reclusive nature makes it hard to determine snow leopard lifespan in the wild. Eating wild sheep and goats, and smaller animals like rodents, hares, and game birds, is what makes up their daily menu. These cats can be found in the rugged mountains of central Asia. Their range spans from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan and Russia in the north, to India and China in the east. China is home to about 60% of snow leopard habitat. Snow leopards have already disappeared from certain areas of Mongolia, which is part of their historic range.  Due to the high demand for their coats, snow leopards are illegally hunted for the fur trade. Very rare in most of their range, an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards are left in the wild, with 600 to 700 in zoos around the world.

An Easy Holiday Treat

White Bean and Prosciutto Bruschetta

Taste of the Wild Catering, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Bruschetta:

2/3 cup dry white or cannellini beans, cooked and cooled

1 small clove garlic, minced

 2 - 3 green onions, sliced

2 - 3 oz Prosciutto, sliced thin and pulled apart into smaller pieces

3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Crostini:

 1 baguette, sliced thin, toasted and brushed lightly with extra virgin olive oil

Mix all of the Bruschetta ingredients in a bowl. Spoon those mixed ingredients on top of the Crostine and serve at your next Holiday party.