Welcome Abuto!

Thanks to everyone who has come out this week to welcome our new male lion, Abuto. We thought you might like to know a bit more about our new star, so today’s blog is all about Abuto!

When he was born at the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, AZ on July 28, 2011, animal keepers didn’t know he was there. As they reported on their Facebook page, “It was several days after Kaya (his mother) gave birth that we finally got a good look into the cubbing den. The third cub, another male, was a total surprise to us!” Because of this, they gave him a special name, which means "hidden."

At 350 pounds, it’s hard NOT to notice him now.

Abuto is curious and laid-back. He enjoys all kinds of enrichment, toys and training. This week, during his 10:30 a.m. enrichment, guests have hooted, giggled and smiled with delight. Watching him pounce on a zebra-striped barrel, bat at a large made-for-a-lion ball suspended from the ceiling, and lick tasty lion treats off the inside of a hollow log, is captivating. During the enrichment demonstrations and keeper talks, many guests have asked how Abuto got to our Zoo.

He arrived on the Colorado mountainside in January. Staff members stood outside in the snow and waited for the “king.” An extended-sized van pulled up around 9 p.m.

They gathered around as the door opened. Inside, a steel crate filled the entire back of the vehicle . Looking at it, you’d never know that it contained a lion – until it roared. The van rocked slightly from side to side as Abuto moved around. The six staff members transferred the crate out of the van and into the building.

Abuto spent the next few months in the Zoo’s quarantine building getting comfortable with his animal keepers while the new Encounter Africa lion building was being finished. Just a few weeks ago, he was moved to the new space.

On Monday and Tuesday, our Zoo’s four lionesses will join Abuto. At first, a mesh barrier will allow them to have protected “howdy” time, and once comfortable, they will be allowed more free contact with each other.

All five lions are scheduled to be introduced to their new Encounter Africa outdoor exhibit for the first time on July 4. Until then, you can look for our lion pride in the indoor “day room” of their new building - Abuto is the handsome one with the growing mane.  

The Painting Pony

At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo we have many artists. Our elephants, penguins and orangutans find painting an enriching part of their day. There’s also a new artist that is turning a few heads - Jose, an eight-year-old Arabian horse.

A pony that can paint is quite a sight. His paintings are Picassoesque with a modern flare. He isn’t the first painting horse, but currently, he’s the only pony painting at the Zoo.

Sunny and Rockette were Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s first painting ponies. After their retirement from giving pony rides, they were adopted out to a loving home, leaving no painting ponies at the Zoo. Diana Cartier, pony animal keeper, wanted other ponies to follow in their hoof prints, so she chose a horse with an artistic side.  

During Jose’s first training session, Diana rewarded him for simply holding a paintbrush in his mouth. After that, he was rewarded for holding the paintbrush for five seconds at a time. Soon he was holding the brush in his mouth, moving his head and returning the brush to Diana, so she could load it with paint for him. In four weeks, he was painting like Picasso.

Using apples and carrots for incentives, Jose has learned to not only paint but to smile, wave with his feet and bow. When you ask him if he is a good boy, he nods his head yes. But ask him if he’s been bad, and he will shake his head no.

“I think a lot of people underestimate how smart our Zoo horses are,” Diana said. “Hopefully seeing a pony that can paint will impress our guests.”

Be sure to visit Jose at his “day job,” which is giving children pony rides near Lodge at Moose Lake. While there, you can also view or purchase his works of art. Guests who book a Pony Birthday Party through the Zoo’s Education Department may have the opportunity to paint with Jose!  For more information about Pony Birthday Parties, visit http://cmzoo.org/kidsFun/birthdays/.

Meet Our Volunteers - Matthew and Malachi Curtis

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo would not be able to run efficiently without volunteers that support our efforts. We utilize their talents and dedication in almost every department and animal area in the Zoo. Over the next few months we will be introducing some of these passionate people and their stories to you.

Matthew (left) and Maliachi (right) Curtis

Matthew and Malachi Curtis have been volunteering at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for two years. They have over 1,800 hours of service combined.  Within minutes of visiting with them it is apparent that, though soft spoken, they are extremely passionate about animals, volunteering and contributing their time.

“We’ve been volunteering for animal organizations for over 10 years,” Matthew said. “We started volunteering eight years ago in Charleston, South Carolina at a reptile rescue facility. Volunteering is a great learning experience, and it’s an important part of our lives.”

The brothers volunteer around the Zoo wherever they are needed. For events, they enjoy cheering on runners at Run to the Shrine, scooping ice cream at Teddy Bear Days and making vulture “vomit” (chocolate w/ nuts) at Vulture Awareness Day. Every Thursday and Friday morning, they work in the commissary sorting and weighing diets for our Zoo animals.

When asked what brought them to work in the commissary, Matthew spoke first. “I am legally blind,” Matthew said. “This gets me out of the house. Working in the commissary is quiet, peaceful and it’s a place I can focus on what I need to do without making mistakes. I can’t drive so Malachi has to drive me…”

Maliachi quickly chimes in, “I like to volunteer, too! I don’t just drive him.”

 “We love the Zoo,” Matthew said. “The staff is knowledgeable, friendly and professional. They take the time to work with you, and appreciate that we are here.”

Staff feels the same about them. “Matthew and Maliachi are fantastic guys,” Jamie Breitian, Commissary Manager said. “Honestly, I feel blessed to know them on a personal level. The Zoo is so fortunate to have them. They set the bar high for all other volunteers. They are the best.”