What's New with Sustainable Palm Oil?

Do you have the newest version of the Orangutan Friendly Shopping Guide?  One of the most recent changes is that General Mills has joined the RSPO (Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil), which means brands like General Mills, Cascadian Farm, Progresso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Green Giant, Hamburger Helper, and Nature Valley are orangutan friendly choices!  The most up to date version of the shopping guide can be found at http://www.cmzoo.org/conservation/palmOilCrisis/. 

You can make orangutan friendly choices every time you shop at the grocery store by buying only products listed on the shopping guide.  The list of RSPO-member companies continues to grow, which is great news for orangutans and other animals that live in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.  The RSPO is a multi-stakeholder group that is moving the palm oil industry toward sustainability.  To learn more about the RSPO, visit their website: www.rspo.org  

Around the country, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Palm Oil Awareness Team continues to spread the message about how to make a difference for wild orangutans.  In the past, the Team has focused primarily on speaking at orangutan-related conferences.  This year, our Team has also been invited to speak at professional conferences for other species affected by the palm oil crisis.  In June, Mandy, one of our orangutan keepers, traveled to North Carolina to speak at the first Gibbon Husbandry conference.  Gibbons inhabit some of the same rainforests in which orangutans live, so the deforestation caused by unsustainable production of palm oil affects gibbons as well.  Coming up this month, our Animal Care Manager, Dina, will be traveling to Oregon to speak for the third year in a row at the annual Orangutan Husbandry Conference.  In September Dina and Tracey, our Vice President, will be hosting a booth at the American Zoological Association (AZA) National Conference in Arizona, where they will be sharing with zoo professionals from all over the United States ways to help guests at their zoos make informed shopping choices and make a difference for wild orangutans and other wildlife. Lastly for this year, in November, Dina will be traveling to California, where she has been invited to speak at the annual Elephant Managers Association conference.  Elephants are another of the many species affected by unsustainable palm oil. 

The Team will continue to work hard to make a difference for wild orangutans by raising awareness about the palm oil crisis and encouraging people to take action by providing tools and information that will allow them to make globally responsible consumer choices.  Join us in making a difference!

Gibbons are Awesome!

By Joanne Husby, Monkey Pavilion Keeper

This summer, I was fortunate to attend and present at the very first International Gibbon Husbandry Conference in Greensboro, North Carolina with Primate World keeper Mandy Hester.  Gibbons are small apes native to Southeast Asia and all species are endangered due in part to habitat destruction. Seven countries were represented during the conference, and presentation topics varied from health and nutrition, to conservation and research.  It was uplifting to meet fellow gibbon enthusiasts and learn what people are doing all across the globe to help preserve these amazing animals. 

One very interesting presentation was from keynote speaker Dr. Brockelman, who has been studying gibbons since the Vietnam War!  He touched on the fact some species of gibbon may not be as monogamous as once thought.  Gibbons had been known as the only monogamous ape, but recent research indicates this may not be true for white-cheeked gibbons. Talks were also led by biologists from India and Indonesia, working to release gibbons back into the wild.  A zoo keeper from Lincoln Park Zoo shared the struggles and triumphs a one-handed gibbon faces.  Since Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to two gibbon amputees, we know how amazing and adaptable gibbons can be. There was also a presentation about a male siamang from Disney’s Animal Kingdom who raised twins by himself. 

The conference was a great opportunity for us to learn new things, but also an opportunity to share some of our own gibbon knowledge and experiences.  Mandy Hester talked about the palm oil crisis and its effect on wild gibbon populations .  Thanks to Mandy’s presentation, attendees returned to their institutions with tools to raise awareness about this international crisis.  I was able to share my experiences: I was especially excited to talk about a fun-filled event called Groovin’ for Gibbons.  The event allowed zoo guests of all ages to learn numerous fun facts about gibbons.  For instance, what does it feel like to have arms as long as a gibbon?  Kids could slip into a gibbon suit with arms so long they were able to hug somebody from four feet away!  The gibbon suit was a huge hit and conference attendees couldn’t wait to try it on, too.   

New at the Natural Science Center, where the conference was held, was a breeding pair of silvery Javan gibbons.  This was the first time we had seen the species in person.  It was special since Javan gibbons are rare not only in North American zoos, but in the wild as well.  We also visited North Carolina Zoo and the Duke Lemur Center.

Our trip to North Carolina was a fruitful one.  There was a constant stream of new information for us to bring home. We are continuously improving the care we can give to these amazing animals. 

Boo at the Zoo promotes 'orangutan friendly' candy

Boo at the Zoo, the annual trick-or-treat party at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, won’t be giving your kids Snickers, Three Musketeers or M&Ms this year because those treats aren’t considered “orangutan friendly.”


...So the zoo, in its cafes and special events like Boo at the Zoo, is boycotting Hershey’s and Mars, companies that are not members of the international Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Instead, kids who attend Boo at the Zoo will get lots of candies from Nestles, which has joined the roundtable group and has pledged to get its palm oil from more sustainable sources. Members of the roundtable group must do mitigation efforts, including reforestation and sourcing from plantations that haven’t displaced habitat.


Click here to read more.

Swinging in the Rainforest: A Night with Orangutans

Join us for a night with the orangutans! AAZK (American Association of Zookeepers) is hosting the second annual Swinging in the Rainforest orangutan fundraiser.



Be some of the first to learn what Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's team, Tracey Gazibara, Dina Bredahl, and Mandy Hollingsworth, discovered about orangutan conservation on their recent trip to Indonesia and Malaysia (see the Palm Oil Blog for updates from the trip while they were there). Watch the orangutans perform their natural behavior show and an orangutan painting session. Bid on some of your favorite orangutan paintings, photographs and gifts from Indonesia in our silent auction. Activities for kids will include coloring sheets, making enrichment for the primates and practicing orangutan nest building skills. Maggie Moos will be serving up their new palm oil free flavor "Swinging Orangutan Shindig" in support of this journey and the conservation of orangutan habitat. 25 cents of each scoop goes directly to orangutan conservation through the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's Quarters for Conservation program.

The event will take place in Primate World on July 10, 2010 from 6:30-9:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door the night of the event or online at from our events page. Hope you’ll swing on by and see us!

Cost:
$25 per adult
$40 per couple
$10 per child

Buy Swinging in the Rainforest tickets now! All proceeds benefit orangutan conservation.

Check out our NEW Palm Oil Crisis Blog

Check out our NEW Palm Oil Crisis Blog! Become a follower today to track our team who is currently in Indonesia! Read journal posts, stories, and updates, and see some of their amazing pictures and videos!

M.O.M (Missing Orangutan Mothers): Celebrate Mother’s Day at the Zoo with the Orangutans at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Photo by Tracey Gazibara

Orangutan mothers and babies have an incredibly close relationship. Baby orangutans don’t have a support network around to give them the many lessons of finding fruit, building nests and other survival techniques. Their mothers teach them everything about survival in the forest before they set out on their own.
Because of the growing demand for palm oil, and irresponsible forestry practices, more and more orangutan mothers are being killed every year in Indonesia. Their rain forest homes are literally being wiped out to make way for palm oil plantations… leaving hundreds of helpless orphans. Some of the lucky ones end up at Nyaru Menteng– which is operated by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. The Center is now home to nearly 650 orangutans– the vast majority of them young orphans in need of love and care.
Mother’s Day is the perfect day to bring awareness to the plight of these beautiful red apes and to encourage people to help protect them.

Mother’s Day is the perfect day to celebrate and pay tribute to M.O.M.– Missing Orangutan Mothers

Schedule of Events:
12 noon – Orangutan show
1:30pm – Orangutan painting demo
2:30pm – Orangutan enrichment


Orangutan Painting

10am-3pm:
• Coloring & word search for kids
• Help make orangutan enrichment
• Make an orangutan nest
• Learn about orangutan conservation

For more information about the M.O.M program please visit the Orangutan Outreach website.
Read more about the Palm Oil Crisis on our website.
For more information visit www.savetheorangutan.org online.

Other Mother’s Day events at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo:
• Join us for a Mother's Day weekend Mother and Daughter WildNight sleepover, Friday, May 7!
• Ignite your wild sides with "Mother, May I?" Family Program for the whole family, Saturday, May 8!
• Learn more about the delicious Mother's Day Brunch offered on May 9th, reservations are required.
• Need a special gift for Mom? Discover our Unique Gifts page filled with wild gifts that give twice!

Visit Redapes.org

Creative Valentines

Want to include a sweet treat with your valentines this year? Choose a treat from our Palm Oil Free Valentine Candy Guide! Remember, palm-oil free candies are orangutan safe!

My son’s class will get these cute valentine treats made from Pearsons Mint Patties – 100% Palm Oil Free!

Palm Oil Update

Cadbury has removed palm oil from its chocolate products! Read more about their decision in the New Zeland Herald!

Why is this important? Visit our website to learn more about the palm oil crisis.

Missing Orangutan Mothers

Mother’s Day is the perfect day to pay tribute to M.O.M.– Missing Orangutan Mothers.

Orangutan mothers and babies have an incredibly close relationship. Their mothers teach them everything about survival in the forest before they set out on their own including how to find fruit and build nests.

Because of the growing demand for palm oil, more and more orangutan mothers are being killed every year in Indonesia. Their rainforest homes are literally being wiped out to make way for palm oil plantations… leaving hundreds of helpless orphans.

Some of the lucky ones end up at Nyaru Menteng– which is operated by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation. The Center is now home to nearly 650 orangutans– the vast majority of them young orphans in need of love and care.

Visit Primate World this weekend with your Mom to learn more about M.O.M. and to see our very own Sumagu cuddle her new baby orangutan!

Wild Orangutan News

Conservationists have discovered a new population of orangutans in a remote corner of Indonesia, giving a rare boost to one of the world's most endangered great apes! Read the entire story.

To find out how you can help orangutans in need and help with conservation efforts, visit our website.

Great Ape Paste

Looking for Palm Oil free beauty products? Chandler Farm in Littleton, CO has created a line of palm oil free lotions and soaps called Great Ape Paste. 50% of sales go directly to the Phelps Great Ape Foundation, a non-profit organization benefitting great ape conservation.

Why go palm oil free?
Supply and demand pressures are driving the production of palm oil up to an all-time high. Found in cookies, crackers, shampoo, skin care and beauty products, pet food, and many other products, palm oil is now the second most widely produced edible oil. It is also found in a wide array of products sold in natural food stores, and is being investigated as a possible fuel alternative.

The increased demand for palm oil, which is obtained from the fruit of the oil palm tree and can be grown only in tropical environments, is fueling destruction of the rainforest habitat of Sumatran and Bornean orangutans, pushing those endangered species even closer to extinction. Estimates show that if something isn't done soon to stop the spread of palm oil plantations into the forests that harbor these orangutans, they will be extinct in ten years.

Help Orphaned Orangutans

Help Cheyenne Mountain Zoo send unopened packages of baby bottles and silicone teats to BOSF Project Nyaru Menteng.

The Bornean Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF) Nyaru Menteng Project cares for over 600 orangutans displaced from the rainforest due to illegal logging, palm oil plantations, and the illegal pet trade in Indonesia. BOSF is the largest primate rescue project in the world and is the only organization actively rescuing wild orangutans as well as rehabilitating orphaned orangutans. BOSF is committed to protecting orangutans and their rainforest habitat and relies entirely on donations. Many of the project’s residents are orphaned as infants and need around the clock care from staff.

You can help Cheyenne Mountain Zoo support orphaned orangutans by donating packaged baby bottles and silicone teats. Bring your donations to the drop off box located in Primate World at the Zoo or drop them off at our admissions booth. Mail donations to: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Bottle Drive, 4250 Cheyenne Mtn. Zoo Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Donations are being accepted through December 2008.

For more information on orangutans and palm oil, visit our website.

Palm Oil Crisis – You can help!

Next time you reach for a snack, check the ingredients list. Is your favorite treat made with palm oil? Demand for palm oil is high because it provides a cheap alternative to trans-fat in our favorite candies and snacks. In addition to being used in the food industry, palm oil is also used in many cosmetics and bath products.

But did you know? Palm oil plantations are spreading into orangutans’ natural rainforest habitats, destroying their food sources and pushing them toward the brink of extinction. To find out more, view a recent Fox 21 News story about the Palm Oil Crisis and what Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is doing to help.

We at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo believe in the power of individuals to affect change. To find out how you can make a difference, visit the palm oil section of our WEBSITE.
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Blog Keeper Notes:
*If you were one of the first five commenters on our last post, please send your address to: blogkeeper@cmzoo.org to receive your free sky ride admission pass!

*Thank you for all of your votes on our recent poll! Turns out 43% of you chose “safe trick-or-treating” as your favorite part of Boo at the Zoo!

Be sure to vote in our new poll "How do you plan to take action in the palm oil crisis?" found on the side bar.