Interested in helping this local champion? Look for the little yellow bird and vote for Pinello Ranch at the Quarters for Conservation Booth at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
Showing posts with label Quarters for Conservation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quarters for Conservation. Show all posts
September 26, 2012
Teens Making a Difference
August 28, 2012
Quarters for Conservation- Cape Vulture Conservation in South Africa
Post by: Jenyva Turner
Often, when people think of vultures, unpleasant images come
to mind. However, when you learn more about them, we think you’ll agree that
vultures are amazing! Not only do they
have many interesting adaptations that make them unique, they are, more
importantly, vital to the health of ecosystems around the world. No other
scavenger is better equipped to deal with death and disease than the vulture.
From strong stomach acids to featherless heads, vultures use their unique
assets to prevent disease from spreading, while keeping themselves clean and
healthy in the process.
This is the fourth year vulture conservation has been
featured as one of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s (CMZ) Quarters for Conservation
(Q4C) programs. To date, over $25,000 has been raised through Q4C and sent to
VulPro, a non-profit conservation organization in South Africa that focuses on
vulture conservation. Organizations like VulPro are critical to the health and welfare of vultures, as vulture
populations around the world are declining due to poisoning, power line
electrocutions and poaching. VulPro is involved in many aspects of conservation
from population monitoring, captive breeding, reintroduction, rehabilitation,
research and education.
 |
| A chick hatched at VulPro . |
CMZ has been a significant contributor towards VulPro’s
programs. The first year, the Zoo supported VulPro’s rehabilitation work and
purchased chest freezers to store food and medicine. Two years ago, CMZ
purchased GPS tracking devices to monitor the migration of adult Cape vultures. Last year’s funds paid for the expansion
of the Cape vulture artificial breeding cliffs at VulPro so more vulture chicks
can be raised and released into the wild. And this year, CMZ is helping develop
and fund VulPro’s educational program for schools across South Africa, enabling
the next generation to learn about the value of vultures.
CMZ is also involved in educational work right here at home,
teaching Zoo guests about the importance of vultures during the Wings of Africa
bird show held daily in African Rift Valley. Additionally, CMZ participates
annually in International Vulture Awareness Day (IVAD), which was created by
staff from VulPro and CMZ and is now celebrated all over the world on the first
Saturday of September. Many kids and adults alike have grown in their
appreciation for these misunderstood birds. This year’s IVAD event will be held
on Saturday, September 1, 2012 from 10am-2pm in CMZ’s African Rift Valley. Come
join us and see for yourself how cool vultures are and learn more about what
you can do to help them!July 6, 2012
Cape Vulture
In the last African Rift Valley post, we met our African
black millipedes and learned about their important job as a scavenger. Have you
seen any other scavengers in African Rift Valley? Maybe you have been to our
Wings of Africa bird show and learned our Cape vultures are scavengers, too.
Vultures have a very important job in the ecosystem. They
keep our planet clean, and help prevent disease from spreading to humans and
animals. They are especially effective scavengers because their strong gastric
juices kill harmful bacteria in their food. Vultures are also immune to many
diseases, such as cholera, rabies, and anthrax.
Sadly, vultures are being poisoned in Asia and
You can help vultures when you visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
by voting for vulture conservation at the Quarters for Conservation kiosk.
Next time we‘ll introduce you to a shy member of our African
Rift Valley family who is a great impressionist!
March 30, 2012
Quarters for Conservation
The Q4C idea was started by Zoo Boise, but was taken to the
next level here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo with on-site voting, fours year ago. The
program raises funds by contributing $.25 of every zoo admission and a portion of
memberships to conservation work around the globe. Half is allocated to ongoing
flagship conservation projects like the black-footed ferret, Mexican gray wolf,
and Wyoming
Here are the most recent Q4C Programs:
-
Protecting wild African vultures
-
Rescuing amphibians in Panama
-
Raising and Protecting wild African penguins
-
Releasing endangered gibbons back to the wild
-
Saving wild Amur leopards and tigers
-
Protecting wild orangutans and their forest habitat
Since 2008, Q4C has raised over $400,000. You’re changing
the world one quarter at a time! Click here to learn more about each of the
projects listed above.
March 21, 2012
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Celebrates Earth Day All April Long!
By: Kellie McGregor, CMZ Outreach Coordinator & Earth Month Committee Member
In March and April, nature awakes from its deep sleep to enjoy the warmer temperatures. Have you noticed the flowers and grass beginning to peer out from their winter hiding spots? Even the animals at the zoo are enjoying the sun. Just yesterday, one of our Amur tigers was playfully savoring a dip in the water of his exhibit. It’s as if nature is rejoicing the coming of spring. That’s why it’s fitting we are celebrating, too! This April, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is teaming up with Pikes Peak Earth Day, and other businesses and non-profits to celebrate Mother Earth the entire month.
To start
things off, we’re throwing a party! The Pikes Peak Earth Month Kickoff Party jumpstarts the month of festivities on April 1, 2012, at Stargazers Theatre in
Colorado Springs from 5:30pm to 9:00pm. It’s going to be a night of
sustainability, conservation, and fun! Enjoy music, food, and drinks supplied
by companies that care about our Earth. Even better, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s
Zoo On The Move and Quarters for Conservation projects will be there with live
animals, and information on how you can protect wild animals and wild places. Guests
will also have the chance to make a pledge to make a change in their lives to
better the environment through our new pledge program. 
Being a part
of the Pikes Peak Earth Day committee and the Pikes Peak Earth Month Kickoff Party is especially important to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo because protecting our
planet is something we strive to do all year long. In addition to providing up
close experiences with animals, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo implemented the Quarters for Conservation program - $0.25 of each admission is allocated to conservation
efforts around the world. In an effort to reduce waste, we’ve also begun a
composting program. We know that in order to protect our amazing animals and
habitats they live in, we must be good stewards of the planet.We are challenging you to be good stewards of our planet, too. Check our calendar for Earth Month activities at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo or the Pikes Peak Earth Day website for happenings throughout
February 15, 2011
Day 15 in Africa: Tracking the Future
by Jenyva Turner
Feburary 1, 2011
Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Limpopo province, South Africa
One of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation projects for the second year now is Cape Vulture Conservation in Africa. So far this year (since May 2010), we have raised enough funds to purchase a GPS tracking device to fit to a Cape vulture to monitor its movements across South Africa. We decided to fit our device on an adult female Cape vulture at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. She was found by a farmer in the Limpopo province on 28 December 2010. She had been poisoned. The staff at Moholoholo nursed her back to health and was ready to release her, but Brian Jones and Kerri Wolter wanted to fit her with a tracking device since more data on Cape vulture movements near Kruger National Park is needed.
“Our” vulture can be tracked online on Google Earth using a password. I will be posting maps of her travels on Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s blog regularly, so stay tuned!
The tracking device will help provide researchers with vital information regarding the vultures’ foraging habits from the colony near Kruger. Once they know where the birds roam during the day, they can work to protect them. There may be a need for more vulture restaurants in the region, or greater education within the local farming communities, or certain power lines that need mitigation methods applied. We learn from the birds what still needs to be done.
It’s very fulfilling and exciting to know that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is helping contribute to science and it is all because of YOU! Your votes for vultures are helping provide valuable information and saving a species! Keep the votes coming! Thank you!
February 11, 2011
The tracking device is working and we have our first update. She is now located 250 miles W of the release site- nearly in Botswana!! Too cool!
She was released on February 2, 2011 and the "X" marks where she is as of today.
Feburary 1, 2011
Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, Limpopo province, South Africa
One of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation projects for the second year now is Cape Vulture Conservation in Africa. So far this year (since May 2010), we have raised enough funds to purchase a GPS tracking device to fit to a Cape vulture to monitor its movements across South Africa. We decided to fit our device on an adult female Cape vulture at Moholoholo Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. She was found by a farmer in the Limpopo province on 28 December 2010. She had been poisoned. The staff at Moholoholo nursed her back to health and was ready to release her, but Brian Jones and Kerri Wolter wanted to fit her with a tracking device since more data on Cape vulture movements near Kruger National Park is needed.
“Our” vulture can be tracked online on Google Earth using a password. I will be posting maps of her travels on Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s blog regularly, so stay tuned!
The tracking device will help provide researchers with vital information regarding the vultures’ foraging habits from the colony near Kruger. Once they know where the birds roam during the day, they can work to protect them. There may be a need for more vulture restaurants in the region, or greater education within the local farming communities, or certain power lines that need mitigation methods applied. We learn from the birds what still needs to be done.
It’s very fulfilling and exciting to know that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is helping contribute to science and it is all because of YOU! Your votes for vultures are helping provide valuable information and saving a species! Keep the votes coming! Thank you!
February 11, 2011
The tracking device is working and we have our first update. She is now located 250 miles W of the release site- nearly in Botswana!! Too cool!
She was released on February 2, 2011 and the "X" marks where she is as of today.
January 20, 2011
Jenyva Made it to South Africa! Day 1 and 2 in Africa
We are excited to finally receive word from Jenyva! She made it to South Africa safely and has already started the process of SAVING THE VULTURES! Over the next few weeks we will help share her journey on the blog. Please send Jenyva well-wishes on this amazing expedition. We can't wait to share all of her adventures along the way.
My South African Journey
By Jenyva Turner
18 January 2011
Rhino & Lion Wildlife Conservation Reserve, Gauteng province, South Africa
Eight hours after landing in South Africa, our bakkie jostled its way down the rough dirt road rutted from the recent rains in the Rhino & Lion Wildlife Conservation Reserve. We rounded a corner and the jet lag fatigue that I was succumbing to quickly disappeared as I saw the birds I had travelled thousands of miles to help save. A Cape vulture flew above the ridge, then another, then another, then dozens were riding the wind currents low above the vegetation! It was truly awe-inspiring and moving to see the species I have been able to care for and help protect fly free around me with their 9-foot wingspans!
We were there to set up the capture site for the next day’s capture for our research project. The capture pen is a 25ft x 15ft mesh pen with shade cloth and 1 side that opens up/closes by pulling a shade cloth curtain across. It is right next to a “vulture restaurant” (special feeding sites for vultures in Africa to help supplement their decreasing natural diet).
Preparing the capture site entails adding “fresh” carcasses to the pen to draw the birds in.
Because of the recent rainy weather, Kerri Wolter, of Vulpro (the organization CMZ is supporting thru Quarters for Conservation) decided that we needed to capture the vultures that night while it was dry just in case it started raining in the morning (vultures do not fly around when it’s raining).
After baiting the pen, we all went into the hide and, well, hid, until the vultures appeared. It didn’t take long for the 1st bird to appear. Vultures have excellent eyesight and do not miss when another vulture seems to have found food, so within 5 minutes there were well over 100 vultures near the “restaurant.” After about 30 vultures (and 3 jackals) went inside the pen, the curtain was drawn and we raced down to the pen to secure it thru a sea of vultures who were madly trying to get out of our way. What an experience to be literally leaping over giant birds! We then had to hand grab/herd the jackals to remove them from the pen so they wouldn’t hurt the vultures. Since it was getting dark, we then left for the night with plans to return at sunrise to “process” them and gather our research data.
19 January 2011
Our research team of 8 people hit the road at 4 a.m. to get to the site as soon as possible to avoid stressing the vultures out further by keeping them in the pen too long. We set up our field lab and went to work catching/processing all 29 Cape vultures.
The testing we were doing will provide a better snapshot of the overall health of the wild Cape vulture population in the Magaliesberg Mountains. We drew blood to run uric acid and glucose tests, complete CBC, and DNA and sexing. We took some feather samples to test for presence of heavy metals. The bird was weighed and a complete physical exam was made. A cloacal swab was then taken as well as measurements of the head and foot pads to determine if one can determine if a vulture is male or female based on head/foot size. Every bird was ringed and tagged with patagial tags. Then the bird was released. We worked together smoothly and everything was done within 6 minutes!
The biggest threat to vultures in the wild is poisoning. Sometimes this poisoning is intentional, sometimes it’s accidental. When a vulture is poisoned, it goes into kidney failure, which causes their uric acid levels to go way up. Our original research grant proposal suggested that we might be able to detect early-onset kidney failure by using a human uric acid reader since it only requires a drop of blood and can be read within minutes. This way, if a vulture during a routine tagging capture has high uric acid levels, then they could be taken in and given supportive care before it’s too late. We will compare our field test levels with uric acid levels from the CBC. Let’s hope the levels are consistent because if this proves true, this could have a great impact on vulture conservation around the world!
We are scheduled for another vulture capture on Friday, provided the rains do not return, but tomorrow we are off to Mabula Game Reserve 2 hours north of here to meet with researchers from The Ground Hornbill Project, where I volunteered in 2007. I’m excited to see the birds I got to know years ago and see their chicks!
Stay tuned for more news from Africa!
My South African Journey
By Jenyva Turner
18 January 2011
Rhino & Lion Wildlife Conservation Reserve, Gauteng province, South Africa
Eight hours after landing in South Africa, our bakkie jostled its way down the rough dirt road rutted from the recent rains in the Rhino & Lion Wildlife Conservation Reserve. We rounded a corner and the jet lag fatigue that I was succumbing to quickly disappeared as I saw the birds I had travelled thousands of miles to help save. A Cape vulture flew above the ridge, then another, then another, then dozens were riding the wind currents low above the vegetation! It was truly awe-inspiring and moving to see the species I have been able to care for and help protect fly free around me with their 9-foot wingspans!
We were there to set up the capture site for the next day’s capture for our research project. The capture pen is a 25ft x 15ft mesh pen with shade cloth and 1 side that opens up/closes by pulling a shade cloth curtain across. It is right next to a “vulture restaurant” (special feeding sites for vultures in Africa to help supplement their decreasing natural diet).
Preparing the capture site entails adding “fresh” carcasses to the pen to draw the birds in.
Because of the recent rainy weather, Kerri Wolter, of Vulpro (the organization CMZ is supporting thru Quarters for Conservation) decided that we needed to capture the vultures that night while it was dry just in case it started raining in the morning (vultures do not fly around when it’s raining).
After baiting the pen, we all went into the hide and, well, hid, until the vultures appeared. It didn’t take long for the 1st bird to appear. Vultures have excellent eyesight and do not miss when another vulture seems to have found food, so within 5 minutes there were well over 100 vultures near the “restaurant.” After about 30 vultures (and 3 jackals) went inside the pen, the curtain was drawn and we raced down to the pen to secure it thru a sea of vultures who were madly trying to get out of our way. What an experience to be literally leaping over giant birds! We then had to hand grab/herd the jackals to remove them from the pen so they wouldn’t hurt the vultures. Since it was getting dark, we then left for the night with plans to return at sunrise to “process” them and gather our research data.
19 January 2011
Our research team of 8 people hit the road at 4 a.m. to get to the site as soon as possible to avoid stressing the vultures out further by keeping them in the pen too long. We set up our field lab and went to work catching/processing all 29 Cape vultures.
The testing we were doing will provide a better snapshot of the overall health of the wild Cape vulture population in the Magaliesberg Mountains. We drew blood to run uric acid and glucose tests, complete CBC, and DNA and sexing. We took some feather samples to test for presence of heavy metals. The bird was weighed and a complete physical exam was made. A cloacal swab was then taken as well as measurements of the head and foot pads to determine if one can determine if a vulture is male or female based on head/foot size. Every bird was ringed and tagged with patagial tags. Then the bird was released. We worked together smoothly and everything was done within 6 minutes!
The biggest threat to vultures in the wild is poisoning. Sometimes this poisoning is intentional, sometimes it’s accidental. When a vulture is poisoned, it goes into kidney failure, which causes their uric acid levels to go way up. Our original research grant proposal suggested that we might be able to detect early-onset kidney failure by using a human uric acid reader since it only requires a drop of blood and can be read within minutes. This way, if a vulture during a routine tagging capture has high uric acid levels, then they could be taken in and given supportive care before it’s too late. We will compare our field test levels with uric acid levels from the CBC. Let’s hope the levels are consistent because if this proves true, this could have a great impact on vulture conservation around the world!
We are scheduled for another vulture capture on Friday, provided the rains do not return, but tomorrow we are off to Mabula Game Reserve 2 hours north of here to meet with researchers from The Ground Hornbill Project, where I volunteered in 2007. I’m excited to see the birds I got to know years ago and see their chicks!
Stay tuned for more news from Africa!
December 21, 2010
Meet the Penguins at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Most of you know Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private, four cute penguins living in the Central Park Zoo, who were made famous by Dreamwork’s Madagascar movie in 2008. These penguins have created quite a name for themselves and they even have their own show on Nick.
Cute and cuddly…that's exactly what they want people to think. Why? Because this 4-some of placid-looking penguins are actually an elite strike force with unmatched commando skills and a secret headquarters. Their mission? To maintain order in the zoo!
We have our own elite force at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! Instead of just 4, we have 11 “cute and cuddly” African penguins that can be seen daily in the Aquatics building.
Roxanna Breitigan, Animal Care Manager and our own African Penguin Quarters for Conservation champion, called these little guys “the ultimate hoarders” at the Zoo.
Sobe, male, 12 years old
Sprocket, male, 12 years old
Murphy, female, 16 years old
Jess, female, 30 years old
Mogley, female, 10 years old
Fudge, female, 24 years old
Colorado, male, 17 years old
Sally, female, 10 years old
Decker, female, 12 years old
Tasselhoff, male, 10 years old
Joe, male, 12 years old
They all have different personalities and behaviors, but the keepers and staff tell them apart by the colored bands that are on each penguin’s leg.
Size: 23-25 inches tall; 5-9 pounds
Diet: Small fishes, such as pilchard, anchovies, horse mackerel and sardines
Range: Africa’s coastal waters and islands, from Namibia through South Africa
Habitat
The Southern coast of Africa is where you will find the majority of the African Penguins. There are 24 known colonies of them around this continent. There is no place else on Earth where this species of penguin is found in the wild.
Predators
Sharks and fur seals hunt penguins in the water. Seagulls, mongoose and cats prey on nesting penguins and their offspring.
Due to the unique patterns of black and white, the African Penguin is less likely to be found by predators in the water during their own hunting efforts. The dark back makes it difficult for birds of prey to see them from above while they are swimming, and the white underbelly prevents water predators from easily seeing them from below.
Relatives
There are 18 penguin species. African penguins are closely related to the Humboldt, Galapagos and Magellanic penguins.
Reproduction
The African Penguin do not have a set breeding season, however, the majority of their breeding takes place in early February.
Family Life
African penguins breed in huge, noisy colonies. They lay two eggs in
burrows, bowl-shaped depressions dug in the sand, which protect the eggs from
the sun. Like all penguins, they form tight pair bonds, and both parents incubate
the eggs and feed the chicks for 2-4 months.
Vocalization
African penguins are also known as jackass penguins, because they make a
sound that is very similar to a donkey's bray. They make this sound in order to interact and communicate with other members of their colony. Watch a video below of our penguins vocalizing.
African Penguin Conservation
African penguins are in danger of extinction. Major reasons include depletion of their food from overfishing, climate change and pollution from incidences such as oil spills.
The South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) works to protect and rehabilitate South Africa’s seabird populations. Quarters for Conservation funds support their efforts to rescue, hand raise and release orphaned and abandoned chicks back into the wild. Learn more at www.Sanccob.co.za.
It is estimated that the African Penguin can live 10-15 years in the wild (they can live up to 30 years old in captivity). This isn’t very long given that they don’t mature sexually until they are from 2-4 years of age. In the past 35 years the number of them has dropped from 1.5 million to less than 150,000.
In Africa, the eggs from these penguins are a very common source of food. Due to many people living in poverty in this area there aren’t any controlled efforts or laws prohibiting it. As a result many of the eggs are removed before they have the chance for the young to develop.
Another problem is that their natural habitat continues to be destroyed. More than 19,000 of these penguins were killed due to an oil spill in 2000.
Do You Love Our Penguins?
Get involved by voting for Penguins in our Quarters for Conservation every time you come to the Zoo. You can also adopt a penguin at the Zoo!
You and your family can also do an animal encounter with the penguins and meet them one-on-one, up-close and personal!
Cute and cuddly…that's exactly what they want people to think. Why? Because this 4-some of placid-looking penguins are actually an elite strike force with unmatched commando skills and a secret headquarters. Their mission? To maintain order in the zoo!
We have our own elite force at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! Instead of just 4, we have 11 “cute and cuddly” African penguins that can be seen daily in the Aquatics building.
Roxanna Breitigan, Animal Care Manager and our own African Penguin Quarters for Conservation champion, called these little guys “the ultimate hoarders” at the Zoo.
Sobe, male, 12 years old
Sprocket, male, 12 years old
Murphy, female, 16 years old
Jess, female, 30 years old
Mogley, female, 10 years old
Fudge, female, 24 years old
Colorado, male, 17 years old
Sally, female, 10 years old
Decker, female, 12 years old
Tasselhoff, male, 10 years old
Joe, male, 12 years old
They all have different personalities and behaviors, but the keepers and staff tell them apart by the colored bands that are on each penguin’s leg.
Size: 23-25 inches tall; 5-9 pounds
Diet: Small fishes, such as pilchard, anchovies, horse mackerel and sardines
Range: Africa’s coastal waters and islands, from Namibia through South Africa
Habitat
The Southern coast of Africa is where you will find the majority of the African Penguins. There are 24 known colonies of them around this continent. There is no place else on Earth where this species of penguin is found in the wild.
Predators
Sharks and fur seals hunt penguins in the water. Seagulls, mongoose and cats prey on nesting penguins and their offspring.
Due to the unique patterns of black and white, the African Penguin is less likely to be found by predators in the water during their own hunting efforts. The dark back makes it difficult for birds of prey to see them from above while they are swimming, and the white underbelly prevents water predators from easily seeing them from below.
Relatives
There are 18 penguin species. African penguins are closely related to the Humboldt, Galapagos and Magellanic penguins.
Reproduction
The African Penguin do not have a set breeding season, however, the majority of their breeding takes place in early February.
Family Life
African penguins breed in huge, noisy colonies. They lay two eggs in
burrows, bowl-shaped depressions dug in the sand, which protect the eggs from
the sun. Like all penguins, they form tight pair bonds, and both parents incubate
the eggs and feed the chicks for 2-4 months.
Vocalization
African penguins are also known as jackass penguins, because they make a
sound that is very similar to a donkey's bray. They make this sound in order to interact and communicate with other members of their colony. Watch a video below of our penguins vocalizing.
African Penguin Conservation
African penguins are in danger of extinction. Major reasons include depletion of their food from overfishing, climate change and pollution from incidences such as oil spills.
The South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) works to protect and rehabilitate South Africa’s seabird populations. Quarters for Conservation funds support their efforts to rescue, hand raise and release orphaned and abandoned chicks back into the wild. Learn more at www.Sanccob.co.za.
It is estimated that the African Penguin can live 10-15 years in the wild (they can live up to 30 years old in captivity). This isn’t very long given that they don’t mature sexually until they are from 2-4 years of age. In the past 35 years the number of them has dropped from 1.5 million to less than 150,000.
In Africa, the eggs from these penguins are a very common source of food. Due to many people living in poverty in this area there aren’t any controlled efforts or laws prohibiting it. As a result many of the eggs are removed before they have the chance for the young to develop.
Another problem is that their natural habitat continues to be destroyed. More than 19,000 of these penguins were killed due to an oil spill in 2000.
Do You Love Our Penguins?
Get involved by voting for Penguins in our Quarters for Conservation every time you come to the Zoo. You can also adopt a penguin at the Zoo!
You and your family can also do an animal encounter with the penguins and meet them one-on-one, up-close and personal!
December 20, 2010
Join Us On A Journey To South Africa (And help us save a species in the process!)
by Jenyva Turner, our own Zoo keeper and vulture enthusiast
Wide-open grasslands, large herds of animals roaming freely, unique animals found nowhere else on earth… these are all reasons people travel to Africa; but what about traveling to help vultures? That is just what I am looking forward to doing January 2011!
I will be participating in a research project I helped conceptualize and organize in conjunction with VulPro (Vulture Programme) in South Africa and BioDiversity Research Institute of the US. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) has been supporting the research and rehabilitation work of VulPro for a year and a half now through the Quarters for Conservation program.
Cape Vulture
This journey in January will be focusing on the overall health assessment of the Cape vulture and African white-backed vulture populations in the Magaliesburg region of South Africa.
We will be capturing approximately 30 vultures, ringing them (similar to bird banding in the US), tagging them (placing bold wing tags with large numbers on both wings), and taking various non-invasive samples from them vultures: feather, fecal, blood and vomit samples. (And believe me, I do suspect that I will be getting vomited on… a lot!) From those samples we will be able to determine the sex and genetics of the bird as well as test for lead or mercury exposure or exposure to deadly poisons or NSAIDs.
African White-backed Vulture
Poisoning is the #1 threat to vultures in South Africa and is the focus of our study. We hope to determine if it’s possible to detect early-onset kidney failure on vultures due to exposure to poisons or NSAIDs with the use of a hand-held human uric acid meter. If the bird’s uric acid levels are elevated, this could indicate kidney failure and the bird could be taken in for treatment and supportive care before it’s too late. (By the time a vulture shows signs of being sick, it’s usually too late.) This is the first time such a study has been performed on vultures, so this project is very exciting!
Why Save the Vultures?
Vultures are essential to the health of ecosystems around the world. As obligate scavengers, vultures clean up dead animal remains and prevent the spread of disease. Vultures can eat carcasses of animals that died of deadly diseases, such as rabies or anthrax, without getting sick themselves¬– they don’t even spread the disease as their stomach acids kill any pathogens. We need vultures in our world! Unfortunately, vulture populations are declining rapidly around the world due to a number of different factors including poisoning, electrocution, starvation and hunting for the African folk medicine trade. 40 million vultures have died in Asia in recent years.
What Can You Do?
Please help me collect supplies on VulPro’s wish list to take with me to Africa to help further their research and rehabilitation work. Bring your items to the Zoo and drop them off at the front gate, letting an attendant know that the items are for vulture conservation. Last day to donate is January 15th. You can find a list of the needed supplies online.
If you are not able to donate but still want to help, don’t worry! There are so many other ways you can help vultures in Africa, as well as here at home in Colorado. Visit the Quarters for Conservation page for more information on how you can take action.
While I am in South Africa, I will be writing on the Zoo’s blog, In Between the Spots, as to the progress and experiences of our research project. So check back in January and journey with me to Africa!
Wide-open grasslands, large herds of animals roaming freely, unique animals found nowhere else on earth… these are all reasons people travel to Africa; but what about traveling to help vultures? That is just what I am looking forward to doing January 2011!
I will be participating in a research project I helped conceptualize and organize in conjunction with VulPro (Vulture Programme) in South Africa and BioDiversity Research Institute of the US. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) has been supporting the research and rehabilitation work of VulPro for a year and a half now through the Quarters for Conservation program.
Cape Vulture
This journey in January will be focusing on the overall health assessment of the Cape vulture and African white-backed vulture populations in the Magaliesburg region of South Africa.
We will be capturing approximately 30 vultures, ringing them (similar to bird banding in the US), tagging them (placing bold wing tags with large numbers on both wings), and taking various non-invasive samples from them vultures: feather, fecal, blood and vomit samples. (And believe me, I do suspect that I will be getting vomited on… a lot!) From those samples we will be able to determine the sex and genetics of the bird as well as test for lead or mercury exposure or exposure to deadly poisons or NSAIDs.
African White-backed Vulture
Poisoning is the #1 threat to vultures in South Africa and is the focus of our study. We hope to determine if it’s possible to detect early-onset kidney failure on vultures due to exposure to poisons or NSAIDs with the use of a hand-held human uric acid meter. If the bird’s uric acid levels are elevated, this could indicate kidney failure and the bird could be taken in for treatment and supportive care before it’s too late. (By the time a vulture shows signs of being sick, it’s usually too late.) This is the first time such a study has been performed on vultures, so this project is very exciting!
Why Save the Vultures?
Vultures are essential to the health of ecosystems around the world. As obligate scavengers, vultures clean up dead animal remains and prevent the spread of disease. Vultures can eat carcasses of animals that died of deadly diseases, such as rabies or anthrax, without getting sick themselves¬– they don’t even spread the disease as their stomach acids kill any pathogens. We need vultures in our world! Unfortunately, vulture populations are declining rapidly around the world due to a number of different factors including poisoning, electrocution, starvation and hunting for the African folk medicine trade. 40 million vultures have died in Asia in recent years.
What Can You Do?
Please help me collect supplies on VulPro’s wish list to take with me to Africa to help further their research and rehabilitation work. Bring your items to the Zoo and drop them off at the front gate, letting an attendant know that the items are for vulture conservation. Last day to donate is January 15th. You can find a list of the needed supplies online.
If you are not able to donate but still want to help, don’t worry! There are so many other ways you can help vultures in Africa, as well as here at home in Colorado. Visit the Quarters for Conservation page for more information on how you can take action.
While I am in South Africa, I will be writing on the Zoo’s blog, In Between the Spots, as to the progress and experiences of our research project. So check back in January and journey with me to Africa!
November 3, 2010
Southern Colorado Conservation Awards Winners...including Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Over 200 people attended the Southern Colorado Conservation Awards, which took place at the Antler's Hilton Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs. Four awards were presented.
1. The Stewardship Award went to Dave Van Manen and the Mountain Park Environmental Center, located in Beulah, Colorado, for the Center's far reaching efforts that have imbued an ethic of conservation stewardship in thousands of children and adults.
2. The Friends of Open Space Award went to Reeves and Betsy Brown of the 3R Ranch, also in Beulah, for their diverse roles in protecting important agricultural lands across southern Colorado and advancing the cause of Holistic Range Management.
3. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, in Colorado Springs, won The Innovation in Conservation Award for its pioneering Quarters for Conservation program.
4. Judy Sellers won The Stuart P. Dodge Award for conservation achievements spanning local, state, national, and international landscapes.
Congratulations to all the winners! We really appreciate this great honor and thank the Palmer Land Trust for The Innovation in Conservation Award.
Couldn't make the event? Click here to watch the films featuring this year's award winners. Films produced and directed by Emmy-Award-winning filmmaker, Ginger Kathrens; Makendra Silverman, Associate Producer; Cyd Cohn, Writer and Production Assistant.
August 30, 2010
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: Help Count Pawnee Montane Skippers
The Pawnee Montane Skipper (Hesperia leonardus Montana) is an endangered and federally protected subspecies of butterfly that is found only in the South Platte River drainage area in Colorado. Ten years ago, several agencies, including the US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife and Denver Water started planning forest restoration in the South Platte Valley. The restoration work included timber harvest, thinning of trees, prescribed burns, eliminating roads and making trails. In order to monitor how this might be affecting the endangered skipper, yearly surveys were conducted during the butterfly’s flight season in late August and early September. In 2002, this area was further affected by the Hayman Fire, and that became an important part of the surveys. These surveys include counting the skippers seen, counting flower stems of their preferred nectar source (Prairie Gayflower), noting presence of their larval food plant (Blue Gramma grass) and counting live and dead trees. Weather conditions such as temperature, cloud cover and wind are also noted, since these can all affect whether the skippers are active or not.
Three years ago, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo adopted the Pawnee Montane Skipper project as one of its Quarters for Conservation participants. The project received money from the zoo to support graduate students working in the field, but another important part of the Zoo’s involvement was recruiting volunteers to help with the surveys. While the surveys are conducted by the Forest Service, Fish & Wildlife, and Dr. Boyce Drummond, volunteers provide the additional help needed to have several survey teams each day. The Skipper is no longer a Quarters project, but is still being supported by the zoo.
“Participating in the surveys is a lot of hard work, but very rewarding,” says Heidi Genter, current champion of the Skipper project at the Zoo. “It feels great to be involved in field work right here in Colorado.”
If you are interested in helping with this year’s surveys, they are scheduled for the week of Aug. 30-Sept 3. Participants should be prepared for a day in the field, spent hiking over rough and steep terrain. If you’re interested, please contact Heidi at hgenter@cmzoo.org for more information.
Three years ago, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo adopted the Pawnee Montane Skipper project as one of its Quarters for Conservation participants. The project received money from the zoo to support graduate students working in the field, but another important part of the Zoo’s involvement was recruiting volunteers to help with the surveys. While the surveys are conducted by the Forest Service, Fish & Wildlife, and Dr. Boyce Drummond, volunteers provide the additional help needed to have several survey teams each day. The Skipper is no longer a Quarters project, but is still being supported by the zoo.
“Participating in the surveys is a lot of hard work, but very rewarding,” says Heidi Genter, current champion of the Skipper project at the Zoo. “It feels great to be involved in field work right here in Colorado.”
If you are interested in helping with this year’s surveys, they are scheduled for the week of Aug. 30-Sept 3. Participants should be prepared for a day in the field, spent hiking over rough and steep terrain. If you’re interested, please contact Heidi at hgenter@cmzoo.org for more information.
August 5, 2010
Mongolia Snow Leopard Update
Since Megan Sanders, our Animal Behavior Programs Manager at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, returned from Mongolia last year she has continued working with the Snow Leopard Trust in an effort to save some of the last remaining wild snow leopards in the world. Here is the latest update from Megan:
I have attached the latest GPS map of the snow leopard locations in Mongolia!
The most exciting set of locations have come understandably from Zara, the lone female we have managed to follow so far. She is already covering an area larger than 200 sq. km.
Another amazing dynamic we are following is the overlap between Aztai and Khavar. There is greater than 90% overlap of home range sites between these two males, which is exciting and informative.
For more than two decades we have known that snow leopards use home ranges that overlapped extensively. Unlike many other solitary felids, this even holds true for males. We long suspected that their elaborate scent and sign marking system evolved, at least in part, to allow males avoid one another while using almost identical spaces. As we continue to follow these intricate movements and interactions of our collared cats, and ultimately their offspring, we will hopefully better understand this unique social system that seems to allow cats to live in close quarters yet avert aggressive interactions. That alone is something we could have never done even 5 years ago before the advent of GPS-satellite phone collar technology.
Right now there is a big push to protect important snow leopard habitat from mining permits. The Tost Mountains is where I traveled while I was in Mongolia and where the research camp and the collared cats reside. Below is a little update on some of the actions that are being taken by SLT staff to try and save this important habitat.
Mining currently threatens landscapes used by herders and wildlife in Mongolia. Because the majority of the Tost Mountain range was designated for mining, Bayara, our Mongolia Country Program Director, led community meetings in the Tost Township that resulted in a unified effort by the community to exclude the region from mining and declare it a People's Protected Area.
Of course I always love to plug my Q4C project (Quarters for Conservation)! :) The exciting thing about this year is that funds will be directly supporting Mongolian communities in developing and implementing their own conservation action plans. This will create a broader on the ground conservation force who is actively invested in, looking out for and spreading awareness about snow leopards and the threats that face them.
YAY SNOW LEOPARDS!! Man I wish I was out there collaring some cats! :)
I have attached the latest GPS map of the snow leopard locations in Mongolia!
The most exciting set of locations have come understandably from Zara, the lone female we have managed to follow so far. She is already covering an area larger than 200 sq. km.
Another amazing dynamic we are following is the overlap between Aztai and Khavar. There is greater than 90% overlap of home range sites between these two males, which is exciting and informative.
For more than two decades we have known that snow leopards use home ranges that overlapped extensively. Unlike many other solitary felids, this even holds true for males. We long suspected that their elaborate scent and sign marking system evolved, at least in part, to allow males avoid one another while using almost identical spaces. As we continue to follow these intricate movements and interactions of our collared cats, and ultimately their offspring, we will hopefully better understand this unique social system that seems to allow cats to live in close quarters yet avert aggressive interactions. That alone is something we could have never done even 5 years ago before the advent of GPS-satellite phone collar technology.
Right now there is a big push to protect important snow leopard habitat from mining permits. The Tost Mountains is where I traveled while I was in Mongolia and where the research camp and the collared cats reside. Below is a little update on some of the actions that are being taken by SLT staff to try and save this important habitat.
Mining currently threatens landscapes used by herders and wildlife in Mongolia. Because the majority of the Tost Mountain range was designated for mining, Bayara, our Mongolia Country Program Director, led community meetings in the Tost Township that resulted in a unified effort by the community to exclude the region from mining and declare it a People's Protected Area.
Of course I always love to plug my Q4C project (Quarters for Conservation)! :) The exciting thing about this year is that funds will be directly supporting Mongolian communities in developing and implementing their own conservation action plans. This will create a broader on the ground conservation force who is actively invested in, looking out for and spreading awareness about snow leopards and the threats that face them.
YAY SNOW LEOPARDS!! Man I wish I was out there collaring some cats! :)
July 26, 2010
Flying with Vultures- Path into the Future
Ever wonder what it would be like to soar up high with the birds in the sky and experience the freedom they have in the wind and clouds? So did vulture conservationist, Kerri Wolter, and paraglider, Walter Neser. They experienced sights that were truly life-changing when they flew with the rare Cape griffon vultures in South Africa. Enjoy this inspiring video clip of their adventure!
Griffon vultures are the highest-flying birds in the world. In 1975, a Ruppell’s griffon vulture was recorded flying at 37,900 feet above Africa! That’s more than a mile and a half higher than the summit of Mt. Everest! Cape griffon vultures are impressive fliers as well, having wingspans of 8 feet.
Cape griffon vultures are among the world’s most threatened vulture species. There are less than 2,900 breeding pairs left in southern Africa. They are declining in the wild due to collisions with powerlines, NSAID and organophosphate poisoning, and the use of vulture body parts in traditional medicine.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) recognizes that vultures play a vital role in the health of an ecosystem by cleaning up animal remains and helping prevent the spread of disease. That is why African Vulture Conservation is one of the six Quarters for Conservation projects that guests can vote for when they visit the Zoo. Come see CMZ’s Cape griffon vultures up close at the Wings of Africa Bird Show in African Rift Valley at 1 p.m. daily through the summer! You can also take a glimpse of a vulture downtown on the Vladimir Jones building.
Vote for Vultures!!!
Griffon vultures are the highest-flying birds in the world. In 1975, a Ruppell’s griffon vulture was recorded flying at 37,900 feet above Africa! That’s more than a mile and a half higher than the summit of Mt. Everest! Cape griffon vultures are impressive fliers as well, having wingspans of 8 feet.
Cape griffon vultures are among the world’s most threatened vulture species. There are less than 2,900 breeding pairs left in southern Africa. They are declining in the wild due to collisions with powerlines, NSAID and organophosphate poisoning, and the use of vulture body parts in traditional medicine.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZ) recognizes that vultures play a vital role in the health of an ecosystem by cleaning up animal remains and helping prevent the spread of disease. That is why African Vulture Conservation is one of the six Quarters for Conservation projects that guests can vote for when they visit the Zoo. Come see CMZ’s Cape griffon vultures up close at the Wings of Africa Bird Show in African Rift Valley at 1 p.m. daily through the summer! You can also take a glimpse of a vulture downtown on the Vladimir Jones building.
Vote for Vultures!!!
July 6, 2010
Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance likes CMZ’s Quarters for Conservation
The Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance (ALTA) publishes a newsletter every couple of months. In the most recent newsletter there is an article about Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Q4C program!
Here is a snapshot of the story. If you would like to read the entire newsletter you can access it from the ALTA website.
Here is a snapshot of the story. If you would like to read the entire newsletter you can access it from the ALTA website.
July 3, 2010
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.
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.
June 17, 2010
Monkey Pavilion Presents “Rainforest Review”
The primates of Monkey Pavilion all have one very important thing in common… they are all from the RAINFOREST. You can find them in Madagascar, Africa, and South East Asia. Our resident lemurs, mangabeys and gibbons all have unique adaptations that help them survive in their rainforest habitats. The rainforest provides food and shelter for these animals. Unfortunately it is being destroyed at a rapid rate by logging and agriculture. These industries have left the forest in fragmented pieces and are unusable for the animal inhabitants.
As stewards of our environment it is up to us to save wild places for these animals and there is always something that we can do to help. You can live “green” by recycling, conserving natural resources, and buying environmentally safe products as a few examples. You can also help support organizations like the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo supports many conservation projects, like Project Simpona, an organization that is trying to save the Silky Sifakas Lemurs in Madagascar. The Simpona or Silky sifaka (Propithecus diadema candidus) is a rare and critically endangered species of lemur that is endemic to a very small mountainous area in Northeastern Madagascar.
Silky Sifakas Lemur in the wild.
Lemurs at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Ruffed Lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
Q4C also supports the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC was created to change the dialogue about and the practice of sustainable forestry worldwide. They work to protect rainforest habitat and they certify sustainably harvested wood.
Stop by Monkey Pavilion at 11:30 every day to see the Rainforest Review Show and learn more.
Monkey Pavilion Keeper, Joanna, outside at the lemurs.
Monkey Pavilion Keeper, Jeannette, getting a little help in the Rainforest Review show from one of our residents.
As stewards of our environment it is up to us to save wild places for these animals and there is always something that we can do to help. You can live “green” by recycling, conserving natural resources, and buying environmentally safe products as a few examples. You can also help support organizations like the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo supports many conservation projects, like Project Simpona, an organization that is trying to save the Silky Sifakas Lemurs in Madagascar. The Simpona or Silky sifaka (Propithecus diadema candidus) is a rare and critically endangered species of lemur that is endemic to a very small mountainous area in Northeastern Madagascar.
Silky Sifakas Lemur in the wild.
Lemurs at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Ruffed Lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
Q4C also supports the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). FSC was created to change the dialogue about and the practice of sustainable forestry worldwide. They work to protect rainforest habitat and they certify sustainably harvested wood.
Stop by Monkey Pavilion at 11:30 every day to see the Rainforest Review Show and learn more.
Monkey Pavilion Keeper, Joanna, outside at the lemurs.
Monkey Pavilion Keeper, Jeannette, getting a little help in the Rainforest Review show from one of our residents.
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