“What is Boudreaux?”

 

I have been quite the secret at the zoo for the past week and I have caused quite a stir on Facebook. “What is Boudreaux?” they asked. Well, I’ll tell you what I am; I’m a Komodo dragon who is finally getting the opportunity to introduce himself to new zoo friends here in Colorado Springs.

Zoo – Please tell the world what your name means.

Boudreaux - My name is Boudreaux, a surname of French origin and a common name among Cajuns. No, I’m not Cajun; I’m from Oklahoma City, where I resided at the zoo. I’m actually just visiting for a couple of years and will return to the Oklahoma City Zoo when my new exhibit is complete.

Zoo – Can you please let us know more about where you are actually from?

Boudreaux - I, along with all of my relatives, am found on the island of Komodo and three nearby islands in Indonesia. If you’re wondering where these islands are located, they are in the lesser Sunda, halfway along the Indonesia archipelago, east of Bali and west of Timor.  We’ve inhabited this landscape for over a million years but have only been known to humans for the past 100 years.

Zoo – How can that be?

Boudreaux - You’re probably wondering how something like me can go unseen for a long period of time.  These islands only have small human populations. I like to think we pretty much rule the roost! Sorry, that was a chicken saying, not a Komodo saying.

Zoo – You are such a character! Well, Boudreaux, you look amazing. Can you tell us a little bit about your physique? For the people who haven’t seen you, of course.

Boudreaux - For those of you who haven’t come to see me yet, I’m 89 pounds and very handsome. Komodo dragons can actually reach up to 330 pounds and 10 feet long. We are considered to be the largest living species of lizard. Even though we can get very large in size, we are very physically fit and can run up to 11 miles per hour in short bursts, considered to be strong swimmers and can dive up to 15 feet at a time. Of course, the 11 miles per hour is really nothing compared to my new roommates, the hippos, who can run up to 30 miles per hour for short distances.

Zoo – Wow! I’m glad you’ve gotten to chat with your new roommates.

Boudreaux – It has felt like a blind date behind all of this paper. I haven’t gotten to see them but, I hear them chatting, even though a Komodo’s hearing isn’t the best. We have pretty good vision and are able to see up to 980 feet, but we have horrible night vision due to our retinas. Our best sense is our smell; not through our nose but through our forked tongues. We can smell up to six miles away when the wind blows just right.  

 

Zoo – So far how do you feel about your new keepers? Are you getting fed enough?

Boudreaux – I really love the keepers; they are doing a great job! You know, even though I’m only 89 pounds, I do have a very manly appetite. I’m fed a diet of five or more whole rats once a week, with a rabbit thrown in every once in awhile. I guess my neighbor, Shiva the python, will have to learn to share.  Rats are delicious, but are not our only food source. On the islands, we are considered the dominant predator and will eat anything, including carrion, deer, pigs, smaller dragons, and even large water buffalo, which can be up to 15 times our size.  If our prey does escape, they are still in dire straights. Our saliva contains 50 strains of bacteria and will eventually kill them within 24 hours. I’m a patient man and will follow the escapee up to six miles to eat my kill. Some of my relatives have been known to eat 80% of their body weight in a single feeding.  After I’m full, I love to lay out in the sun to help the digestion process and of course get a little vitamin D on these scales.

Zoo – Huh, well it’s probably a great time to wrap things up.

Boudreaux - No worries about all of these negative attributes; I’m a laid back Komodo that loves massages on a regular basis and plenty of human interaction.

Horses, Miniature Horses and Ponies, Oh My!!!

There is only one species of domestic horse, but there are over 300 different breeds. Domestic horses reach full adult development by the age of five and live an average of 25 to 30 years.  A female horse is referred to as a filly or a mare and a male horse is referred to as a stallion or a gelding, but all horses less than a year old are called foals. A horse’s height is measured at the highest point of the withers, where the neck meets the back. It’s expressed as the number of full hands (one hand is equal to four inches), followed by a decimal point, then the number of additional inches and the abbreviation "hh” for hands high. For example, a horse described as 15.2hh is 15 hands (60 inches) plus two inches, or a total of 62 inches.

While they are the same species, horses and ponies are not the same. An animal 14.2hh or more is usually considered a horse and less than 14.2hh a pony. Throw in the fact miniature ponies only grow to 30 inches and you can see there’s a huge difference between breeds. Other differences between a horse and pony include aspects of appearance, such as conformation and temperament. Ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails, and overall coat. They also have shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, shorter and thicker necks, and short heads with broad foreheads. They may be calmer than horses and have a high level of equine intelligence.

Meet Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Herd

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to a herd of four ponies, three horses and two miniature horses.  They are part of numerous zoo programs, from summer camps to pony camps to zoo outreach. They even help raise money for the zoo through their art. Yes, our ponies can paint and their work is for sale. Call us at 719.633.9925 for more information. 

"Sunny" is a 14-year-old Shetland pony and miniature horse mix. His favorite treat is apple slices with honey drizzled on top. Sunny loves painting pictures and trying to get paint on his keepers. He enjoys interacting with zoo guests and has a laid back personality.

"Scout" is a 13-year-old Paint Arabian horse mix at a pony’s height - only 14.1hh. His favorite snack is apple wafer treats and he loves to be a part of pony camp for the younger campers. He is best known around the zoo for his bowing behavior.

"Jose" is seven years old and the youngest. He is a Polish Arabian horse standing 15hh, the tallest in the herd. His favorite behaviors are waving and smiling and he loves to chase “Sunny” around the yard. Jose has a very sweet and charming demeanor.

"Indigo" is a 13-year-old Fell pony. She is very smart, has an outgoing personality and loves training time if treats are involved, especially carrots. Her favorite behavior is picking up a muck rake and handing it to her keepers. We think she does this so she doesn’t have pick up her own manure. Indigo is currently up for adoption.

"Rockette" is a 15-year-old Welsh Shetland pony mix, the oldest pony in our herd. She loves attention and always has to know what is going on. She pokes her head over the tack shed barn door for extra treats and attention.

"Billy" is an eight-year-old Appaloosa mix. He loves giving his keepers kisses and is the clown of the herd; he is always playing with toys, feeders and buckets. Billy loves little kids’ shoes, especially the light-up kind. His favorite activity is knocking the grain out of a swing bucket.

"Ranger" is a 13-year-old Welsh pony and he’s missing his right eye because of an injury when he was young. He is shy, but loves playing hide and seek and tag with his keepers. He lets kids walk him back and forth from the barn during camp.

"Concho" is one of two new miniature horses. He is five years old and has a special coloring called silver dapple, which is a grayish-brown color with small circles of lighter color. His mane and tail are both flaxen, or blonde. He loves to follow keepers around the yard and is in pony training for summer 2012.

"Tito," the other new miniature horse, is four years old. He is the smallest in the herd and quite shy. Tito’s favorite treat is grain. He is also in pony training for summer 2012.

The next time you are at the zoo, visit our entire herd in the pony corral next to Lodge at Moose Lake. Rides are only $5.00 each; or you can purchase a frequent rider card of five rides for $20.00. 

A Token of Appreciation

Colorado Springs is home to three Air Force bases, the United States Air Force Academy and one Army base.  As part of a community with such a rich military history, we want to show those who sacrifice so much how grateful we are.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is open 365 days a year and on each of those days, we offer a military discount on zoo admission with military ID. In addition, for families and individuals calling Colorado Springs home, we offer a $10.00 discount on any new or renewed membership at any level. To make it even easier to experience the zoo, once a year we celebrate Military Appreciation Week. Don’t miss this year’s Military Appreciation Week taking place September 12-18, 2011. We’re extending a $5.25 admission price to all active duty/retired military personnel and their families.

Beyond the military discounts, we are honored to be one of the hosts for Operation: Military Kids overnight events.  These overnights are for children of families with loved ones currently serving overseas, preparing for deployment of a family member or celebrating a family member’s return. It can be trying on not just the soldiers who are fighting, but for their children, too. This past year, we welcomed over 220 kids for an exciting evening at the zoo, including special animal demonstrations, flashlight tours and delicious meals.  

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is thankful for all our military men and women do for our country. We hope the zoo gives them the opportunity to gather as a family and spend some quality time together while experiencing the natural world. Thank you for your service!