The Golden Years

Updates on a few of our Senior Animals

Just like humans, animals can have some health challenges as they get older. Muscles get stiff. Arthritis can set in. And, often times, blood pressure needs to be regulated. There are good days and some not-so-good days, too.

Thanks to regular check-ups, scientifically-designed diets, dental exams, exceptional care and good genetics, the Zoo’s animals tend to age very well and many live well past their median life expectancies. The quality of life of these animals is a priority, and they are all closely monitored and cared for.

Over the last several months, we’ve been honoring our senior animals by telling their stories in a Waterhole feature, “The Golden Years.” We will continue to tell their stories in the upcoming months, but we wanted to give an update on a few of our seniors who’ve recently had some changes to their heath.

Angie, African lion

Angie is the Zoo’s African lion matriarch. At 19 years old, she’s surpassed the median life expectancy of a captive lion by more than two years, and outlived her wild counterparts by five. She’s currently on a quality-of-life watch, which means keepers are monitoring seven key indicators, including healthy appetite, social interactions, moving normally and showing interest in her surroundings.

“Angie is still interacting socially with her daughter, Zwena, and is very interested in enrichment items, especially rolling in zebra poop,” Dina Bredahl, Animal Care Manager, said. “She recently discovered the outdoor exhibit’s cave. This is a sign that she continues to make progress with her comfort level in that space.”

Bredahl explained that these are all good indications that Angie’s quality of life is good, but a recent and brief decline in her health make her cautious about how long Angie may have.

“She stopped eating, was vomiting and seemed a bit unstable on her feet,” Bredahl said. “We called vet staff, and went through all of the quality of life indicators.”

The Zoo’s veterinarian team started special treatment on Angie immediately.

“Angie is currently in what we would consider hospice care,” Dr. Eric Klaphake, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Veterinarian, said. “She is currently taking a blood pressure management medication and an anti-inflammatory steroid.”

Her condition improved greatly in just a few days, but she will continue to be monitored by keeper staff.

“Angie participates in a number of husbandry training behaviors that are very beneficial for us to monitor her health,” Dr. Klaphake said. “They are able to draw blood from her tail, which helps us watch for kidney disease, and they weigh her regularly.” 

Klaphake said that just like an older domestic cat, geriatric lions frequently have kidney failure, but that they haven’t seen any signs of that in Angie.

“If she had a few bad days in a row and fluids and medication didn’t help, we’d have to make a very difficult decision.” Bredahl said. “In the meantime, we’re admittedly spoiling her with all her favorite meats – steak, pork and chicken. Her new favorite treat is whipped cream from a can, so we give her that, too.”

Animal keepers also let Angie decide where she wants to spend her time, which is frequently in the Lion Relaxation Room. You can pick out Angie by her lighter fur.

Wicket, Nile hippo

Wicket is the newest, but eldest, Nile hippo at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. She arrived at the Zoo in 2012. At 44 years old, she’s experiencing signs of old age including arthritis, cataracts, a few loose teeth and, most noticeably, skin abscesses. She, like Angie, is on a quality-of-life watch.

“Wicket hasn’t felt well a few days this month,” Roxanna Breitigan, Animal Care Manager, said. She’s been slow to shift out of the pool and seems stiff when moving around. She’s also had a few skin abscesses that have ruptured.”

Wicket’s age makes her prone to skin sores.  

 “We put glycerin on her every day to keep her skin hydrated,” April Allen, Lead Aquatics Keeper, said. “After that, we clean areas where she needs it with chlorhexidine, a type of soap, and then put on ointment to protect sensitive areas.”

The Zoo’s veterinarians also have Wicket on medications that help with her aging ailments, including antibiotics, an anti-inflammatory pain medication, and a medication called lubrisyn, which aids join health. Keepers help the veterinarian team monitor Wicket’s health by getting regular weight measurements on her and by taking photos of her so they can make sure her body condition isn’t changing. Despite aging issues, she has a good appetite and still enjoys getting her favorite foods – pineapple, wet alfalfa and popcorn. She also loves peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which is how keepers give her medication.

“We are giving Wicket the highest level of care, making her comfortable, and letting her decide where she wants to spend her day,” Breitigan said. “Lately, she’s been spending a lot of time in the outdoor pool or sleeping in the sun.”

You can see Wicket in Aquatics, where she alternates with our other two hippos between the outdoor and indoor exhibit.

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.

Black-footed Ferrets in the Centennial State

By: Steve Forrest, Defenders of Wildlife Blog 

Black-footed ferret, © Kylie Paul/Defenders of Wildlife

It’s been 33 years since the black-footed ferret did its Houdini act by reappearing on the high plains of Wyoming.  Only a few years earlier, it had been declared extinct in its southern range, and had not been seen in the wild for years anywhere. The ferret loss was due to the dramatic human-caused destruction of prairie dogs – its main food source – and prairie dog colonies. Then, in 1981, there it was again, its small head once again periscoping from prairie dog burrows near Meteetsee, Wyoming as it surveyed its dwindling habitat. Even the most jaded recognized this as a sign – a “do-over” rarely offered up by Mother Nature. That may be one reason for the passion that has followed this recovery effort. Collectively we’d fumbled the “last chance” once before and it wouldn’t say much about our commitment to conservation or our technical skills if we let the slinky-shaped ferret slip through our hands again given this reprieve. After many false starts, genuine recovery efforts started in the mid-1990s.

A reintroduced ferret scopes out its new home.

Ft. Belknap Ferret Release, © Russ Talmo

Last month, I attended the first-ever meeting of the Colorado black-footed ferret working group.  You might think it curious that Colorado biologists had not convened earlier to discuss the fate of the species in the state, since Colorado has been “ferret central” for decades.  Wellington, Colorado houses the federal captive breeding center where most of today’s ferrets are produced and trained for life in the wild.  The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs has likewise been producing ferrets for reintroduction for decades and is where the lead advisor of the group tasked with ensuring captive breeding success resides.  The Wellington center is also home to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Black-footed Ferret Recovery Coordinator, and the Regional office of the USFWS  is in Lakewood, where all things Endangered Species Act for most states within the range of the ferret are decided.  Thus, the path to recovery for the ferret has always been led through the state.

Ferret reintroduction was given a chance here many years ago, in the northwest corner of the state. Unfortunately this early ferret reintroduction effort failed – likely due to a lack of protection for prairie dogs (a primary food source for ferrets), both from unregulated shooting and from plague, which killed many prairie dogs.  In truth, not everyone in Colorado was gung-ho on ferret reintroduction.  Colorado legislators passed a bill several years ago that precluded ferrets (and other endangered species) from being reintroduced anywhere in the state without legislative approval, which hindered participation of state biologists in the ongoing ferret recovery program for years.

Black-footed ferret, © Jonathan Proctor/Defenders

Persistence paid off as the USFWS relentlessly chipped away at resistance to ferret restoration in Colorado. What broke the logjam in 2013 was a new program offered up by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in coordination with the USFWS that offered private landowners compensation for growing prairie dogs.  At the same time, a new statewide “Safe Harbor Agreement” between the USFWS and the state gave regulatory assurances that the presence of ferrets would not hinder existing activities like ranching or oil and gas development. Seeing an opportunity to turn their wildlife management challenge into a benefit, private landowners made it known that it might not be such a bad idea for some to get into the ferret-friendly ranching business.  And so a year ago, black-footed ferrets were released on private land.  The Walker Ranch near Pueblo, Colorado is the state’s first try with the new program.  Already, this year, demand is so high for the program that Defenders is supporting the NRCS and USFWS efforts to sort through the prospective new ferret-friendly landowners. We do this by supplying a contractor to collect data on prairie dog abundance that will help prioritize which landowners have the largest prairie dog colonies – and therefore the best chances of success for ferret reintroduction.

And so, amidst the glaze of donuts and the pots of coffee, Colorado’s biologists, those working for state, federal and nonprofit agencies, are at last sitting down to chart the future of the species in the state.  Speaking personally, the renewal and hope that accompanies restoration and reintroduction stands in sharp contrast with what most people in the room are faced with daily…the tally of disappearing habitat, lost opportunities, and impacts to wildlife from things great and small.  So the mood is jolly, a chance to get in on the ground floor of what we hope will be a new growth industry in Colorado…the comeback of the black-footed ferret and the grassland ecosystem it protects through its presence.

Steve Forrest is the Senior Rockies & Plains Representative for Defenders of Wildlife

Original article posted at: http://www.defendersblog.org/2014/06/black-footed-ferrets-centennial-state/

Meet Roxie!

Roxie, the Zoo’s 37-year-old western lowland gorilla, is the oldest gorilla in our troop of seven. She also just might be the coolest animal at the Zoo, according to Mandy Hester, Primate World Lead Keeper. 

Though she’s older and has had a few health issues, she still loves to play with the younger gorillas and her best gorilla buddy, 21-year-old Kwisha.

“Roxie and Kwisha love to play together,” Hester said. “When the two of them are separated from the rest of the troop for husbandry training, they giggle, grumble and wrestle with each other. It’s great to see them support each other, since they are the two that are the lowest in dominance.” 

Gorillas are always live in troops, or groups. Within each troop, there is a hierarchy based on dominance.  The silverback gorilla is always at the top of the social structure and each female has their place below the male.

“Roxie may be the lowest ranked gorilla, but she’s the nicest,” Hester said. “She gets along with everyone in the troop and is great with the kids. Dembe, our youngest gorilla, can frequently be seen relaxing or playing on Roxie’s belly.”

Roxie is also great at learning new husbandry behaviors. Throughout her life, she’s had a few health issues, including one non-working kidney and abdominal and groin abscesses. Hester was able to train Roxie to place her toes on the training mesh and lean way back so Hester could spray an antiseptic on her sores. Hester says the training has been invaluable for caring for them, but also it’s a great indication of just how smart Roxie is.

“She learns complex behaviors very quickly,” Hester said. “She seems to really enjoy her training time, and is always eager to work with keepers. Because of how quickly she learns, she’s taught me a lot about animal training, and I’m a better animal keeper because of her.”

Hester is currently training Roxie to voluntarily participate in heart ultrasounds. Roxie is asked to press her chest up to the training mesh, while Hester holds the ultrasound equipment to her heart for a short period of time.

“Since she’s higher in age, and we know that gorillas can have the same heart issues as older humans, we are attempting to proactively monitor her.” Hester said. “We are working with Rafiki on the same heart ultrasound training.”

Hester says she also loves what Roxie does after her session is over.

“After Roxie is done training, she stays and watches Kwisha’s training sessions,” Hester said. “It’s really amazing; she’s actually given Kwisha more confidence in her training and is a big comfort to her. She also occasionally gives extra encouragement and starts to clap during training.”

Roxie was never able to have offspring due to health issues in her younger years, but Hester says that she’s always been a natural caregiver to the gorilla kids, and that she’s an integral part of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo gorilla troop. 

World Giraffe Day - June 21

By: Andrea Bryant, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo  Giraffes/Lions Animal Keeper

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to one of the largest and most prolific giraffe herds in the country.  Our herd is currently comprised of 18 individuals with 198 giraffe calves born at the Zoo since the 1954.  With giraffes being such a common and successful zoo animal, wild giraffes must be doing well too, right?  Unfortunately the answer is no.  

Wild giraffe populations are declining due largely to human activities such as agricultural expansion, habitat loss, and poaching.  In 1999, there were an estimated 140,000 giraffes in Africa.  Today, fewer than 80,000 giraffes remain in the wild, a decline of more than 40% in just over a decade. 

Luckily, there is hope.  Field conservation organizations like the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF) are working to protect these amazing animals.  By collecting data on giraffe populations, locations, and behaviors, conservation initiatives can be enacted to help save giraffes. 

To help raise public awareness of the “silent crisis” wild giraffe populations are currently undergoing, GCF and zoos around the world are gearing up for the first ever World Giraffe Day on Saturday, June 21 – our zoo will celebrate the event from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in African Rift Valley.

Please join Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as we celebrate the longest-necked animal on the longest day of the year. At the event we will celebrate the gentle giants while learning what can be done to help save wild giraffes.  Activities for World Giraffe Day include: learning how reducing your carbon footprint, taking a pledge to save giraffes, testing your skills in identifying individual Cheyenne Mountain Zoo giraffes based on their spot patterns and participating in a giraffe parade. 

For more information, please visit:  http://www.cmzoo.org/docs/WorldGiraffeDay2014.pdf.

Strawberry Avocado Salsa

This week, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's chefs mixed up a recipe for strawberry-avocado salsa. This versatile salsa is a great topping for pork, burgers, sandwiches, pitas, crackers, bread and more!

Strawberry Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
• 1/4 cup finely chopped peeled avocado
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lime rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar

Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl; toss gently. Serve immediately.

Flight for the plight of vultures

When Jenyva Turner, Lead Animal Keeper in African Rift Valley, heard that there was an opportunity for her to travel to Africa to talk to the people of Botswana about vulture conservation, she knew she needed to go. Vultures have been her focus and a passion for several years. She was the champion of the Zoo’s Cape vulture Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) project from 2009-2013 and, with your quarter votes, raised $30,000 for vulture conservation!

Q4C funds were used to support VulPro, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that has identified an urgent need to protect threatened vulture species and create a partnership between the southern African countries of Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.  Vultures do not acknowledge international borders, flying between countries in search of food and roosting and nesting areas. Therefore, these countries need to work together to address several issues, especially poisonings, that are affecting their decline – this is how the “Flight for the Plight of Vultures” campaign was born.

With generous help from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s docents and support from the Zoo, Turner joined Kerri Wolter of VulPro in a week-long awareness campaign that traveled around Botswana, visiting the key communities of Kasane, Maun, Ghanzi, Gaborone, and spreading the word about the plight of vultures today.

“There are not many things that I prefer doing more than talking to people about vultures!” Turner said. “However, the audience that I faced in Botswana was vastly different from the guests I speak to in the U.S.”

Turner and Wolter spoke to members of the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks, Department of Tourism, local police, local safari guides, farmers, members of various NGO conservation organizations and her favorite group to speak with - school children.

“In all, we spoke with 400 people,” Turner said. “Our focus was to help people understand how important vultures are in our ecosystems and how they personally are benefited by the presence of vultures. We also talked a great deal about how we all need to help protect vultures, no matter where we live – Colorado or Africa.”

She reported that the feedback they received was mostly positive.

“There is still a lot of work that needs to be done to educate people all over the world,” Turner said. “We need to work together to find solutions for helping not just vultures, but all wildlife.” 

As Turner was leaving Africa, several people expressed a desire to serve on a task force to address issues that wildlife face, which made her hopeful about the future of African vultures. “I have been asked to return to Botswana by Birdlife Botswana to continue visiting schools and talking with children and educating the next generation of responsible stewards of our earth,” Turner said. “I would also like to continue developing the Zoo’s partnership with VulPro to expand our educational reach in South Africa. After all - together we can make a difference!” 

Recipe for Kuchen, a German Dessert Cake

If you are in need of a dessert recipe for tomorrow’s Easter dinner, look no further! Our chefs at Grizzly Grill assure us their recipe for Kuchen, a German cake, is a crowd pleaser. Check out the Zoo’s blog for all the details.

Kuchen

Topping Ingredients:
1 pt. half and half
3 T flour or cornstarch 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cultured sour cream

Topping Directions:

Mix together half and half, flour, sugar and cook until thick
Remove from heat and fold in 1 cup sour cream
Let stand [about 2 hours] until Kuchen comes out of oven

Dough Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups milk 1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening 2 T dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water 2 eggs
7 to 7-1/2 cups flour
2 cups fruit* [apples, prunes, cherries] or use 1 can pie filling 

Dough Directions:
Heat milk, sugar, salt, and shortening until milk is lukewarm
Dissolve yeast in warm water
In separate bowl, beat eggs with fork
Add the yeast mixture to the eggs. Then add milk mixture
Add 1/2 flour and mix with spoon
Gradually add remaining flour mixing and then kneading in flour
Let rise until double about 1 to 1-1/2 hours
Pat dough in bottom of 9” x 13” x 2” cake pan

After Topping and Dough is Made:
Place cooked fruit on top of raw dough
Let rise until double in size
Bake in 350 oven for 20 to 30 minutes – Will be lightly browned and inserted knife comes out clean
Spread the prepared topping on Kuchen as soon as it is removed from oven
Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon

Keep leftovers refrigerated!

Giraffe Head Band

We all know that a giraffe’s neck is super long, but did you know they have the same number of neck bones as we do? Your child’s neck may be short, but it’s still fun to pretend it’s a bit longer with our giraffe head band and activity! 

Materials

• Ear and Ossicone (horn) template
• Yellow construction paper for head band
• Glue and stapler
• Crayons

Procedure

1. Cut and color ear and ossicones from the template.
2. Cut two stripes of yellow construction paper (long ways) and staple together to fit around head.
3. Glue ears and ossicones to the headband.
4. Add spots as a final touch

Paradise Cookie

Weekends often mean extra time for cooking and baking! Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s chefs will cure your weekend sweet tooth with their recipe for Paradise Cookies. This sweet and citrusy cookie makes a great desert after a springtime BBQ. If you don’t feel like baking at home, stop by the Grizzly Grill and enjoy one of our many homemade dessert offerings.

Paradise Cookie

Ingredients:

2 Cups Butter

3 Cups Sugar

1 Cup Orange Juice

Juice from 1 Lemon

3 eggs

7 Cups Flour

3 Cups Coconut

1/2 tsp Salt

1 Tblsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

Zest of 1 Orange

Zest of 1 Lemon

Directions:

*Cream Butter and Sugar.  Add Orange Juice, Lemon Juice, eggs, and zests of orange and lemon.  Blend Well.

*Add in Coconut

*Mix in separate bowl all dry ingredients and then add to wet mixture.  Mix well.

*Make into Balls and then roll in shredded coconut.  

*Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 Minutes. 

Tocho Fully Recovers from Leg Surgery

Tocho, one of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's 8-year-old mountain lions, has recovered from a cruciate ligament surgery and is now enjoying his main yard with his siblings. Tocho received a five-hour surgery on his rear right leg the day after Christmas and has since been resting in his indoor den while his leg healed. A follow-up exam by veterinarians confirmed the surgery was a success.

“Once we got word that Tocho had a clean bill of health, we couldn't wait to give him access to his main yard,” Rebecca Zwicker, Rocky Mountain Wild animal keeper, said. “It was a sunny day, the snow was melting and it was the perfect day to be outside. “

When Zwicker opened the den door, she expected Tocho to run outside, but he just looked at her.

“It took him a few minutes, but he eventually poked his head out,” Zwicker said. “Once he was outside, he began exploring and taking it all in.”

After taking time to smell everything and use a log for a scratching post, Tocho settled in with his two brothers, Yuma and Motega, and sister, Kaya, for a morning nap in the sun.

“I feel so incredibly lucky to get to work with Tocho and work at a Zoo where an accident-prone cougar can get amazing medical care,” Zwicker said. “He’s received not one, but two complex surgeries to heal his back right leg.”  

The day after Christmas, 13 medical professionals from Colorado State University’s James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Colorado Academy of Veterinary Technology and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo performed a five-hour surgery on Tocho to repair his cruciate ligament and replace two bone plates that were previously used to repair a broken leg. Everyone was optimistic and hopeful about the outcome, but only time would tell if it was a complete success.

“During the follow-up examination, he had great range of motion, and we were really happy with how much the leg had healed,” Dr. Liza Dadone, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo veterinarian, said. “We don’t have any concerns about taking him off den rest, and we are ecstatic that he can once again leap around the outdoor exhibit.”

You can see Tocho in the Zoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit; he is very identifiable because the fur that was shaved for surgery on his right back leg has not fully grown in yet.

We extend a sincere thanks to the team that assisted with Tocho’s successful 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 veterinary technician DeeAnn Wilfong, and veterinary technician Harley Thompson. The two bone plates were donated by DePuy Synthes

To see additional photos of him enjoying the main yard, visit: http://bit.ly/1lBfwvJ.

To read the original story about Tocho, visit: http://tinyurl.com/pwb2pnu.

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Strawberry Jalapeno Jam Recipe

This week Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's chefs have mixed up a recipe for strawberry-jalapeno jam. This versatile spread can go on burgers, sandwiches, pitas, crackers, bread and more!

• 5 cups strawberries 
• 1 cup jalapenos  
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup white vinegar
• 1 TBSP cilantro  
• 1 TBSP salt
• 1 TBSP red pepper flakes

1. Dice strawberries, jalapenos and cilantro.
2. Add vinegar, strawberries, cilantro and jalapenos into a pot and bring to a boil.
3. Add salt and red pepper flakes and stir.
4.  Lower heat and simmer until thickened, while stirring frequently.

Yields approximately four cups.

Q4C Spotlight – Amur Leopard & Tiger Alliance (ALTA)

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation (Q4C) program is helping to save Amur leopards and tigers in Far East Russia by supporting the Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA). Staff members Rachel Downing and Catrena Voci are champions of the ALTA Q4C project, and they are excited about the progress the group has made this year. 

Due to poaching and loss of their forest home, Amur tigers and leopards are two of the most critically endangered cat species. Funds given to ALTA are providing hope for the potential release of captive-bred leopards into the wild. ALTA also works to educate native people on the importance of saving Amur tigers in the region.

“When you look at the numbers of Amur leopards left in the wild, which is less than 40, and Amur tigers, which is less than 400, the numbers are scary and alarming, but it’s not hopeless,” Downing, Conservation Highlands Animal Keeper, said. “Great things are happening and great people are working on a solution. We are proud to be a part of the conservation work that is taking place.”

This year, ALTA’s Q4C funds will assist in building a research laboratory located in a future Amur leopard release area. Specifically, Downing and Voci are working towards raising enough money to buy a portable anesthesia machine for the research lab.

“A portable anesthesia machine would allow field researchers to anesthetize, take blood samples, and monitor the health of future released cats on the ground,” Voci, Conservation Highlands Animal Keeper, said. “In the past, researchers have had to wait for months to get lab results.  The portable machine and research lab would provide them with real-time, on-the-spot information.”

Voci and Downing explained that in addition to poaching and loss of their habitat, Amur leopards and tigers are also suffering from canine distemper, which is more prevalent due to the lack of vaccination of dogs in the region. The new research lab and equipment would help track and monitor canine distemper in leopards and tigers, too.

Q4C money from previous years funded a field team that tracked poachers and helped to educate locals about the issues that Amur leopards and tigers are facing. The funds also helped field teams promote the co-existence of people and animals by reimbursing farmers for livestock killed by big cats. Additionally, they used Q4C dollars to purchase a field vehicle. The vehicle has allowed ALTA to place camera traps in areas not originally available to them, as well as expand their educational outreach programs.

“Education is a key component of conservation,” Downing said. “ALTA is working hard in Russia to get people involved and excited to save our big cats, and we are doing the same at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.”  

Downing and Voci enjoy talking about the Zoo’s Amur tiger and leopard species ambassadors with guests, and have hope that someday ALTA will report that a captive-bred decedent from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will actually be released in Russia.

“The hope is that someday, in the near future, ALTA will be able to pull Amur leopards from zoos for wild release,” Voci said. “It’s amazing to think that we could play a role in those efforts, too.”

To learn more about Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s ALTA Q4C project, or to make a contribution, visit: www.cmzoo.org/conservation. 

Mexican Wolf Wild Population Numbers Up

According to the 2013 Mexican grey wolf population survey, there are 83 Mexican wolves living wild in Arizona and New Mexico – this is a 10% population increase from 2012! The population increase is an important milestone for the threatened species, and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is excited to be part of the team working to further their reintroduction. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service along with Arizona Game and Fish reported the findings in the following press release:

2013 MEXICAN WOLF POPULATION SURVEY COMPLETE

NUMBERS UP FROM 2012

During its annual year-end population survey, the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) counted a minimum of 83 Mexican wolves in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2013.  This number demonstrates a 10% increase in the known population of Mexican wolves in the wild compared to the 2012 minimum population count of 75 wolves. 

 “With a minimum of 83 wolves in the wild, the Mexican wolf population has nearly doubled in the past four years,” said Benjamin Tuggle, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Southwest Regional Director.  “I’m proud of the remarkable progress that the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program and its partners have achieved in bringing the Mexican wolf back from the brink of extinction.”

Tuggle noted that all the wolves currently within the recovery area are wild born, which indicates progress toward establishing a wild population from a captive breeding program that started with only 7 wolves.  He further noted that future releases of Mexican wolves from captivity will be necessary to address genetic issues within the wild population.  Tuggle credited the progress in expanding the wild population to the collaborative efforts between the Service and its partners in Mexican wolf recovery – the Arizona Game and Fish Department, White Mountain Apache Tribe, USDA Forest Service and USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Wildlife Services, and several participating counties..  

“The continued growth of the Mexican wolf population demonstrates that our management actions and efforts to work with stakeholders are having a positive impact on the species. This is the third year of a greater than 10 percent increase in the wolf population, a success that is directly related to our science-based, on-the-ground management,’ said Arizona Game and Fish Department Director Larry Voyles. “Equally important to the population’s growth is the fact that now 100 percent of the Mexican wolves in Arizona and New Mexico are wild-born, which is a factor that we have always considered an important milestone along the way to recovery.”

The results of the surveys reflect the end-of-year minimum population for 2013.  Results come from population data collected on the ground by the IFT from November through December of 2013, as well as data collected from an aerial survey conducted in January 2014.  This number is considered a minimum number of Mexican wolves known to exist in the Blue Range Wolf Recovery Area, as other non-collared wolves may be present in the recovery area, but were not located during the survey period.

The aerial survey was conducted by a fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter.  Biologists used radio-telemetry and actual sightings of wolves to help determine the count.  The results from the aerial survey, coupled with the ground survey conducted by the IFT, confirmed that there are a minimum of 46 wolves in New Mexico and 37 wolves in Arizona.  The survey indicated that at least 7 of the 15 known packs produced pups with 5 of these pairs meeting the federal definition of a breeding pair at year’s end.

Pups born in the summer must survive to December 31 to be counted as part of the Mexican wolf population. The 2013 minimum population count includes 17 wild-born pups that survived through the end of the year.  This is also considered a minimum known number since it might not reflect pups surviving but not documented. This marks the twelfth consecutive year in which wild born wolves bred and raised pups in the wild.

For more information on the Mexican Wolf Reintroduction Program, visit www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf/ or www.azgfd.gov/wolf .

How to Train a Sloth

Training a sloth takes patience.

For nearly two hours, Rick Hester, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo animal keeper, stood on a ladder waiting for Chalupa, a 13-year-old Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, to wake up from a nap and continue a training session with him. He could have gently woke her up, but it was important to him to make the training session her choice.

Hester is using positive reinforcement to train Chalupa to travel on ropes that lead out of her enclosure and around ropes secured overhead in Monkey Pavilion.

“Positive reinforcement training is about giving animals the choice to do what they want and giving them all the power,” Hester said. “If I would have woken her up, it may have been negative for her, and that is the last thing you want when training an animal. If it’s negative, they won’t want to have a session with you.”

Hester said he knows in future training sessions he might end up waiting for Chalupa for three hours, four hours or even longer. Sloths are at rest for 20 to 22 hours a day and, since their metabolism is 40% slower than other mammals their size, sometimes sleep is more important than the food rewards that Hester gives Chalupa during their training sessions. Her favorite foods are green beans, grapes and hardboiled eggs.

“When I first started training her, she would be rewarded for just opening her eyes and looking at me when I said her name,” Hester said. “Then we built upon that. I would put my finger in front of her and when she moved toward it, she would be rewarded. After two weeks she was targeting and doing laps on the rope around her exhibit.”

After a few weeks of practicing in the enclosure, they opened up the door on the exhibit and had Chalupa travel on the ropes around the Monkey Pavilion. Eventually, the Zoo hopes to create an outdoor sloth area, and Chalupa’s training sessions with Hester with have her traveling from her indoor exhibit across the ceiling and to the outdoors!

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.

Fiesta Corn Bread

Are you looking for a party-perfect appetizer for your weekend get-together?  The chefs at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Grizzly Grill have you covered with this delicious fiesta corn bread recipe. 

Fiesta Corn Bread

-  1 ¼ cup of masa harina

-  2 TBLS of baking powder

-  ¾ cup of frozen corn

-  ½ cup of pickled jalapenos

-  ½ cup of roasted red pepper

-  shredded cheese (optional)

1) Place corn, jalapenos & red pepper in a food processer and pulse until blended. Set aside.

2) In a large bowl, mix milk, butter and eggs.

3) Mix in Masa Harina, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt

4) Add corn mixture from step 1.

5) Pour into pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

6) Sprinkle with shredded cheese (optional) and allow to cool. 

Our trained chefs can make your next company gathering a palate-pleasing experience you’ll never forget.  To book your next corporate event at the Zoo, visit http://cmzoo.org/guestInformation/meetingsRentals/.

Traveling to Indonesia: Part Two

We are now well rested and caught up from being gone for over two weeks, but we wanted to share a few highlights from the rest of our November Indonesia trip.

Dina planting a tree at OIC.

Our first stop during this portion of the trip was near Besitang.  We visited an area that once was clear cut for palm oil trees and has since been reclaimed for reforestation. The reforestation site has changed greatly since we last saw it two years ago; it has been mostly left alone to grow, and the trees are getting tall!  Due to the success of this site, reforestation efforts have now grown and moved to nearby areas. The project is run by an organization called OIC (Orangutan Information Centre).  OIC staff has reported seeing elephants and orangutans using the reforested area, which is a true sign of success for this project.

Tracey planting a tree at OIC. 

We were lucky that the timing of our visit to the reforestation site allowed us to see drone technology being used to help monitor deforestation. Researchers are programming drones (Styrofoam airplanes that are about four feet long) with GPS, grid routes, and cameras built in to map and monitor forest areas. They are also using the drones to count orangutan nests (to gather population data) and check for forest encroachment, deforestation and fires. We were able to watch drones take off and talk with the researchers involved with the drone project, which was very educational.  Learn more about conservation drones at http://conservationdrones.org/our-story/.

Drone plane about to take off. 

Our next destination was Bukit Lawang. There we saw five wild Sumatran orangutans – two mothers, two older offspring and one baby. The most exciting sighting was spotting a mother, – who we’ve been able to observe on two previous trips to Sumatra. Her daughter, Catherine, was also with her. This area –Bukit Lawang –is very important because it is the most successful ecotourism area involving the Gunung Leuser National Park.  Unfortunately there has been encroachment in many other areas of the park, but there has been almost no encroachment of the original park boundaries near Bukit Lawang.  This is most likely because the local people have economic incentive to keep the forest and ecosystem intact.

Jantho

The highlight of our trip to Indonesia, and our next stop, was a visit to an orangutan reintroduction site in Jantho, north Aceh which was established by SOCP (Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme).  Many of the orangutans that are released at Jantho had lost their homes due to deforestation and non-sustainable palm oil production.  After spending time in a quarantine and rehabilitation center the healthy orangutans are released at sites like Jantho.  The project’s base camp was in a very remote area, so it was about a 1.5 hour 4-wheel drive adventure just getting there.  On a forest hike at the release site, we saw two juvenile orangutans very high up in a tree and were glad to see that they had no interest in coming down to see us.  This was living proof that they are thriving and are not reliant on humans.  We also saw a variety of other wildlife around camp such as wild pigs, long-tailed macaques, a family of four white-handed gibbons, fruit bats and hornbills flying overhead, and Sumatran tiger tracks! 

Sumatran tiger foot print in Jantho.

Upon returning to Medan, Indonesia, we were able to tour the location where a really exciting conservation project will be created in the next several years: Orangutan Haven.  Not only will it provide a more natural home for non-releasable orangutans, but it will also be a wonderful place for Indonesians to make a connection with these critically endangered great apes and hopefully inspire them to take action to save them.  To learn more, go to  http://www.earth4orangutans.com/e4o/index.htm.

On the last day of our trip we met with a sustainability specialist from a palm oil company that is very involved with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). We talked about the reforestation and sustainability practices of the large company he works for, and the logistics of being on an RSPO task force.  We hope to get more involved in the RSPO by joining a working group or task force.

Harvesting fruit bunches.

During our journey we accomplished several of our goals – voting at the RSPO General Assembly which included a very important resolution on requiring palm oil growers to map their plantations boundaries. This resolution, which was passed, is very important because it keeps RSPO grower members accountable for activities that happen on their land and ensures they are not expanding beyond their property boundaries. (i.e. National forest).  We were able to discuss important sustainability topics with other Zoos and environmental conservation organizations as well as representatives from the palm oil industry from various points along the supply chain. We visited reforestation sites, saw wild orangutans and furthered our knowledge of certified and non-certified palm oil plantations. Upon returning to Colorado, we are continuing our mission to inform Zoo guests about the importance of supporting RSPO plantations, companies and manufacturers by purchasing their products. To download the sustainable palm oil Smartphone application, or to learn more about the palm oil crisis, visit www.cmzoo.org/palmoil.