Your ARV Questions Answered

Friday Cooking Demo - Pineapple Ceviche

Ingredients

• 1/8 cup tequila
• 2 cups chopped cooked shrimp meat
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced, to taste
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Cumin & paprika to taste

Directions

1. Stir the shrimp, bell pepper, pineapple, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, tequila, salt, spices and pepper together in a glass or ceramic mixing bowl until evenly combined.
2. Cover, and refrigerate 1 hour before serving. 

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers.

The Secret Garden

Finding extra space for growth and new structural additions can be a challenge at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Sometimes that darn mountain gets in the way! The CMZoo’s culinary team took this particular challenge on and designed a unique enhancement to their cooking operation. Without leaving the foot print of the Grizzly Grill, a rooftop garden was created. Through partnerships with Pikes Peak Urban Garden, Ace Hardware, Soil Menders, and Smart Pot Tree Bags, the garden has really made a big impact. Items growing in the garden range from beans, to squash, to lettuce, to fresh herbs, and edible flowers. The staff will be using as much of this produce as possible in the zoo’s restaurants. Garden salads, garden pizzas, and various specials that incorporate the sustainable produce will be featured at the Grill.

Much of this produce can be grown at home and the chefs are happy to answer any questions you may have. Expect the produce to start showing up around the zoo in the middle of June.

Look for recipes from the Chefs coming soon.

Zoo LOVE is in the Air!

 

Thank You James Bugea & Marissa Young

James Bugea
Jim is a dedicated volunteer that helps our Pony Wranglers as well as our Australian exhibit.  He is a fan of our feather friends – the budgie birds – and does a great job of helping out the keepers with their care.  Thank YOU Jim for lending a hand and helping support the Zoo!

-  Megan Hudak – Volunteer Services Manager

What’s your favorite part of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo? 

My favorite animal at the zoo are the wolves. My favorite area is Australia (matte!)

How long have you been a volunteer?

I have been volunteering at the Zoo for just over a year. 

What are some of the activities that you’ve gotten to help with? 

One of my favorite activities I was involved in was when Thea and Nichole were weighing the wallabies. That was fun and exciting to see how Thea was catching the wallabies by the tails! She was good at it. Then at the Big Backyard, it was also weigh day for the turkeys. Jeanne tried to catch a turkey and the turkey flapped her big wings and it slapped Jeanne across her face with a loud slap. Jeanne didn't think that was so funny at the time! Nichole & I took the goats out for a walk one day and that was cool. So I have enjoyed being entertained for over a year at your Zoo. Thanks for the memories!

Marissa Young

It’s great to have Marissa on the Zoo’s volunteer team!  We know we can always count on Marissa to do her best in Aquatics.  She has such a positive attitude and I enjoy seeing Marissa every week.  Thank YOU Marissa for being an awesome volunteer! 

- Megan Hudak – Volunteer Services Manager

Favorite zoo animal:

I think it's really amazing that the zoo has a snow leopard. Considering it was only within the last decade that we were able to get them on film (Planet Earth series) because they are so elusive, it is pretty cool that we can see one in person! 

How long have you been a volunteer?

I've volunteered at the zoo for about a year now.

What are some of the activities that you’ve gotten to help with? 

Feeding the hippos is always fun. It's cool to see them smash a melon in their mouth so easily. Feeding the penguins is also a lot of fun. They are all such characters and it's always fun to see what is going on in "penguin world", it's usually such a soap opera with that bunch. I mostly help with the hippos, beavers, penguins, and sometimes the cranes each week.   

 Do you have any funny/good stories about your volunteering experiences? 

One time I was cleaning out the beaver exhibit and letting Ginger and Duncan roam around in the little back area. As usual, Duncan was content to sleep the entire time, but Ginger was up and checking things out. They had a bunch of tree branches to munch on that were ready to be cleared out, so I moved them out of their exhibit to make room for the new tree branches to be put in. This was not ok with Ginger, though. Every time I moved something out, she would go and bring it back into the exhibit. She got her way and had a huge mixture of old and new branches to munch on for the day!

Just the other day, I got to watch the hippos play in the snow. I didn't think that hippos would like the snow, but they loved it! Their favorite thing was to eat the snow. They were very funny, walking around and scooping up piles of snow just like snow plows!

Meet Jen from our Zoo Crew!

 

Name: Jen Colangelo

Age: 14 years old

Hometown: Boston, MA

Favorite Zoo Animal: The giraffes are my favorite because their tongues are so long and they are very sweet and interesting animals.

How many years have you been on the Zoo Crew? This is my first year in the Zoo Crew.

What’s your favorite part of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo? My favorite part is learning about all the different animals.

Why did you become a member of the Zoo Crew? I wanted to learn about animals and see what a career with animals would be like.

What’s your favorite task? Working in the Loft because you get to be around animals and teach people about them.

Why should other kids your age become part of the Zoo Crew? You learn a lot of things that will be helpful later in life and customer service skills. It is also one of the most fun things I’ve ever done.

Do you have any Funny/Good Stories? I was in Primate World and the baby orangutan was swinging back and forth. All of a sudden he jumped down, ran over to the glass and smashed his face against it. It was the cutest picture ever!

Are you or someone you know interested in applying for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Crew? Please visit http://www.cmzoo.org/exploreLearn/kidsTeens/zooCrew.asp for more information.

Meet Kayson!

Meet Kayson Cooper a Summer Camp Counselor 

here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! 

Name: Kayson Cooper

Age: 20 Years Old

Hometown: Riverton, WY

Favorite Zoo Animal: Elephants, Apes

Career Aspirations: I would like to be involved with conservation education, especially teaching children about wildlife and how they preserve it.

What’s your favorite part of Cheyenne

Mountain Zoo (CMZ)? The beautiful scenery and natural exhibits.

What inspired you to become a camp

counselor here at CMZ? I love animals and enjoy teaching others about them, so this is a dream job.

What age kids are you working with? This summer, I have worked with kids from four to 15 years old.

What activities do you have planned for them throughout camp? The campers will be meeting animals up close, going on behind the scenes tours and hearing personalized keeper talks.

What has been your biggest obstacle to overcome being a camp counselor? The biggest obstacle has been trying to explain information in a way that young kids understand and the older kids are still entertained.

What is the benefit of being a camp counselor at CMZ? I get to see new things every day and I learn so much from the kids and my fellow counselors. 

Do you have any Funny stories? I asked a group of four-and five-year-olds “What animals have scales?” They all immediately responded that giraffes have scales.

“MOMMY, I WANT A PONY!” - All About Our Ponies, Rides, Shows and Camps

How many kids do you know that have asked for a pet pony at one time in their life? While Ponies can be amazing companions they are also a lot of work.



A pony is a small horse (Equus ferus caballus) with a specific conformation and temperament. There are many different breeds of ponies. Compared to horses, ponies often exhibit thicker manes, tails and overall coat, as well as proportionally shorter legs, wider barrels, heavier bone, thicker necks, and shorter heads with broader foreheads. On occasion, people who are unfamiliar with horses may confuse an adult pony with a foal, which is a young, immature horse.

Ponies are generally considered intelligent and friendly. The pony originated from original wild horse prototypes that developed small stature due to living on the margins of livable horse habitat. These smaller animals were domesticated and bred for various purposes all over the Northern hemisphere.

Ponies were historically used for driving and freight transport, as children's mounts, for recreational riding, and later as competitors and performers in their own right. During the Industrial Revolution, particularly in Great Britain, a significant number were used as "pit ponies", hauling loads of coal up from the mines.

Pony Rides
Children are invited to ride the ponies daily at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (see seasonal hours online). Each pony and rider is individually led by a wrangler around a circular trail, nestled in Rocky Mountain Wild, just south of The Lodge at Moose Lake. It's an old west adventure they'll never forget.

Rides are only $5 each
Buy a frequent rider card for $20—and get 5 rides instead of 4!



Note: Riders must be old enough to sit up in the saddle and hold the reins unassisted, although parents are permitted to walk along beside their cowpoke. And we'll ask that every rider wear a helmet, just for safety sake.

Pony Behavior Shows
Our Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Pony herd has joined together with our Animal Care Staff to remind us all what it takes to have a pony pal of your own. Everyday at 2:15 p.m. at the Pony Ride area, near the entrance to Rocky Mountain Wild, our keepers and ponies will perform in their natural behaviors show.



Pony Camps
Want your kids (Ages 5 to 130 pounds) to learn what it's like to take care of a pony? Have them join us for pony camp to find out. It's a great way for kids to get close to the Zoo's pony herd with a wrangler at their side. Kids will learn important equine skills and how to groom, feed and ride ponies during this fun two-hour long camp.

Dates and Times
Sundays through Wednesdays - rain or shine
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Cost: $25.25 - per day Members or non-members
$81.00 - 4-day weekly session Members or non-members

For questions or to register for Pony Camp by phone, call 719-633-9925, ext. 127, or e-mail edprograms@cmzoo.org.

Kid-safe Ponies Wanted! View details.

Animal and Plant Database on Zoo Website

Did you know that you can access ALL of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo animals and plants that live on grounds through our online database?

The database includes each and every animal and plant who lives here in Colorado Springs at our mountain zoo. You can search through the following lists for your favorites:

Amphibians and Reptiles


Birds


Fish


Invertebrates

Mammals


Plants


When you click on the animal or plant you are searching for you will be able to read all about that species: habitat/range, characteristics, behaviors, reproduction, and conservation, along with where they are located at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Check out the complete database for yourself.

Don't Miss this Family WildNight Experience: July 24

Family WildNight COMING July 24! Make your reservations TODAY.



It's a Whole New Zoo at Night.

Bring your family to the Zoo on this summer evening and explore what our animals do at night! During the guided tours, come see what the hippos, primates and other zoo friends are up to late at night and early in the morning!

Come see what the animals do while the rest of us sleep! In a fun-filled night to remember, you can explore Cheyenne Mountain Zoo by moonlight. Designed for 10 to 175 people, WildNights is a great team-building experience for families, scouts and groups of all ages.

Choose from four exciting custom overnight programs; original Nocturnal theme, African, Endangered Species or Adaptations themes - Or try one of the special pre-scheduled WildNights below.

On your WildNight, you'll arrive at the Zoo at 6 p.m. and stay overnight until 8 a.m. the next day. We'll provide dinner and activities; you bring your sleeping bag (or adults can rent cots), pajamas and other personal items.

Note: Kids must be at least 5 years old to participate.

Click here to reserve your spot!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo "Google Story"

Video created by Ashton Strobridge.

Celebrate Mother’s Day with the Zoo

Do you have plans for Mother’s Day? We have some wonderful activities to help celebrate Mom’s on this very special weekend.

Friday May 7
Attention Mothers and Daughters:
Come celebrate Mother's Day weekend at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo with a WildNight sleepover!
Bring your daughter to the Zoo and have lots of fun learning about animals and each other. We’ll provide dinner and breakfast, an after-hours tour, and a cozy cabin to sleep in! There’s no better way to start off your Mother’s Day weekend!! Kids must be 5 years old to participate.
Time: 6 p.m.- 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 8.
Cost: $60.50 per pair, and $25.25 each additional child.
Please visit our website to register or call (719) 633-9925 X 127.

Saturday, May 8
"Mother, May I"
Spring has arrived and so have the babies here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Bring your family to the zoo as we explore the world of animal babies and meet any new arrivals!
Time: 1 pm
Cost:$20 per Zoo member family, $35 per non-member family
Register online!

Sunday, May 9
Mother’s Day Brunch
Treat your Mother to a fantastic brunch on Mother’s Day in the Lodge at Moose Lake from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.! Visit the beautiful stations overflowing with made-to-order omelettes, hand carved pork and sausage, freshly tossed pastas, crisp salads with fresh berries and a decadent dessert station! Champagne Mimosa or Bloody Mary included.
Cost: $35 for adults
$20 for children ages 3-11
$10 for children under 3
Zoo admission is not included unless you are a current Zoo member.
To make a reservation, please call 719-314-0970.

Moms Are Special to All of Us.
Treat your Mom to a day of fun at the Zoo on Mother's Day! Mom’s get in for just $5.25 with a special coupon in The Gazette. Cut it out from The Gazette and bring it with you! No duplications or copies excepted, it must be an original newspaper ad. Limit one mom per ad. You can find this ad printed in The Gazette's Main Section on both Sundays, May 2nd and May 9th! To see the ad visit our event calendar online.

Adopt an Animal by April 30!

Exclusive Adopt Package and Limited Edition T-Shirt Giveaway in honor of our new Golden Lion Tamarin babies!

In honor of our brand new Golden Lion Tamarin babies, born March 30, 2010, you can adopt a Golden Lion Tamarin at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and give someone you love the ultimate warm fuzzy!

New animal parents who adopt any species by April 30, 2010 receive an ivory Zoo T-shirt in this limited edition print:


Visit our website to see the adoption levels from which to choose and more details about the Adopt an Animal program at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. New parents who adopt any species by April 30, 2010 will receive a voucher by mail for one free limited edition t-shirt. Voucher may be redeemed at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo admissions gates.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is committed to providing exceptional care for our hundreds of animal residents. It costs over $650,000 each year to feed and care for our 750+ animals. By adopting one of them you help provide for the outstanding care that these animals deserve. Your adoption gift directly supports the care of the animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Visit our website for more details about the animals you can adopt!

Run to the Shrine: Tips to Train for the Incline

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo invites world class runners and families alike to join in the Run to the Shrine on Saturday, May 22, 2010. Both the 5K and the 10K options curve through the Zoo and some of the most stunning mountain scenery this side of the Rockies.

Running has tremendous health benefits for the human body. It strengthens the heart and lungs, improves circulation, and keeps the leg muscles strong and toned. The Run to the Shrine is a particularly demanding run due to the 8.5% gradient increase from the base of the Zoo (6,800 feet) to the Shrine (8,100 feet). We wanted to address some of your questions and help you prepare for the Run to the Shrine.

What is the best training I can do for RTS?
Hill training! Hill training is a method of running up hills to increase muscle power and strength. The most common benefits of hill training are: strengthen hamstrings, calves, glutes, hip flexors and achilles tendons. Hill running uses more upper-body muscles than flat running.

What can I expect when I start training?
Hill training is very demanding at first because you work muscles that you don't use very often while running. However, the more you hill train, the easier it becomes.

What is the difference between short, medium and long hills?
The benefits of short, medium and long hills are different. In your training you will want to utilize all of them when preparing for the Run to the Shrine.

Short hills
A short hill is one which takes no more that 30 seconds to run up and has an inclination between 5 to 15 percent grade. The runner's energy source on short hills is entirely anaerobic. When running short hills, the runner should focus on a running technique which has vigorous arm drive and high knee lift, with the hips kept high, so that they are 'running tall', not leaning forwards.

Medium hills
A medium hill is one which takes between 30 to 90 seconds to run up. This is the length of hill is a good distance for the middle-distance runner. This length is good for middle distance runners because it combines the benefits of the short hills with the stresses on local muscular endurance and tolerance of lactic acid.

Long hills
A long hill is one which takes from 90 seconds to three minutes to run up. The energy used to run a long hill comes from aerobic sources, but if parts of the hill are steep and the runner is running hard, there will still be an accumulation of lactic acid. On long hills, the runner will not use as much power per stride as the shorter hills.

STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 1: Wear high quality shoes. Make sure you have a good pair of shoes before you start running. Do not plan to do the Run to the Shrine in a brand new pair of shoes. Break them in before race day.

Step 2: Warm-up. Stretch your knees and lower body prior to starting any run.

Step 3: Stay hydrated. Be sure to bring water with you and stay properly hydrated while you are training.

Step 4: Start with an easy 15 minute warm-up on rolling hills. Take your time. Do not exceed your training level.

Step 5: Maintain good running posture. Pump arms vigorously, lean slightly forward, and keep your head up.

Step 6: Cool down with a 15 minute jog on level or gently rolling ground. Jog slowly on each decent.

Note:
1. If you want to run hills on a treadmill, for each change in altitude, run at a 8 percent incline for 90 to 90 seconds with 2 minutes flat recovery jogs.
2. Do not hill train when you are injured.

Learn how to run down hills properly.

Learn about altitude training to fully utilize the Run to the Shrine, and the benefits of running at high altitude. Elite runners train at high altitude to increase the number of red blood cells, improving oxygen delivery to their muscles.

Register online NOW for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Run to the Shrine!
View 5K Course Map. View 10K Course Map.

Go WILD on your birthday at the Zoo!

Celebrate Your Birthday with the Zoo!

Meet some of your favorite Zoo animals at your next birthday party! You and your party can choose to meet an animal up-close with the Beastly Animal Birthday Party, or simply visit the animals yourselves with the Create-Your-Own Zooper Party! You can also choose to spend the night at the Zoo with a WildNight Birthday Party, or even invite zoo animals to your birthday party at home with the ZOOMobile. No matter what you choose, your birthday celebration with the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will make your party one to remember!

With these hassle-free parties at the Zoo, you just choose your party package, and we'll take care of all the details, including the Safari Cabin rental, goodie bags, drinks, party plates and utensils—and a carousel ride for you and your guests!

River Otter Party Package

Have you heard about our missing otter, Kitchi? We are now offering River Otters as a new animal theme! Have these playful, aquatic friends help you celebrate your party!

Primate Party Package

Take your party to the primates! This package includes a visit to the Monkey Pavilion for a primate training session, Zookeeper talk and to provide a special treat for the gibbons!

Pachyderm Party Package

Party with the pachyderms. When you choose this package, you'll visit either the elephants or the hippos and see an enrichment demonstration and Zookeeper talk.

Giraffe Party Package

This exciting party includes a visit to the meerkats and world-famous giraffe herd in the African Rift Valley exhibit. Feed crackers to the giraffes and see the meerkats up close during a Zookeeper talk.

Pony Party Package*

Pony rides for all! This western-themed package includes a half hour of pony rides on two ponies picked especially for you—and help from a Cheyenne Mountain Zoo pony wrangler. Plus, the birthday boy or girl will receive a cowboy hat, and all cowpokes will get special badges and pictures to make the memories last a lifetime. *Additional fees apply for the Pony Party Package.

Packages Include:

•Zoo admission
•Safari Cabin rental for the party duration
•A carousel ride for the party group (weather permitting)
•An up-close meeting with a special animal
•A present for the birthday child
•Party favor bags with age-appropriate Zoo goodies
•Drinks
•Plates, cups, napkins, utensils and birthday candles
•Name tags
•A 25% discount at the Thundergod Gift Shop

Animal Presentations

During your party, your Zoo leader will bring out one animal for everyone to see in our new Education Loft! Although we cannot prearrange which animal you'll see, we can usually accommodate requests for "something fuzzy" or "something scaly". Party animals include the ferret, leopard gecko, pancake tortoise, California king snake and others.

Days & Times

Daily from 10:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
On your party day, your Zoo leader will meet your group at the admissions gate at your scheduled party time. To avoid waiting for latecomers, guests should arrive 15 minutes before the party start time.

For more information and costs please visit our website. To book your party e-mail or call 719-633-9925, ext. 127 TODAY!


HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO!

Grizzly Grill …NOW serving you!

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo announces that the Grizzly Grill is officially OPEN!

The exciting new restaurant, managed by Todd Langfield of Service Systems Associates (SSA), offers Zoo guests a unique dining experience while overlooking the city of Colorado Springs and surrounding region. With abundant indoor air-conditioned seating and beautiful new sunlit patios, the Grizzly Grill is a great place for Zoo guests to relax and take a break from their journey around America’s mountain Zoo.

Grizzly Grill's new gourmet cuisine menu was created by this year’s Chefs Gala “Best of Show” winner Chef Beau Green. The menu has been expanded with selections that guests might not expect to see in a Zoo setting. Delicious offerings such as fresh salads, wraps, Asian rice bowls, pasta dishes, brick oven pizza by-the-slice, a carving station with daily specials, hearty grill items such as the 1/3-pound Angus beef burger baskets and delectable dessert offerings including Island Oasis fruit smoothies are now featured. Diners also enjoy “Culinary Theatre” as you watch your food selections prepared fresh in front of you. Hours of Operation are 10 a.m. – Zoo close daily, and it is located near the middle of the Zoo, adjacent to the Carousel. You can't miss it!


Grizzly Grill dining area features bar style and regular tables overlooking the city. The views are unbelievable!








Easy access stations feature a variety of mouth-watering options, with digital menus above each station.

Baby Giraffe Born at the Zoo...make that TWO!

The baby giraffe calves who were born at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on consecutive days, Tuesday and Wednesday, March 23 and 24, 2010, are doing great. These are two of the three anticipated births this spring from the Zoo’s renowned giraffe herd. The two young giraffes, both male calves, have been nursing really well from their mothers and both are in good health after having their first neo-natal examinations on March 26, 2010.

The boys were introduced to each other and a few other adult giraffes on Tuesday, March 30. They had a wonderful time getting to know on another, and they both attempted to nurse off of any “big” giraffe who walked by. Watch the video below for a behind the scenes look at the babies since they were born.



Follow this story and more on our Facebook fan page.

Budgie Buddies Open TOMORROW…

Fan Photo by Ali Leaver

There's a whole lot of shaking going on in the Budgie Buddies exhibit as the Budgies take flight again tomorrow, Friday, April 2! Take a stroll through our indoor aviary surrounded by hundreds of free-flight Australian budgies, Australian finches, cockatiels and princess parrots. Give your seed stick a shake, and a bird or two may even land on your arm or shoulder to have a nibble. Or, try out the new Zoo Grass! The budgies are lovin' this organic homegrown wheatgrass. You could even take some Zoo Grass home for your own pets!

What is a Budgie anyway?
Budgies, or budgerigars, are brightly-colored Australian birds that eat seeds. They are also known as parakeets here in the United States, but in the wilds of Australia these indigenous birds are everywhere. They do not occur naturally anywhere else in the world.


Budgies are very intelligent and adaptable birds. They are highly active birds and love to play with toys. Budgies are hookbills and crack open their seed to eat so they do not need grit as many of the older bird books write. Grit is made primarily from ground up minerals and sand. The purpose of grit is thought to help birds grind up difficult to digest items. By grinding, it is thought that these food items become better utilized by the bird. Since grit is mostly undigestible material, it will stay in the ventriculus, or gizzard, for months to years until it is passed in the stool. Grit is needed only by softbills such as canaries and finches.




What is Zoo Grass?
Zoo Grass is available seasonally at Budgies, and will also be back TOMORROW, Friday, April 2. You can take Zoo grass home for your own pets as well. It's a great way to interact with your animals (birds, cats, dogs and reptiles) at home using organic, non-toxic, conservation-minded fun! Even the container is 100% biodegradable made from straw and cocoa fibers. (So, please complete the cycle and dispose of the container in an earth-friendly way! You can compost it or simply bury it in your yard, where it will enrich your existing garden soil.) Shipping is not available for Zoo Grass as it is a perishable product. Additional Zoo Grass may be purchased at Thundergod Snack and Gift shop during regular business hours. Proceeds from Zoo Grass help support CMZoo Horticulture.

Cost
Seed sticks are $1 each
Zoo Grass is $3 per 3"square container

Budgie Fan Photo above by Andrea Linden. Share your photos with us too on our Facebook page.


Wild Budgie Flock

Snow Leopard Update

On March 3, 2010 our own Megan Sanders received an update from the Snow Leopard Trust letting us know that they just collared a brand new male Snow Leopard near the research camp! They are hoping to collar a female this year but this male looks like he may be young and in great shape. This is VERY EXCITING!!! He is known as M7 on the GPS maps.



The latest update from Jennifer Snell Rullman, Conservation Program Director at the Snow Leopard Trust (SLT) is as follows:

Update for March 15–19, 2010:
After several weeks of only hearing from one or two cats, we have recent location uplinks from four of the five collared snow leopards. Perhaps one of the most remarkable journeys depicted by this data is that of our newest cat we call M7. He is a real mover! He was fitted with his collar on February 16th and almost immediately took off on a NE path covering over 30 km in less than a week across extremely rugged terrain (meaning he may have had to walk up to 60 km from point to point when considering the actual terrain). This week was no different. After apparently hunting on the April 7th he stayed there until the 10th before moving further north. Once he hit the edge of the mountain range he was faced with a vast expanse of steppe/desert in front of him. He opted to turn back to the SW, nearly following in his own footsteps, until he reached and area we call “the badlands.” At this point it is very possible that he skirted this area, as the badlands is an area of low-lying sandstone-like formations we consider to be unsuitable snow leopard habitat (both Itgel and Saikhan have come close to, but seemingly avoided, the badlands as well). He finally turned again, walking back to the SE, covering more than 30 km in just two days. This lengthy and rapid movement pattern is similar to what Aztai exhibited in his initial days after collaring.

Three locations were received from Shonkhor, who appears to have set off on yet another one of his trademark expeditions. He has crossed the wide valley separating Toson Bumba and Tost mountains, and based on the uplink from him on the 12th of March, was near the south-western edge of Aztai's home range.

In contrast to M7 and Shonkhor’s long treks, Aztai continued patrolling the core of his home range.

Orjan also managed to replace Tsagaan's collar, which was running low on batteries, on the 12th of March when he was caught less than 200 m from the camp. Tsagaan seems to have grown in size since he was last caught. He now weighs 44.5 kg and his body length has increased by 4 cm, making him 124 cm long. Unfortunately, since his successful release we have not heard from the collar and so we are waiting to see if there is a malfunction with the collar or if he is holed up in an area where the signal can not reach the satellite. But as each day goes by we are more concerned that the collar has failed to turn on. Hopefully we will hear from his collar soon and then Orjan will head towards the Toson Bumba range where he will focus on replacing Shonkhor's collar and hopefully catching a female leopard. Given our capture history (5 males have collars on today); it is no exaggeration to say that catching a female will be more than welcome!

Below is the latest GPS map uplink from SLT. “The new collared cat (in blue) is truckin!!” said Megan Sanders when she saw the map.



We are hoping to get updates from Jennifer bi-monthly after April and we will keep you updated as we hear news from SLT. Stay tuned!

Pawnee Montane Skipper Butterfly Conservation

What is a Pawnee Montane Skipper you ask?

This butterfly is native to only one area of the Colorado Front Range. Its habitat is southwest of Denver, where the South Platte River drainage meets up with its north fork. It tends to inhabit dry, open Ponderosa Pine woodland with sparse groundcover at 6,000-7,500 feet. As of right now, it only has 37.9 square miles to call its home as noted by the Denver Water Department. This species’ roaming area was bigger in the 60’s and 70’s, but with the advancement of housing developments and the expansion of Denver’s boundaries, the skipper has lost its range and some of its food sources.

In June of 2002, the Hayman Wildfires charred 138,000 acres of land. This resulted in a 40% decrease in the skipper’s habitat. Two previous fires in 1996 and 2000, Buffalo Creek and Hi Meadow, wiped out an additional 10% of skipper habitat.

The skipper is classified as a federally threatened species. The recovery plan for the Pawnee Montane Skipper was placed into effect on September 2, 1998. The recovery plan includes monitoring its habitat and removal of less than 5% loss of skipper’s habitat to developments such as roads, housing, or recreational and a heavy planting project of the Blue Grama Grass and Prairie Blazing Star. Along with the planting of feeding plants, the project is also aimed at eradicating noxious weeds like Mullen, Knapweed, Russian and Canadian Thistle, Hound’s tongue, or any other noxious plant that will compete with the skipper’s nutrient plants.

While the Pawnee Montane Skipper Conservation effort will continue to receive basic ongoing support from the CMZ Conservation Fund, we still need your volunteer support with “boots on the ground” habitat restoration. To register, go to http://www.rmfi.org/contact.

In addition, there is another way that you can help. Local artist Carol Overbeck is designing and making jewelry featuring our local butterflies. The profits will go directly toward research and habitat restoration for the Pawnee Montane Skipper. If you want to make a difference for local conservation, these opportunities are for you. Please check out the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo website for details and future updates.