Farewell and Happy Trails Amiga!

Today we bid adieu to Amiga, one of the best ponies we have know at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. She is retiring to join one of our own Zookeepers at her home.

Amiga, who is 15 years old, came to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo 6 years ago, and has been a guest favorite since the moment she arrived. She is kind and caring and has helped teach many kids over the years in our Pony Camps and Programs.


The other ponies gave Amiga some special treats to wish her well!




Lots of visitors came to see Amiga off.

Watch some video clips from Amiga's Farewell party!
Amiga was excited to paint a picture for the party-goers! Zookeeper, Beth, helped get everything ready to Amiga to start painting.


Here is the finished product:




Check out some of our other animal's paintings HERE.

Vulture Video from Africa

Jenyva sent this amazing video of wild vultures flying above her in Africa. It is truly amazing and beautiful!



Read all the blog posts from Jenyva and her vulture adventure.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo "Google Story"

Video created by Ashton Strobridge.

World Ocean's Day Photo Gallery

We celebrated Dr. Seuss's "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" 50th Anniversary in honor of World Oceans Day on June 8, 2010! Hundreds of families enjoyed the fun with us. We created a BIG SPLASH in Aquatics & had loads of fun coloring, doing activities, learning about the oil spill, and meeting Mr. Penguin.

New Sarus Crane at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

The Sarus Crane is a large non-migratory crane found in parts of the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. The tallest of the flying birds, standing at a height of almost 6 ft, they are a conspicuous and iconic species of open wetlands. The Sarus Crane is easily distinguished from other cranes in the region by the overall grey color and the contrasting red head and upper neck. Like other cranes, they form long-lasting pair-bonds and maintain territories within which they perform territorial and courtship displays that include loud trumpeting, leaps and dance-like movements.

We are excited to introduce you to our new Sarus Crane, Buddy!

Buddy came to us from Zoo of Arcadiana in Louisiana this March to be paired with our current Sarus Crane, Ramani. When Buddy arrived we were excited to get him all checked out and through the quarantine period so we could introduce the two cranes. We received a big surprise from our vets after Buddy’s complete physical examine though. Buddy is actually a female! So instead of a mate for Ramani, she has a new best friend and they are doing really well together.

On April 8, 2010 Buddy and Ramani were introduced to each other up at the veterinary clinic yard. They slowly approached each other and danced around, putting on a show for one another. It was amazing to see! After a few minutes they seemed to be old friends.

April 22 Buddy and Ramani were taken back down to their permanent home in the aquatics yard.

In the wild, Sarus Crane numbers have declined greatly in the last century and it has been estimated that the current population is a tenth or less (perhaps 2.5%) of the numbers that existed in the 1850s.

On April 8, 2010 Buddy and Ramani were introduced to each other up at the veterinary clinic yard. They slowly approached each other and danced around, putting on a show for one another. It was amazing to see! After a few minutes they seemed to be old friends.

April 22 Buddy and Ramani were taken back down to their permanent home in the aquatics yard.

In the wild, Sarus Crane numbers have declined greatly in the last century and it has been estimated that the current population is a tenth or less (perhaps 2.5%) of the numbers that existed in the 1850s.

Wetland loss and degradation are critical problems throughout the range of the Sarus Cranes. Wildlife trade is currently attributing to heavy chick loss of the Eastern Sarus Crane. Agriculture expansion is leading to massive amounts of destruction of wetlands, and many farmers in India believe that these cranes damage standing crops, particularly rice. Studies, however, show that direct feeding on rice grains resulted in losses amounting to less than one percent.

The Sarus Crane is classified as “Vulnerable” on the IUCN Red List. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species. The IUCN Red List is set upon precise criteria to evaluate the extinction risk of thousands of species and subspecies.

Watch the video to see pictures of Ramani and Buddy when they first met, and when the girls were out in their yard for the first time.

Come see Ramani and Buddy in their yard outside of the Aquatics building daily. Adopt a Sarus Crane at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo TODAY!

Turkey Vulture Q4C Hike Re-cap

Eighteen people braved the chilly, foggy morning to hike Talon Trail in Cheyenne Mountain State Park (CMSP) on Sunday, April 18th to look for turkey vultures and other migratory and resident bird species. Despite the damp weather conditions, many birds were out and about– singing, defending territories, finding mates, building nests, foraging, just doing what birds do best! The group was made up of novice birdwatchers, expert raptor monitors from CMSP, and people who just love nature and getting outdoors. In all, the group saw nearly 30 species of birds, including 7 turkey vultures, which made their appearance at the end of the hike once the fog had finally burned off. Other highlights from the trip included viewing a golden eagle nest and seeing the park’s 1st ever recorded peregrine falcon!



A list of some of the bird species they saw on the hike:

Chipping sparrow
Coopers hawk
Golden eagle
Northern flicker
Peregrine falcon
Red-tailed hawk
Spotted towhee
Tree swallow
TURKEY VULTURES!
Western bluebird
Western scrub jay
White-breasted nuthatch

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.

Grand Opening of the NEW Front Entry

The Grand Opening celebration included a special ribbon cutting ceremony and a visit from two of the Zoo’s special animal ambassadors, Amiga the Shetland pony, and Nyota, our Nigerian dwarf goat.

The new area includes seven gates with new digital technology for easier access to the Zoo. With the new admission gates complex, the admission improvements give the Zoo the opportunity to be more efficient and guest friendly, whether selling a non-member a ticket or whisking an existing member through a “member’s only” gate. The new admission area will now streamline the front end of guest’s Zoo visits, giving them more time on Zoo grounds with family and friends.



Each of the first 100 Zoo guests to arrive this morning were entered into a drawing to win a Behind-the-Scenes Zoo encounter with their choice of the Zoo’s Grizzly Bears, Hippos, or Elephants. Congratulations to the Rash Family who won! They will choose which experience they would like to do with a total of 9 friends. (A value of $250).

Our winners!

Spring Cleaning…even our animals keep it clean!

Poe is a Raven and can be seen everyday at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the Loft.

Grizzly Grill Update

As most of you who visit the Zoo frequently know, the old Grizzly Grill is gone and a brand new building stands in its place. This beautiful new building is scheduled to open in the next few weeks (opening date TBA). We wanted to keep you updated and show you some of the progress as the artwork goes up and JE Dunn puts the finishing touches on the building construction. We are excited to open the brand new Grizzly Grill very soon!

A Tribute to Ezzie

On behalf of the education, animal and vet staff, we wanted to let friends of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo know that our North American porcupine, Esmeralda, passed away Monday morning. Early results show her complications may have come from a rupture in her intestine that lead to infection. She was approximately 9 years old.

Ezzie came to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in 2001 from a zoo in upstate New York. Always referred to as the “dancing porcupine” among guests, she was always destined to be a star. The last few years were spent engaging and inspiring copious amounts of people throughout the community in our outreach programs, Boo at the Zoo Shows and several TV appearances.

A Tribute to Ezzie by Kellie McGregor, Outreach Coordinator and Ezzie's good friend.

One thing I will always remember about Ezzie is the sound that came from an audience when she emerged from her crate to walk up the ramp and climb her stump. It was a sound of utter awe. One child would gleefully say, “It’s a porcupine!” while others would look on, quietly murmuring their amazement. Then when each child would have their chance to approach the cart and tentatively run their hand down Ezzie’s back, you knew that they would remember it for the rest of their life. They had TOUCHED a porcupine! It was always like that. It didn’t matter where we were, Ezzie captured the hearts of everyone she came in contact with.

When I look back on my time with Ezzie, it was a challenging and wondrous experience. Initially, training with her was a puzzle, but once we realized what worked for her, she was a stump climbing star! She taught me so much about animal training and I will cherish every moment I had with her. I loved going into her enclosure to bring her coconut and enrichment. Often when I would enter, she would be sleeping in her special porcupine spot high up in her exhibit. When she realized I was there, she would often come down to see me, “mmm”ing all the way. Sometimes in the winter, it took more coaxing, like a little sniff of the coconut or roses I had brought, but she often came down to see me. Other times, when it was cold, I would climb up to see her. She would eat her favorite coconut or rose treat and let me rub her nose. She had such a sweetness about her. She always enjoyed interactions with her keepers and trainers.

There are hundreds of stories that I could tell about how Ezzie touched my life and others; hundreds of moments that I can recall that made her so special to the Zoo and the community. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to work with her and share her with guests at our programs. The outreach program will not be the same without her. She was the most amazing creature and we will all miss her!

Please remember Ezzie fondly and enjoy this slideshow of her important work as animal ambassador at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo:

Happy Valentines Day from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo!

Thank you for attending Winter WildLand!

A festive showstopper, Winter WildLand delighted guests and members this past holiday season!

From creating enrichment gifts with Santa to meeting Jack Frost, Mrs. Claus and the Snow Princess to taking in thousands of sparkling light displays and visiting Santa’s Summit atop the Mountaineer Sky Ride, a fabulous time was had by guest and member alike!

Thank you for making Cheyenne Mountain Zoo part of your winter celebrations and enjoy this slideshow of the festivities:

Happy New Year!

Thank you to all our members and guests for a fantastic 2009! We look forward to seeing you in 2010!

Panama Travel Journal - Day 4

By Bob Chastain Monday 9:00 am – It’s pouring rain. The BIG drops. The type you would get absolutely soaked in, in the 20 seconds it takes to run to your car from the supermarket. People were up between 6:00 and 8:00 am this morning. It started raining at about 6:00 am and poor Roberto finally gave up and came in to the porch on the house. Everyone is restless and drinking coffee or tea and eating oatmeal or granola bars. There is not much to do right now but fiddle with gear, talk idle chat and write.


Bob makes walking sticks

Later Monday - We did finally go out to search for frogs from 5:00 to 10:00 pm tonight. I know you would like to hear about the first catch and how exciting it was, but the fact is it wasn’t. We were still spinning from the trip in yesterday, figuring out the rain and trying to get our bearings. The first frog was found not twenty steps from camp on the way to the creek. So were the next several. Only one of them was a target species.

Before our trip tonight, Roberto gave us the plan. There is a prioritized list that was a collaboration of many people but was spearheaded by the Amphibian Ark Project. This list looks at many factors and then rates a frog on the priority list. If you are a frog you make the list, basically, by being very rare and dying easily from chytrid. The scientist in the group would butcher me for that statement, but it is the boiled-down version of the truth. The thinking is 20 to 25 males and 20 to 25 females will make a genetically diverse assurance population.


atelopus limosus

Our number one priority is how to safeguard these frogs. From that, number one on our list is to secure a population of Atelopus limosus. This relative of the Panamanian Golden Frog is only found in three known populations in a central to eastern Panama. It has proved that it is highly susceptible to the fungus and its relative, the Golden Frog, is functionally extinct in the wild. Oddly enough, the first collected frog was indeed Atelopus limosus. We found several species tonight, but it looks as if our next few days we will focus on two species from our target list that seem to be in enough abundance to get a decent start on our collection. Atelopus is found during the day, so we will search from 10:00 am to 4:00 or 5:00 pm for them and then spend our nights looking for Hyloscirtus colymba.


hyloscirtus colymba
Now I know you wish there were easier common names for these frogs, but you will have to get over it, just as we did. Our group did start referring to them as limosus and colymba though. There, that is all you are going to get to make it easier for you. By about 9:00 pm we were ready to head back and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow, Tuesday, we will start the first real full day of searching.

Panama Travel Journal - Day 3

By Bob Chastain
The day broke clear and wonderful. As the other group that stayed at the first hotel arrived at Casa de Campo, we compared notes from the few hours since we last saw each other. The night for those who stayed at the other hotel was as we thought it would be. Blaring, thumping music until 4 am in the morning, followed by a 6:30 am start. Our night was restless but peaceful as we all eagerly awaited our 7:00 am departure. The trail head was one and a half hours of bumpy and curvy driving away from us, as we started our trip. The first stop was the ranger station where we found our jungle survival-trained ranger would not be going with us. At least that trip to the station allowed us to see the only three-toed sloth of the trip thus far. Another 40 minutes and we came to a hill that was so steep and muddy that we could not make it any further. That was the end of the road, so to speak.

The plan had been to drive another hour up the road and park at the trailhead. This little change meant another two hours of walking. At this point, this mattered little, as we had convinced ourselves that what we were told would be a six and a half hour hike we could do in two to four hours. Boy, were we wrong! Two hours into the hike we stopped on hill and took a photo for the Zoo’s blog site. We are holding our Zoo banner. It was at this point we began to change the hiking style from a causal pace to something that began to resemble “worry.” We were not even at the trailhead yet, so hiking in the dark seven hours from now became a pretty big concern.

I can hardly even begin to describe the difficulty of this hike. Imagine starting out on what you think is a four hour hike and eight hours later, nearing the end. I make this journal/blog entry sitting on a big muddy hill, a five minute slosh above a camp I have yet to see.

Dr. Mark Kombert trying to navigate down muddy trail, already five hours into the hike. Bob Chastain is shooting and narrating.

Everyone is “hitting the wall” and I am here awaiting the arrival of the last two members. I have found on this trip that sometimes leading a trip means not being in the front. Leading sometimes means being where you are needed. In this case, it is in the back. Even though this is the height of the rainy season in Panama, it hasn’t rained all day. And we have been following a ridge for eight hours and there has been no water. I stopped sweating three hours ago, as I had to ration the one quart of water that I had brought thinking there would be stream crossings. We literally followed a ridge for hours and hours with not a single stream crossing. I passed water at a house in the middle of nowhere because I thought we were almost there. That was four hours ago. You can see that house in a valley on the blog site, as well. I ran out of water shortly thereafter.

I have been keeping a close eye on one of our members. He hit his wall five or six hours ago and has been cramping badly for the last two hours with every hill, and there are a lot of hills. Things began to get so desperate that I left them and told them if camp is more than twenty minutes away, I would get water and send it back. 15 minutes later, I sit here just about at camp, waiting to give them the news camp is just below us. I ran into Kevin and Jamie here at the top and Kevin went below with a radio in search of the camp. That is how we know we are almost there. I asked him first, “Is there clean water?” When he answered, “yes, there is clean water just below camp,” my heart lifted.I was to the point that I looked at every dirty mud hole and wondered if I could filter that water to a safe point.

Panama Travel Journal - Day 2

-By Bob Chastain Since we last talked I had a rough nights’ sleep in a very nice hotel on the edge of the Panama Canal. The Country Inn is like every modern hotel except the floors are all tile in the rooms and the continental breakfast is exotic and amazing, compared to the States. We met Matt Evans from the National Zoo this morning. Matt is a young 30-something with great enthusiasm for all things slithery and slimy. His big wish for this trip is to see some more of a snail-eating snake. It’s a snake who’s nose is shaped like a spoon, so as to be able to eat every tiny morsel of snail part. Today is a staging day. After this entry we will go to the market to look for crafts, go have lunch with Adrian Benedetti. Adrian is a young and handsome man who was the Director of the Summit Zoo, the facility that will house our frogs here upon our return. Adrian is now what you can think of as the director in charge of all national parks, all wildlife and all forestry lands in Panama. After lunch and a little tour, we will go to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) and pick up our gear for the drive to Cerro Azul. When I last left you, I told you to take this week to look around. Here is my “saw it” list for the day. Brown Pelican, Great Egret, Whimbrel, male and female Great-Tailed Grackle.

Video of the plaza:

The hustle and bustle in the streets of Panama City

Panama Travel Journal - Day 1

-By Bob Chastain


As we flew low out of Houston, I had not yet fully realized what it was we were about to do. Looking down over the city it was a site I had seen many times. Not Houston, for I have only seen it only a hand full of times from the air, but civilization. Roads, bridges, ball parks, golf courses and much more. Every city has these elements that make up its fabric. One thing they all have in common though is people. Every time I look down out of an airplane I see life, but no people. Not because they are not there, but because they are too small.

I see cars move, boats move, golf courses and busy roadways. Each time think about the people and wonder what they are doing, totally unaware that I am watching them from above. Today I think they would be happy if they knew what we were doing. I don’t yet know if they would care about the frogs, but I know that they like the thought of frogs. I know they like the thought of a jungle, the thought of adventure and the thought that someone out there is looking out for all those things. Frogs, such tiny creatures that if we we’re all honest, we all love. Sometimes we don’t think about them, but when we do, we love them. In my heart, in a special place, that I am not ready to share yet, I have waited my whole life for this trip.

Somewhere in Panama right now there is a frog, lets call him Bob. Bob’s life is normal now. He has little knowledge that a deadly fungus has been creeping in on him for years. Slowly making its way up the coast of South America and down the narrow track of land from Mexico, through Costa Rica and now into Panama. More than likely Bob and everyone he knows will be dead in less than five years. At the rate in which the chytrid fungus moves, it could be as little as one and no more than five years before it reaches his home in Cerro Brewster.

When it does reach his home, past research shows that it will be devastating. Extensive studies by Karen Lips shows what happened to a population of frogs within a few months of the arrival of the chytrid fungus not far from here. Before this happens though we will collect Bob, and make sure he and a few of his kind live until we find a cure for the killing fungus. People around the world will fall in love with him. We will tell his story and the story of his kind and as with the story of the princess, we will fall in love with frogs all over again.


For those of you that will now follow our journey through this blog I think some introductions are in order. On the trip are Kevin and Jamie Kratt. Kevin was Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s board chair for the past two years and has supported this project from the very start. A passionate person, who loves life, his family and the pursuit of all things excellent. Jamie, his wife, has also been in love with this project and the thought of Bob the frog since the beginning. She, too, wondered what the first frog capture would be like and set her heart toward saving frogs from the first day she heard about this project. She brought frogs to a black tie Zoo event called Zoo Ball this past spring. That takes guts because frogs and ball gowns rarely go hand in hand.

Dr. Della Garelle is the Director of Conservation and Animal Health at the Zoo. She is now doing what she always dreamed she would do. As a Cornell trained veterinarian she has spent her whole adult life using her veterinarian skills to save wild life. Like many smart people her job more often is in the office arranging the saving of wildlife than in the field saving wildlife. It has been over 15 years since she has been in the jungles doing field work. As of late, most of her field work is in the high deserts and plains working with such species as black-footed ferrets and Wyoming toads.

Dr. Mark Kombert is our head vet. All day to day care of the zoo animals is done by Mark. Mark is a gentle man with a calm and free spirit. He worked at our Zoo years ago, when I was the Horticulture Curator, before going to spend several years in England with his family. He has recently returned to the zoo and it’s as if he never left.

As for me, I am a cheerleader. An encourager. A dreamer. The others have brought me along for the ride and more then likely to make fun of me. I just seem to be that kind of person. The, along with the people back at the zoo, do all the work while I get to speak for you and all those people on the Houston highways. The same people on the highways of Colorado Springs. The people that teach our kids, run our parks, pick up our trash, heal us when we are sick, keep our books, cut our hair, run our business and protect our world. Those people who want to know that someone out there is doing something for all the creatures they love, but sometimes they forget to think about.

Life is just plain busy. Just once, just this week, while we are gone and you read along…slow down, look around and know we are working for you. Working to save the animals you see everyday. If it has been a while since you have looked around to see them, do that this week and I will do the same. -Bob

Outside the Airport in Panama

Ever considered becoming a zoo keeper?

Today’s Zoos are the center of conservation work, education and research and our very own Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of the premier internship sites utilized by Pikes Peak Community College zoo keeping students.

Pikes Peak Community College is one of two colleges in the United States that has an academic partnership with an American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, (AZA) accredited zoo. Through this program, students become competent in the care of species in hoof stock, primates and carnivores, and birds and reptiles.

In addition to the practical application, students are trained in animal husbandry, exhibitry, safety, veterinary care, horticulture, and environmental science. The program also offers electives such as elephant management, animal training, advanced exhibitry techniques, primate studies and adventures in zoo design.

Wonder if you have what it takes to become a zoo keeper? Craig Coffey of Fox 21 News passed the “Keeper for a Day” test! Check out his story!



For more information and resources for Zoo and Aquarium careers, visit aza.org.

Three Deer Photo Contest

Here's a sampling of photos from guest who have entered the Three Deer Photo Contest! Thank you to all who have participated so far!




Generations of families have posed for photos in front of this Manship creation. Do you have a photo that includes the Three Deer? If so, email them to blogkeeper@cmzoo.org for your chance to win 4 free Sky Ride tickets.

Select photos will be posted on The Zoo's Facebook page and here at In Between the Spots. The family of the winning photo will also receive 4 Sky Ride passes. Deadline September 30, 2009.