SNEAK PREVIEW: Petrie Takes Flight in African Rift Valley’s “Wings of Africa”

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's "Wings of Africa" bird show will be soaring to new heights with Petrie, the Abyssinian ground hornbill. You may have seen Petrie in years past engaging guests before and after the show on a keeper's arm. Well, Petrie has honed his flying skills over the last year and will make his free flight debut this May. Abyssinian ground hornbills spend much of their time on the ground searching for food, hence where their name comes from. Although they spend so much time on the ground, they are excellent flyers with an impressive wing span of up to six feet. Their feathers are mostly black but they have white flight feathers that are usually only seen when the birds are in flight. Keep your eyes open this summer for Petrie and all the birds of the African Rift Valley as they show you some of their unique natural behaviors in the "Wings of Africa" bird show.

Check out a sneak preview HERE.

What do Giraffes Eat? Not just crackers…

Photo by guest, Rachael Wooten

While at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo you might think that the giraffes only eat crackers (a favorite treat, but not the bulk of their diet). Giraffes are the tallest of all animals living on the land, and are one of the most fascinating creatures in the world. Giraffes are herbivores, which mean that they eat no meat. Giraffes love to eat twigs of plants and will also eat plant leaves. Their long neck and very long tongue is useful in picking the best twigs and leaves off the very tall trees. Their tongue, which is around 18 inches long, is also very tough to withstand thorns that may be on the plants they are eating. They also have thick, sticky saliva that coats any thorns they might swallow. You may have felt it if you have ever fed the giraffes at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Giraffes can eat 75-100 lbs of twigs and leaves in just one day! Giraffes also use their exceptionally long tongue to clean off any bugs and insects that are annoying them, but they don’t eat them.

When we asked the giraffe keepers at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo some of their favorite stories about guests feeding the giraffes here is what they said:

Jeremy, a keeper at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for 6 years, said, “ A mom handed her kid a dollar and said “Go feed the giraffe.” So the little kid walked right up to a giraffe and hands the dollar him. The giraffe promptly ate the dollar.” Jeremy said, “That starts to make for expensive poop.” (As a side note, the giraffe was fine, but we recommend that you do not feed them dollar bills.)

Tell us about your experience feeding the giraffes for a chance to win giraffe crackers! For more GIVEAWAYS, COUPONS, and PRIZES, check out our Spring Break Giveaway Days online online at facebook, twitter, and right here on the blog!


Photo by guest, Rachael Wooten

Dakota

-Written by Megan Sanders, Animal Behavior Programs Manager

Last week, our beloved mountain lion, Dakota, left our Zoo family. She lived to be just shy of 20 years old, and boy did she live!

She has always been a cat that did everything with gusto. I have never met an animal that could turn a refrigerator box in to confetti as fast as she could. She had a “soft side” too. Some of my favorite memories here are working the late shifts and sitting with her a few minutes in the evening having a “chat”. She never failed to come over, blow a little puff of smelly cat breath in your face and then roll in the mulch, always stopping to give you that look of hers while she was upside down.

Dakota has absolutely left her mark on this zoo and on anyone who came into contact with her. A guest recently commented that “she was the prettiest Mountain Lion” they had ever seen. She showed a generation of kids just how it looked and felt to see a cat stalk you, and passed that talent on to the 4 cougars who now stalk in the Rocky Mountain Wild exhibit. She initiated more keeper talks and conversation through her playing and her training, I can only imagine the far reaching impact she may have had.

Most guests know her by name and those that don’t know her by reputation. I can’t even count the number of times I have been asked for directions to the “grandma cat”, “the old lady” or the “log cat”… Dakota and her log…it’s a beautiful thing. That was her throne from which she surveyed the comings and goings of peafowl, guinea fowl, wallabies and the occasional raccoon. I was happy to find her in her favorite log this morning and have one last “chat” while we watched the wallabies shift out for the day.

Dakota taught me so much and defined my career in many ways. I am the trainer that I am today because of her. She was a patient and willing pupil and because of that she allowed me to grow along with her. I was proud and humbled to share one last session with her this morning.

My love and respect goes out to everyone who has worked with, taken care of, stopped to talk to and “fairy god-mothered” Dakota throughout her life. I know we did right by her up to the very end and I think, in some way, she knew that. She was an amazing animal and I know that she is up there, healthy and robust, rolling in fields of cat mint, eating steak and having a good fly when the mood strikes!

I’ll miss you Dakota. Thank you for all you gave me. Be at peace old girl.

Pawnee Montane Skipper Conservation

Thank you to Zoo employees Della and Chuck who, in conjunction with Wild Connections, helped close an “off highway vegetation” trail on National forest lands and reseeded with native grasses.

They hiked in over a mile with tools and seeds. Great work! Click to learn more about butterfly conservation and be sure to vote for your favorite Quarters for Conservation project in the kiosks at admissions plaza!

Keeper News

Animal Keeper, Chuck, accomplishes more on his day off than many folks do in a day’s work! As a volunteer for Wild Connections, Chuck participates in trail reclamation to help the threatened Pawnee Montane Skipper butterflies, a Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Quarters for Conservation project.

As part of the recent Trout and Eagle Creek restoration, Chuck and other volunteers restored several more sections than anticipated including over ½ mile of linear trail and 1 ¼ acres of sensitive habitat. This equates to 54,700 square feet!

Wildlife, including Pawnee montane skipper butterflies and Preble’s meadow jumping mice, both listed under the Endangered Species Act, need stable habitat and minimum disturbance in order to thrive. Projects like this directly benefit these species.

You can help bring the Pawnee Montane Skipper butterflies back to Colorado through Wild Connections and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Quarter’s for Conservation Program. The threatened Pawnee Montane Skipper exists in only one small area in the world, near Colorado Springs. Due to fire and other losses of its limited forest habitat, it needs help. Quarters for Conservation enables Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to partner with several organizations like Wild Connections to restore habitat and survey populations of these Colorado butterflies. Together, we can help prevent the extinction of a native species in our own backyard.

Thank you to Chuck and all the volunteers who worked so hard on this project! If you would like to sign up for a restoration work day on May 30 or June 6, visit the Wild Connections website to register.

Perspective

It’s brisk this February morning as I head up the path. I have traveled this path before but something is different…I can hear the ripple of a stream meeting a gentle pond. Ah, I can see it now, a beautiful combination of nature: work and rest together harboring life.

I continue my way up the path – wait – what is that? I can see it up ahead…hold on…let me take a couple more steps to be sure…

Wow – A MOOSE about 50 feet ahead in the trees! He’s moving his antlers against the tree. He doesn’t see me but I’m sure he is very aware of his surroundings. It seems he is enjoying the opportunity for play that nature has provided him.



What is that pounding I hear behind me? I’m not at home, there is no solicitor knocking at my door, interrupting my morning. I take my eyes off the moose for only a second to search the scene. I discover a woodpecker giving his best to the Aspen tree in front of me. He seems to mock me, trying to give my location away to the moose. I’ll stand still and silent. Am I discovered? A touch of fear enters my body. The moose decides to tolerate me for now and continues to amuse himself with the tree.

I’ve been watching for several minutes when I hear a “screeching” somewhere off in the distance. I can’t put my finger on it but I know I’ve heard this sound before. It sounds like majesty.

There it is! A bald eagle upon the hill! I took me awhile to spot it – ironically it would take only seconds for this fierce hunter to find me. My senses are in overload at this point – a surreal feeling.

A new emotion enters now, but my senses tell me it’s ok. I feel peace and look around to try to understand the source – every vision creates my serenity, and it’s calming.

I’m not deep in the mountains…

I’m at work, at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and I invite you to experience Rocky Mountain Wild, where you too can get closer.

-By Jamie Breitigan, Commissary Manager - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Congratulations Megan!

Who has one of the coolest jobs in the entire world? Our very own Megan (Ryder) Sanders, Animal Behavior Programs Manager! She’s featured in the February issue of AZA’s CONNECT Magazine! Read all about her important role here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (click to enlarge):

Special Thanks

Many a tails wagged at last weekend’s fundraiser held at Bear Creek Dog Park! Participants enjoyed sunny weather along with homemade dog treats baked by Cheyenne Mountain Zoo keepers.

Proceeds from the event benefit the African Wild Dog Conservancy, a runner up in Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation program.

Many thanks for all the donations and a special thanks to the dog biscuit chefs helping to make the event a huge success!

Our Keepers Care

We love our Keepers. Every day they go above and beyond their regular responsibilities to keep our animals safe, healthy and happy. Recently Keeper Kirsty saw a need for shelter in the barn owl exhibit located at the entrance to the Loft.

So what did she do? She made the Zoo’s resident barn owl a house! How, you ask? She purchased (on her own dime) plywood, screws and some soft material and in a weekend’s time, fashioned the owl condo in her living room. “My husband was very patient with this project taking over our house!” said Kirsty.

Now our barn owl has a snug home in which to make a nest or simply hide from the wind and rain. “Once he figured out he could go inside, he made quick use of his new bungalow!” said Kirsty.

Thank you Keeper Kirsty!