TOCHO RECEIVES SURGICAL NEW YEAR’S GIFT FROM COLORADO VETERINARY PROFESSIONALS

In the spirit of giving this holiday season, and just in time for the New Year, a group of dedicated veterinary professionals donated their time and expertise to perform a five-hour surgery on Tocho, an 8-year-old mountain lion at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. He is recovering well following the complex procedure.

Three weeks ago, animal keepers discovered Tocho was having trouble putting weight on his rear right leg, which was repaired several years ago after being broken. Our veterinarians visually assessed him and prescribed medication for inflammation and pain relief. They monitored him throughout the week, but his lameness did not improve.

Our Zoo's veterinarians called on Colorado State University’s James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital and the Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology for assistance. Both sets of medical professionals volunteered to assist with an exam, at no cost to us. On the morning of December 11, Tocho received a physical exam and x-rays that showed his prognosis wasn't as good as the team had hoped.  

“We initially thought that the cold weather was causing the stiffness in the previously injured leg and that once the weather warmed up, Tocho would improve,” Dr. Liza Dadone, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo veterinarian, said. “Unfortunately, Tocho had a torn cruciate ligament. He needed surgery to repair it, and he would also need the two bone plates that were previously used to repair his broken leg replaced.”

Medical teams from CSU, CAVT and our Zoo began plans to coordinate the surgery for Dec. 26.

“Even during the holidays, Tocho was a priority for all of us,” Dadone said. “Thirteen medical professionals, seven of whom were doctors, came together for his surgery.”

Team members donated their time and provided needed medical equipment and supplies to support the procedure that otherwise would not have been possible.

“CSU brought with them an entire high-tech surgery suite; it included hundreds of thousands of dollars of medical equipment,” Dadone said. “CAVT provided medical supplies, and a local medical supply company donated the two bone plates.”

As a nonprofit that doesn’t receive any tax funding and relies on admissions and donations to operate, our Zoo is extremely grateful for the collaboration with CSU and CAVT.

“The collaboration is essential for us, but also mutually beneficial,” Dadone said. “Together we provide high-quality care, while also giving both schools’ students hands-on learning experiences with exotic animals.”

The groups have collaborated on diagnostic, surgical, therapeutic and other procedures for a variety of other animals at our Zoo.

“We also work together on writing medical papers to educate and inform the greater zoo community,” Dadone said. “Our collaborative medical efforts are not only benefiting animals at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, but also at other Association of Zoos and Aquariums institutions.”

As for Tocho, the collaborative surgery appears to have been successful. He will be recovering in an off-exhibit area for the next few months before he is given access to his brothers and sister in the main exhibit.  

We extend sincere thanks to the team that assisted with Tocho’s surgery - from CSU, Drs. Clara Goh, Matthew Johnston, Ross Palmer, Dana Ruehlman, two veterinary technicians and one vet-tech student. CAVT’s surgical team included veterinarian Dr. Dave Rubenstein and a vet-tech student. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s medical team included veterinarians Dr. Liza Dadone and Dr. Eric Klaphake, hospital manager and vet tech DeeAnn Wilfong, and veterinary technician Harley Thompson. The two bone plates were donated by DePuy Synthes. 

Learn about North America’s most-endangered species, black-footed ferrets!

This weekend marked the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act. President Richard Nixon signed the federal measure into law on December 28, 1973. The Endangered Species Act was designed to protect imperiled species from extinction. Celebrate this important anniversary by learning about North America’s most-endangered species, black-footed ferrets, and the efforts to recover them on Colorado’s prairie lands. http://vimeo.com/82310645

Apple Cinnamon Rice Krispies Treats

Do you need a quick, tasty recipe for your upcoming family celebrations?  The chefs at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Grizzly Grill compiled a delicious recipe for iced apple cinnamon Rice Krispies treats that are sure to make your mouth water. 

APPLE CINNAMON RICE KRISPIES TREATS

Treats:

•       12 cups of Rice Krispies
•        2 16-oz bags of marshmallows
•        1 stick of butter
•        ¼ cup apple cider mix

Melt butter in sauce pan and add 1/8 cup of apple cider mix.  Add marshmallows and melt fully.  Combine Rice Krispies and marshmallow mixture.  Press into a buttered 10x15 pan.  Sprinkle remaining apple cider mix (1/8 cup) on Rice Krispies mixture.  Allow to cool. Cut into 2-inch strips, long ways.  Spread icing (see below) onto strips and roll up.

Icing: 

•         2 apple cinnamon teabags
•        ½ cup hot water
•        2 cups powdered sugar

Put 2 teabags into ½ cup of hot water and steep to a strong flavor.  Add tea to powdered sugar and mix well.

Your signature is needed!

Help save the majority of remaining lowland forests in Aceh, Indonesia---the last few strongholds for the Sumatran tiger, elephant, rhino and orangutan. Please click on the link (www.change.org/LeuserHeritage), and let the government of Aceh know that is important to save the Leuser Ecosystem and the endangered species that call it home!

Black-footed ferrets released in Colorado!

After 23 years of breeding endangered BFFs, black-footed ferrets born at CMZ are now living in the wild on privately-owned prairie lands of Colorado. Staff members from our Zoo, along with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), released captive-bred black-footed ferrets (BFF) on the Walker Ranch near Pueblo at the end of October and beginning of November. In total, 55 BFFs were released at the ranch – five of those were born and raised at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! This release was the first in Colorado on privately owned land and was made possible by new Safe Harbor Agreement (SHA).

“It took many dedicated organizations working together for this release to take place. A special thanks goes to Gary and Georgia Walker, who volunteered their land, for giving ferrets a chance to survive in the wild prairies of Colorado,” Dr. Della Garelle, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Director of Conservation and the Species Survival Plan Chair for the international black-footed ferret breeding team said. “We wish the black-footed ferrets well; go forth, eat prairie dogs and prosper!”

An off-exhibit breeding facility was built on grounds after the Zoo joined the Black-Footed Ferret recovery effort in 1990.  Since the first BFF breeding season at the Zoo, 456 kits have been born and 227 ferrets have been released. In total, there have been 21 sites in 12 states where black-footed ferrets have been reintroduced since 1991, but only 4 of those are currently successful.

“Black-footed ferrets are nocturnal and live underground in prairie dog burrows, so it is difficult to determine their exact population, but they’ve gone from extinct in the wild to at least 500 now roaming prairie dog colonies,” Garelle said. “Our Zoo choose to participate in this breeding program because we are passionate about saving species from extinction – and what more appropriate animal for us to save than one that used to exist right here in Colorado.”

 Black-footed ferrets are completely dependent on vast expanses of prairie dogs as primary prey, and use prairie dog burrows for shelter and raising their young in prairie dog dens. As prairie dog populations were decimated to less than 2% of their historical levels due to a non-native plague and land development, the black-footed ferret became critically endangered. In 1979, BFFs were thought to be extinct, until a ranch dog named Shep found one in the prairies Meeteetse, Wyoming and presented it to his owner.

Biologist studied this remnant population, but saw that it was declining rapidly. To safeguard the species and prevent their imminent extinction, the 18 last-known wild black-footed ferrets were rescued between 1985 and 1987. In 1986, USFWS, Wyoming Game and Fish, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums initiated an emergency captive-breeding program for black-footed ferrets. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of only six breeding facilities in the world participating in this program.

To learn more about black-footed ferrets, visit www.blackfootedferret.org, or stop into The Loft at the Zoo, and meet our retired breeding black-footed ferret.

To read more stories from The Waterhole, or to keep up with the latest news, events, and behind the scenes happenings at the Zoo, sign up to receive e-newsletters: http://www.cmzoo.org/aboutZoo/pressBox/waterhole.asp.

Update from Indonesia on the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Annual Conference

By Dina Bredahl and Tracey Gazibara

Batu Mblein Quarantine Center 

After 34 hours of traveling, we arrived in Medan, Indonesia on Sunday morning, November 10.  Our reason for traveling halfway around the world was to attend the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) annual conference along with over 600 delegates from countries all over the world.

Before beginning the conference on Tuesday, we were able to meet with Dr. Ian Singleton with Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP) and visit Batu Mbelin quarantine center where nearly 50 orangutans are being cared for. Many of the orangutans have been confiscated, as they were being held illegally as pets. We were excited to hear that several of the orangutans would be on their way to be re-released into the wild next week.

Dina, Darrel Webber and Tracey at the RSPO.

Our goal for this conference was to interact with other stakeholders to further our work with palm oil sustainability.  The keynote address given by Professor Tim Benton was titled The Challenge of Food Security in 2050: Can we do it sustainably?  It was a detailed look at global climate change, population growth projections and how agriculture and deforestation now will affect our future dramatically.  It was very apparent that the success of the RSPO is critical on many levels. 

Group session at the RSPO conference.  

The format of this conference was quite unconventional -- open space technology was used to encourage anyone to take ‘ownership’ of an issue they cared about and invite any and all interested attendees to join the conversation.  We facilitated a discussion called ‘How can zoos positively transform the market?’ along with others from San Diego Zoo, Zoos Victoria and the Zoological Society of London.  We were happy to have representatives from the growers’ stakeholder group participate in our session to learn more about their needs.  We also joined in on other great topic discussions as well, and really learned a lot about the perspectives of others during this process.

Voting on resolutions at the RSPO.

We are getting ready for the next leg of our travels, which includes visiting Besitang and Bukit Lawang to see RSPO certified and non-certified plantations, a reforestation site and a successful eco-tourism location where we hope to see orangutans. A representative from OIC (Orangutan Information Centre) will be our guide.  We will be traveling with Adam Ringler of San Diego Zoo and Jacquie O’Brien of Zoos Victoria. 

Training a Herd of Giraffes

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is well-known for our giraffe herd. People are excited to feed the docile giants face to face – currently there are 19 roaming the Zoo’s African Rift Valley. Everyday at 2 p.m., guests can also take a front-row seat to watch our giraffe training program in action.

Cooperative husbandry training helps animal keepers care for the giraffes. This may seem like technical “zoo-speak,” but basically it means that our animals are trained to be willing participants in their own care. This willing participation means safer and less stressful procedures for both humans and animals. Much of this training is focused on hoof work, because just like fingernails, hooves grow. It is important that they get trimmed regularly.

“In zoos, eighty percent of giraffe anesthesia is done to address foot problems,” Dr. Liza Dadone, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Head Veterinarian, said. “Anesthetizing a giraffe is dangerous. The animal training that the keepers are doing is taking out the need for that high-risk anesthesia for our herd.” 

In March, animal keepers chose two giraffes to start foot training, Lakish and Mahali. They were presented with a sturdy wooden box and were given voice commands (left or right). As the giraffes learned to place a foot on the box, they were then given a second command, “touch.” Animal keepers would then touch their foot. Eventually, the giraffes’ training progressed to the point where they would present their foot on the box, curl their foot up and hold it in that position, while a farrier (hoof specialist) trimmed it. Currently 12 of our 19 giraffes present their feet for regular farrier work, x-rays or laser therapy.

“It’s truly amazing how far we’ve come in just a short amount of time,” Amy Schilz, Head Giraffe/Lion Animal Keeper, said. “A number of people are really surprised at how smart giraffes are, and how quickly we can cooperatively capture husbandry behaviors.”

In addition to hoof work, the animal keepers also work with the giraffes on shifting, targeting their nose to a tennis ball, cooperative blood draws, neck stretches and standing still on a scale. One female, Msitu, is even trained to allow keepers to conduct an ultrasound test on her. This is how the veterinary team and keepers knew she was pregnant with our newest giraffe calf, Emy, born on August 1.

“All of our giraffes are given the opportunity to train,” Amy said. “Even Emy, who is only two months old, has started target training.”

All of the giraffes are trained with positive reinforcement – meaning when a giraffe chooses to participate in training they are rewarded with giraffe crackers and other healthy giraffe treats. If they don’t want to participate that day, they can choose to simply walk away. Amy also explained that each giraffe has a different training regimen and that each giraffe responds to different cues, verbals and techniques.

“It’s like a puzzle,” Amy said. “That is the fun part for me, figuring out what each giraffe is going to respond to.”

In addition to cooperative husbandry behaviors, the three giraffe animal keepers work on capturing some of the giraffes natural behaviors (like sticking their tounge out or bowing for water) on a training cue. Next time you are at the Zoo, check out our giraffe herd’s positive reinforcment training  in African Rift Valley.

To read more stories from The Waterhole, or to keep up with the latest news, events, and behind the scenes happenings at the Zoo, sign up to receive e-newsletters: http://www.cmzoo.org/aboutZoo/pressBox/waterhole.asp.

Boo at the Zoo Checklist

Thousands of excited families are planning their trick-or-treat adventure to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Boo at the Zoo on October 18-20, 25-27 and 31. To ensure you won’t miss any of the merry-not-scary activities, we've made a Boo at the Zoo checklist!

1.  Wear layers - Colorado weather can be warm one minute and chilly the next - wear layers so you can stay toasty warm during Boo at the Zoo.
2. Wear comfortable shoes – We are America’s only mountain zoo, so don’t forget to coordinate your comfy shoes when you’re planning your costume.
3. Bring a bag – We will have Spooky Treat Stations set up around the Zoo with plenty of candy for everyone (made with sustainable palm oil, of course), so don’t forget to bring your reusable bag to hold all your treats. If you forget, we’ll have bags available at the admission gate for $2.
4. Bring a flashlight – We have minimal lighting around the Zoo in keeping with the theme, so little ghosts might like a little extra light when trick-or-treating in the night.
5. Catch the stage show – Don’t miss the animal/keeper performance of “So You Want to be a Zoo Keeper?” at the Lodge at Moose Lake nightly at 5:25 p.m., 6:25 p.m. and 7:25 p.m. Be sure you’re prompt – the show involves free-flight birds, so late arrivals will not be admitted.
6. Save room in your belly – Candy isn’t the only delicious treat at Boo! Elson’s Place will have sweets like hot chocolate and waffles, Grizzly Grill is a great place for a family dinner and The Overlook will be serving up some upscale delicacies.
   
7. Superheroes like to soar – The Mountaineer Sky Ride will be taking little superheroes and their families to the top of the Zoo during all seven nights of Boo! Opt for the Boo/Sky Ride combo ticket at the admission gate to save $2 per person. The last ride up is at 8 p.m., so plan ahead.
8. Don’t miss the animals – Select animal exhibits will be open, including giraffes, The Loft, Monkey Pavilion, Encounter Africa and Aquatics. Plus there will be two animal demos nightly – 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The lions, elephants, hippos, monkeys, meerkats, black rhino and giraffes will receive pumpkins, crepe-paper ghosts, bug-filled gourds and more during enrichment times. Check the online schedule (www.cmzoo.org/boo) to know what animals are featured during the night you attend Boo.
9. Renew or Purchase a membership – Zoo members get a special admission discount of $5 per person. Don’t forget to renew or purchase your membership prior to Boo at the Zoo (Zoo memberships are not available for purchase or renewal at Boo.)
10. Arrive with enough time – In addition to trick or treating, animal demos and a stage show, Boo at
    the Zoo also has a Lighted Pumpkin Patch, Haunted Fun House, Ghoulish Graveyard, Boo Carousel and Pirate Cove. Make sure you arrive with enough time to see and do everything – Boo hours are from 4-8:30 p.m. each night with the last admission sold at 7:30 p.m.

For more information about Boo at the Zoo, visit www.cmzoo.org/boo. Boo at the Zoo is sponsored by Larry H. Miller Toyota, Liberty Toyota of Colorado Springs, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs Pediatric Dentistry and Sam’s Club. 

Raising Funds for Down Under Improvements

The Zoo takes pride in making continual exhibit improvements for the animals. Therefore, it’s no surprise that before the dust settled on Encounter Africa, plans to improve the Australia exhibit were already underway.

The Australia upgrade project will include some new exciting features. To start, the wallaby walk-through will be improved, and a new off-season space will be added so guests can enjoy the wallabies in an indoor winter yard.

Though they aren’t Australian, our alligators have been officially “adopted” by this part of the Zoo, and everyone hates seeing them leave for the winter. A new building for a new species of alligators for the Zoo – Chinese alligators – will keep them at the Zoo year-round. Educational elements in the new space will also explain the differences between alligators and their Australian counterparts, crocodiles.

The new, improved Budgie Buddies exhibit will still offer guests the thrills of a free-flight aviary, but the space will be remodeled and improvements will be made to ventilation and plumbing.

Throughout Australia, guest pathways will be widened, allowing for better accessibility and less crowding through the exhibit.  

In addition to the improvements to the down-under animal habitats, the renovation will allow us expand our educational outreach animals’ living quarters in the basement of our Scutes Family Gallery building.  

Now that the renovation plans have been put on paper, the next step is fundraising. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a non-profit that does not receive any tax support. We rely on donations to improve and build new spaces for our animals. If you would like to contribute to the future improvements of Australia at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, contact Kelley Parker at 719.633.9925 ext. 164 or for more information on the project, visit: http://www.cmzoo.org/aboutZoo/ourFuture/australia.asp. 

Make your own edible vulture vomit!

Vulture vomit may seem like an unlikely topic for a blog, but it’s actually a very important aspect of vulture survival. It will also be a popular learning experience at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s celebration of International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD) on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. in African Rift Valley. The purpose of the event is to educate guests about the plight of vultures around the world and the important role that they play in the wild.

Vultures are vital to the health of ecosystems around the world. They are scavengers – eating the wounded, sick and discarded carcasses. Their strong stomach acids are corrosive and prevent disease from spreading. During their meal time, a vulture can eat up to one quarter of its body weight in meat. That is the equivalent of a human eating 30-50 pounds of food at once! Eating so much can make flight difficult, so if threatened, they will vomit to lighten their body weights. The regurgitation may also distract predators so the vulture can escape.

During International Vulture Awareness Day, guests participate in many fun activities, but a favorite is eating vulture vomit. If you are unable to visit the Zoo during IVAD, celebrate at home by making your own vulture vomit. (Disclaimer: We do not recommend you eat 30-50 pounds at once.)

Here are two of our staff’s favorite edible vomit recipes:

Hippo-Flavored Vomit

•  Melt a 8 oz. bag of dark chocolate baking chips
• Smear on a baking sheet lined with parchment or waxed paper
• Sprinkle chopped macadamia nuts onto the chocolate and lightly press in
• Sprinkle finely chopped dried cherries onto the nuts and chocolate and lightly press in
• Let cool, then eat and enjoy

Zebra-Flavored Vomit

• Separately melt 4 oz. of milk (or dark) chocolate baking chips and 4 oz. of white chocolate baking chips and pour into two separate baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper
• Mix Rice Krispies into each type of chocolate
• Lightly mix in the white chocolate with the milk (or dark) chocolate until it looks like stripes
• Let cool, then eat and enjoy

Releasing Wyoming Toads into the Wild

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of only nine zoological and government facilities that breed the Wyoming toad, a species classified as extinct in the wild. This year we are the only breeding facility that will be holding back tadpoles for future wild release and letting them develop safely for one year in a captive setting – a program and study being called “Head Start.”

“The goal of the Head Start program is to increase the survival rate of the Wyoming toad upon reintroduction into the wild,” Jeff Baughman, Lead Conservation Highlands Animal Keeper, said. “Tadpoles have to overcome a lot of hurdles – finding food, being preyed on, metamorphosing into toads and then hibernating before winter. Our hope is that releasing one year olds will increase the survival rate of the species in the wild since they won’t have as many hurdles.”  

Most institutions involved in the captive breeding program don’t currently have room to expand their housing facilities needed to keep extra toads for one year. Our Zoo was able to add additional housing for 200 toads for the Head Start research project. The remaining 2,244 tadpoles born at the Zoo this year were released near Laramie, WY in June. A follow up assessment of the species was made in the area in July.

“Two other professionals and I conducted the wild release of tadpoles this year,” Baughman said. “For the first time ever, we monitored the released tadpoles for two weeks. We watched for predators, dispersion and evaluated water quality in an effort to learn more about tadpole behavior – something we still don’t know much about.”

The team went back to a separate release location near Laramie, Wyoming in July to attempt to locate Wyoming toads from past years’ releases.

“Since 2008, we’ve been very methodical in our observation and counting of theindividuals found in the wild,” Baughman said. “We use the same number of people, walk the same grid and count for the same amount of time. This year we were able to locate several over-wintered toads, a few over one year old and two mature toads (over two years old). It was a more positive outcome than we’ve seen in past years.”

After June’s release and July’s observations, Baughman is excited to see if the Head Start program will yield more survivors in future assessments.

In the early ’90s, Wyoming Toads were declared extinct in the wild and only a small captive population remained. In 2004, our Zoo joined the effort to save the species through captive breeding for reintroduction to the wild. Since joining the effort, 7,359 tadpoles from our Zoo’s breeding program have been released to their native territory.The species is still classified as extinct in the wild due to the population being unable to successfully sustain themselves thus far due to ongoing challenges in their habitat.  

To read more stories from The Waterhole, or to keep up with the latest news, events, and behind the scenes happenings at the Zoo, sign up to receive e-newsletters: http://www.cmzoo.org/aboutZoo/pressBox/waterhole.asp.

Be “Beary” Aware During Outdoor Adventures!

Next weekend, Sat., Aug. 24 and Sun., Aug. 25, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will host our 25th Annual Teddy Bear Days event from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. During Teddy Bear Days, kids receive a special $5.25 admission price and can participate in our Teddy Bear Clinic. They can also watch demonstrations featuring our three bear species. One of the most popular demonstrations is located in Rocky Mountain Wild, where our grizzly bears, Emmett and Digger, teach guests a thing (or two) about camping with wildlife in mind!

Tips for Camping “Beary” Safely:

• Choose an open site away from dense vegetation, natural food areas, forest cover or natural pathways.
• Avoid messy sites and areas with signs of bears: torn-apart logs, tracks, trampled brush, scat, claw marks on trees.
• Secure all scented items by hanging at least 10 feet off the ground and 5 feet from the tree.
• Restrict all cooking, eating, cleaning activities and food storage to 100 feet downwind from tents.
• Do not sleep outside of your tent or with any "smellables" in your tent, including empty food wrappers.
• Never leave any food scraps or garbage out.
• Wash dishes and utensils immediately - dispose of waste water downwind, 100 feet from sleeping area.
• Always use a flashlight and extra caution when moving around at night.
• Store all food and odorous attractants (including garbage and cooking clothes) in sealed bags or in airtight canister.
• Bear-proof containers for campers are available through the Internet.

During Teddy Bear Days, our animal keepers also use the bear demos to talk about the important difference between encountering a grizzly bear verses a black bear in the wild. If you’re camping or hiking in Colorado, you’re likely going to be seeing black bears. The best thing to do if they become threatening is to stay big, keep your eye on the black bear, make lots of noise and, if they attack, fight back! If you encounter an aggressive grizzly bear, the best thing to do is lie down, cover your neck and do not be threatening to the grizzly at all. Animal keepers agree that whether you are hiking or camping in black bear or grizzly bear country, you should be prepared by carrying bear spray, bear bells and always be bear aware by keeping a watchful eye on your surroundings. 

Our bears can’t wait to see you at Teddy Bear Days next weekend to teach you a lot more about bear care, bear facts and bear safety, but in the meantime be “beary” safe!

Fact source: The American Bear Association

Save the lives of wild orangutans with the NEW Sustainable Palm Oil Shopping Guide App for smartphones!

You can save wild orangutans, and other endangered Asian animals affected by the palm oil crisis, by using your smartphone! This new FREE downloadable smartphone application lists more than 5,000 products whose manufacturers are certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Purchasing products from these companies saves orangutan habitat and lives.

"Palm oil is used to make items we consume every day like food and personal care products," Dina Bredahl, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Animal Care Manager and champion of the Zoo's palm oil awareness conservation program, said. "Purchasing products that are manufactured by RSPO member companies is the easiest thing we can do to help endangered wild orangutans." 

Palm oil comes from the fruit of the African oil palm. The majority of this edible vegetable oil is produced inBorneo and Sumatra. When harvested unsustainably it destroys critical rainforest habitat. 

One organization that seeks to implement global standards for sustainable palm oil is the RSPO. To achieve certification, members must meet stringent environmental and social criteria and protect native wildlife, like orangutans, elephants, tigers and rhinos.

In 2011, CheyenneMountain Zoo was the first zoo in the world to join the RSPO. Even before joining, the Zoo created a paper shopping guide that listed RSPO company members. The popularity of the shopping guide led the Zoo's palm oil team in the direction of creating the smartphone shopping guide application.

Make a difference for wild orangutans with three easy steps:

1. Shop smart! Boycotting palm oil is not the solution. Instead, download the NEW Palm Oil Shopping Guide Phone App, and buy products from companies that are members of the RSPO.
2. Speak out! If you don't see your favorite brand in the Palm Oil Shopping Guide, send the company an email to tell them how important sustainable palm oil is.
3. Spread the word! Check out Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's full Palm Oil Resource Kit, and share it with others.

Our Animals Have a Job to Do

They have feathers, fur, scales or shells but they all have one thing in common – they have a job to do, just like the keepers that care for them. Our Zoo’s hands-on animals are called outreach animals, and most of them live in The Loft.

“We have two types of outreach animals,” Jennifer Diaz, Education Interpretive Animal Keeper said. “They are either ‘working’ or ‘handling.’ Only one of our animals, Tiger Lily, the skunk, is both.”

Diaz explains that working animals demonstrate natural behaviors or learned skills. Marty McFly, an American kestrel, flies from one part of The Loft onto a glove. Remmy, an opossum, shows off his climbing skills by lifting himself onto a stump. Handling animals allow hundreds of Zoo guests to get up close and feel their exteriors. Snakes, tortoises and some really cool insects are the most common handling animals.

“All of our outreach animals are personable,“ Diaz said. “They are also animals that want to ‘work.’ We don’t use animals for outreach if it is stressful for them or if they are scared of the experience.”

They are usually well behaved. Lily likes to open the fridge and take out her own snacks, but for the most part the animals in The Loft follow the rules.  

“We use positive reinforcement to train our animals,” Diaz said. “If they don’t feel like training, they simply don’t get a delicious bug or piece of fruit. Most animals really enjoy training time because it means they get food that tastes the best to them.”

Not only do our outreach animals give guests memorable close-up experiences, they are teaching children the responsibility of caring for an animal. Diaz lets selected children help tear lettuce for the lizards, give water to the tortoises, spray down the amphibians or watch a snake eat a mouse.

“Our outreach animals have a very important job to do,” Diaz said. “They help guests get over their fears of species with scales (mostly snakes), put smiles on their faces, leave lasting memories and, most importantly, they help people fall in love with nature and value caring for it.” 

Greenback Cutthroat Trout Quarters for Conservation Program

Since 2008, your Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) votes at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have enabled the Zoo to donate more than half a million dollars for wildlife conservation programs around the world! Each year, one of the Q4C projects supports wildlife conservation efforts in or around Colorado Springs. This year’s local project, which started receiving votes from Zoo guests on May 1, is Rocky Mountain Field Institute’s (RMFI) efforts to protect native greenback cutthroat trout.

“We are so excited to be part of the Quarters for Conservation program,” Rebecca Jewett, Executive Director Rocky Mountain Field Institute, said. “Q4C is a great educational platform for our community to learn about our Colorado state fish and its plight.”

Rocky Mountain Field Institute started their greenback cutthroat campaign and on-site work on the  Bear Creek Watershed in 2009. The project started by placing V-shaped structures along the creek that collect sediment from the heavily used trails.

“The sediment catchers are doing their job,” Jewett said. “Now we need to do ours by taking the sediment they are catching and hauling it out of the park.”

Jewett explains that the sediment is collected in 40-pound sandbags that are carried on foot out of the park. The sandbags are then being used to protect houses in the Mountain Shadows neighborhood from potential flooding from the Waldo Canyon burn scar.

“I’ve been telling people, ‘Save a fish. Save a house’,” Jewett said. “We know carrying a 40-pound sandbag (or two) is back-breaking work, but it is vital to save the species.”

Officially, greenback cutthroat trout are listed as threatened on the IUCN Red list, butUS Fish and Wildlife Service is reevaluating the species to determine if their status should be changed to endangered.

“When greenback cutthroat trout were last counted, only 740 remained,” Jake Jachim, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Animal Keeper and staff champion of the project, said. “All 740 of them live in a four-mile section of Bear Creek.”

Jachim is not only the Zoo’s staff champion of the project, but an avid fisherman.

“The greenback cutthroat is an absolutely beautiful fish,” Jachim said. “They are green in the water with bright red gills, their sides are gold and their bellies are covered with trout spots.”

Jachim explains that he can describe many types of fish, and that as a fisherman, it’s important to know what you are catching and what the regulations are.

“If you are unsure of what you caught, let it go,” Jachim said. “Together we can protect the fish of Colorado.”

The Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to a hybrid species of greenback cutthroat trout in the grizzly bear pond so guests can get up-close and become educated about the species. The pond also has rainbow trout, but Jachim says to look for the bright red gills to identify the greenbacks.

“I hope the Zoo’s guests fall in love with the fish, and want to support the project,” Jewett said. “We know that fish may not be as ‘sexy’ as leopards, tigers, wolves or orangutans, but it is a unique species, and it’s right here in our back yard.”

To learn more about Quarters for Conservation at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and how you can support native greenback cutthroat trout, visit: http://cmzoo.org/conservation/quarters.

To read more stories from The Waterhole, or to keep up with the latest news, events, and behind the scenes happenings at the Zoo, sign up to receive e-newsletters: http://www.cmzoo.org/aboutZoo/pressBox/waterhole.asp.

Our Lynx Kittens are Starting to Explore

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo welcomed three lynx kittens on May 8, 2013. Now they are six weeks old, their eyes are open (a beautiful bright blue!), and they are starting to explore their indoor den and off-exhibit outdoor space. Lucky for our guests, their off-exhibit outdoor habitat can be viewed from the grizzly bear tower bridge. To catch a glimpse of the kittens, stop where the grizzly bridge starts to bend and look down on your left-hand side (towards the city). There you will see the lynx building and the outside space where mother, Migina (mah-jee’-nah), is raising her three wee ones.

Magina is an excellent mother. She keeps a very close watch on her kittens and anyone who approaches her den. Recently, animal keepers were able to take a brief video of the kittens playing in their off-exhibit space. At six weeks old, they are still very small and aren't large enough to enjoy the freedom provided in the large lynx exhibit. However, you can see the kittens’ father, Kajika (kah-jee’-kah) there. When the kittens are ready for the larger habitat, we will make an announcement. For now, keep reading our blog for updates about them.

"Like mother, like daughter" or "like father, like son"? Our porcupette is a….

“It’s a boy,” Kristen Cox, Rocky Mountain Wild Animal Keeper said. “To be honest, it’s still very hard to tell because he is still very young, but we are 85% sure that it’s a boy.”

Nale (nah’-lay) and Elan, our porcupines in Rocky Mountain Wild, became first-time parents on May 8, 2013. Their porcupette, or baby porcupine, was born weighing a little over a pound, and veterinary staff said to be patient about finding out the gender.  At one month old, their prickly addition has doubled in weight, and everyone is becoming more confident in calling the baby a boy.

Animal keepers add that he is taking after his dad.

“Elan loves to eat, and so does our new addition,” Kristen said. “He will continue to nurse from Nale for four months, but he is also eating solid foods. He eats carrots, leaves, twigs and yams. Out of everything he’s been offered, his favorite food is kale.”

Just like his dad and mom, the porcupette is becoming an expert climber.

“At the beginning of the week, we found him high up in a tree resting in Elan’s usual (and favorite) spot,” Kristen said. “Every day he gets more and more adventurous.”

Nale is an attentive but laid-back mom. She lets her baby explore where he wants to. She checks on him often and nurses him when he’s hungry, but he’s independent and curious – similar to how porcupines are in the wild.

“Porcupines are born with their quills,” Kristen said.  “They have a built-in defense system, so their mom doesn't have to worry about them too much.”

Animal keepers have started to hint at a name for our porcupette – once a decision is made, we will announce it! To meet our family of porcupines, visit Rocky Mountain Wild. If you don’t see the littlest one right away, make sure you look up, down and all around for our precocious porcupine.  

Jumbe’s Journey to his Outdoor Exhibit

The first time the doors to the elephant barn opened, the elephants practically ran outside. But when animal keepers opened the doors for our black rhino, Jumbe, they waited, and waited… and waited for him to appear. Finally, the tip of his rhino horn peeked out the door but quickly disappeared. Then a horn, a nose, his head – finally Jumbe was outside. Just as keepers started to get excited about seeing him exploring the new space, he ran swiftly inside and stayed there. 

It seems Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has a shy rhino.

For the last two months, animal keepers have been using positive reinforcement and target training to encourage Jumbe to go outside. His target is a stick with a yellow ball on the end, and every time he touches his nose to the end, he gets his favorite foods.

“We use apples, carrots, bananas and a little bit of bread to reward him,” Jason Bredahl, Animal Care Manager said. “He is food motivated and enjoys working with the keepers, but it doesn’t always outweigh the safety he feels indoors.”

The doors from Jumbe’s indoor space to his outdoor habitat are left open most of the day, so he has the option of being where he is content.

“We leave most of his food outside,” Bredahl explains. “He seems okay going outside to eat in the morning and to sniff around a bit, but he doesn’t feel comfortable staying outside, and that is the issue we are trying to overcome with him.”

Bredahl reports that Jumbe is making progress every day. Once he is at ease staying outside in the habitat next to the barn, they will start to train him to travel up the pathway (or “trek,” as it’s called at the Zoo) into his newly built outdoor rhino exhibit.

“Our guests keep inquiring why such a wonderful rhino yard doesn’t have a rhino wallowing in it,” Bredahl said. “We want Jumbe to enjoy being outside, so we are letting him acclimate at his own pace.”

Keepers have designed a sign that will mark how far Jumbe has journeyed into the outdoor yard every day. Follow his progress from the barn, to the side yard, into the trek… and eventually into the black rhino exhibit! We will keep our guests updated with photos and the number of feet he’s traveled on Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Facebook page and Twitter feed. Be sure to “Like” us at facebook.com/CMZoo, or “Follow” us at twitter.com/CheyenneMtnZoo to track his progress.

To read more stories from The Waterhole, or to keep up with the latest news, events, and behind the scenes happenings at the Zoo, sign up to receive e-newsletters: http://www.cmzoo.org/aboutZoo/pressBox/waterhole.asp

Get out your pens, mark your calendars, and join us for some fun!

When someone asks us “What are you up to at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo?” the answer is not a short one. We have so many exciting events in the near future, and we wanted to share a few of them with you. Get out your pens, mark your calendars, and join us for all the upcoming fun!

Bowling for Rhinos

Saturday, May 11, 2013
6 – 9 p.m.
RSVP: http://tinyurl.com/c2focp5

Is that rumble the charge of a huge rhinoceros…. or just bowling balls rolling towards pins? Join our zookeepers for a fun night of bowling, raffles and door prizes – and it’s all to help wild rhinos!

Bowling for Rhinos is an annual fundraising event held by AAZK (American Association of Zoo Keepers). This year’s bowl-a-thon will be held on Saturday, May 11 from 6 – 9 p.m. at King Pin Lanes, 3410 N. Academy Blvd., just south of N. Carefree Circle. 100% of event proceeds go toward wild rhino conservation in Africa and Indonesia. To date, our local AAZK chapter has raised over $31,000 for rhino conservation!

Run to the Shrine

Saturday, May 18, 2013

10K: 7:15 a.m.; 5K: 8:30 a.m.

RSVP: www.cmzoo.org/run

It’s just a hill… get OVER it! If you’ve ever looked up at the top of the Zoo and wondered what it would be like to journey by foot to Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun – don’t miss your opportunity! This year’s Run to the Shrine is May 18, 2013, and it is the only day of the year foot traffic is allowed on Shrine Road.

If you like to run, jog, hike or even casually stroll, register for the 10K or 5K course. Both courses traverse through the Zoo giving you glimpses of the giraffes, elephants and more! Your race registration fee include race-day admission to the Zoo, a commemorative 2013 Run to the Shrine rhino T-shirt, chip timing and a post-event celebration at the Lodge at Moose Lake. Make Run to the Shrine your “summer-kick-off” tradition while helping us keep the Zoo “running.”

Annual Plant Sale

Memorial Weekend (May 25-27)

9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Pre-Order now: http://tinyurl.com/dy6gmw5mw5

The days are getting warmer, and it seems everyone’s green thumbs are twitching! Some residents are concerned about this summer’s watering restrictions, so we’ve added even more water-wise and VERY water-wise annuals to our Annual Plant Sale offerings.  This Memorial Day weekend (May 25-27) from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m., you can browse and buy more than 250 varieties of grasses, perennials, herbs and more.

If you want first pick of the plants, our plant pre-sale is going on now. Customers that pre-order will be invited to a VIP First Pick Friday event. PRE-ORDER plants online NOW, or wait to shop the PLANT SALE in person! Either way, we hope you make it out for the Zoo’s greenest event!

Moonlight on the Mountain

Thursday, June 27, 2013

6 – 10 p.m.

RSVP: www.cmzoo.org/moonlight 

Our Zoo’s adult-only event, Moonlight on the Mountain, has been moved from its historical August date to June 27, 2013 in hopes of a storm-free evening! You’re in for a real treat this year (or several treats), as we’ve got a long list of local restaurants that will be severing some very delectable bites. Local breweries, wineries and spirit purveyors will have beverages aplenty.

Event admission includes special animal shows, live music throughout the Zoo and a headlining concert by Martini Shot. Advanced ticket price is $40.25; tickets purchased on event day will be $50.25 each. Help us feed the animals by feeding yourself at Moonlight on the Mountain!