Putting the Extremely Rare Wyoming Toad Back Into the Wild

Our friends at the Como Zoo are doing some amazing work with the Wyoming Toad as well. Read this great story about the conservation efforts.

By Jordan Schaul

Bree Barney loves her job, she really does! The small mammal keeper, like many, has a few miscellaneous reptiles and amphibians on her string. She boasts about getting to hold sloths and feeding Galapagos tortoises, but is most proud of the Como Park Zoo and Conservancy's participation in their first-ever conservation project involving the release of captive reared animals -- Wyoming toadlets.

And she gets to do it. Yes, she visits the field site personally and with other zoo herpetoculturists, many of whom are veteran zoo herpetologists, gets to release the captive reared animals back into the wild.

Bree admits that since childhood , all she ever wanted to do was "help our natural world and the animal kingdom to the best of [her] ability, whether it is a toad, a giraffe, or an orangutan."

In corresponding with Bree, it is clear that she takes her role as the lead Wyoming toad keeper at the Como Zoo very seriously, and it is a big responsibility. Today animal keepers not only participate in field conservation, they coordinate these projects in conjunction with government agencies.

READ FULL STORY.


Wyoming Toads at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Panama Amphibian Rescue Team Returns

We asked each of our travel team members to write about their journey to Panama. They are all so different and have such amazing perspective. Read each of their blog posts on our FROG BLOG.


Ashley, Jamie, Jenyva, Antonia and Bob, hiking into the rainforest.

Blog posts:
Bob Chastain, President and CEO

Ashley Young, Interpretive Keeper

Jenyva Turner, Zoo Keeper

Jamie Breitigan, Commissary Manager

2 New Education Programs at the Zoo...Stroller Safaris and Scout Badges

Stroller Safaris

Take a Walk on the Wild Side.


How do scales feel different than fur? What different sounds do animals make? Bring your 18-36 month old to the Zoo with their favorite adult for a fun interactive class that will introduce your toddler to the wonders of the animal kingdom. During each class we will learn about our animal friends through age appropriate stories, special activities and fun animal encounters.

Age:18-36 month olds
Time: 8:45am-9:30am
Cost: $6.25 members / $16.25 non-members per class.
(Program fee admits one adult and one toddler per class.)

Does your toddler have siblings? No worries...

* Siblings within the program's age range of 18-36 months can participate in the stroller program for the normal program fee ($6.25 members/ $16.25 non-members)
* Siblings up to 6 years of age are allowed at Thursday's class for an extra fee of $2.25. We will have appropriate activities planned for these siblings (this excludes infants).

For more information call 633-9925 ext. 127. Note: To register for a class within 48 hours of the start time please call us. Classes may be canceled if minimum sizes are not met. Space is limited, pre-registration is required.

Learn more about the upcoming Stroller Safaris or register online.


Scout Badge Programs



Badges Earned Up-close.

Whether your group is interested in spending a few hours, a day, or a whole night, we have just the right program for you! There are a variety of programs available for Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts that offer the opportunity to complete most of or all of the necessary requirements for several conservation, nature and animal-related badges.

Our pre-scheduled workshops make it convenient to join in on program fun with other Scouts groups too! Online registration is coming soon for these pre-scheduled programs.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a unique and unforgettable location for scouts of all ages to work on their badges and achievements. Consider one of our specially designed Scout Badge Workshops geared toward your scout groups’ needs. You choose the badge or achievements and we do the rest!! During your workshop, enjoy private use of one of our Zoo cabins for a portion of your activities, a private tour including an up-close personal experience with a Zoo staff, as well as the chance to meet a few of our Zoo animal ambassadors. Programs fulfill the requirements of one badge or select set of achievements. Scouts will be awarded with certificates at the end of the program showing which badge or achievements they completed during their workshop.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo requires a minimum of 8 scouts to book a Badge Workshop.

Check out all of our pre-scheduled scout workshops online.

Memorial Day Plant Sale - ONLINE PRE-SALES OPEN!

MEMORIAL DAY PLANT SALE

WHEN: May 28-30, 2011
TIME: Saturday, Sunday & Monday, 9:00am - 6:00pm daily
WHERE: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
ADMISSION: NO Zoo admission is required to attend the plant sale, so stop by!

The Plant Sale features over 200 varieties of resource-wise perennials, grasses, and herbs that perform well in the Pikes Peak Region.

PRE-ORDERING PLANTS ONLINE...OPEN NOW
To assist you with plant selection, lists are provided here to help you with your search for Plant Select Plants, native plants, plants that will attract butterflies or hummingbirds, something that is resistant to deer or rabbits, or for a listing of this year's HPP plants.

Begin shopping by clicking on a plant type below. Then click on individual plant names for detailed information on each plant. Simply add desired items to your ‘shopping cart,’ and then 'check out.’

Although you will be asked for a shipping address at checkout, postal shipping of live plants is not available. Please see Pre-order Pick Up and Delivery below for additional information.

PRE-ORDER PICK UP
Customers who pre-order online may take advantage of special early pick up and early entry into the Plant Sale on Saturday, May 28th, from 6am to 10am. Enjoy the convenience of online ordering AND have the added bonus of entering the Plant Sale early to do additional shopping.

PRE-ORDER DELIVERY
New this year: Free local delivery on large orders (over $500). Free delivery is limited to addresses within one half hour travel time from the Zoo. If you place a large order, we will contact you to arrange delivery.

Please note: There is NO POSTAL SHIPPING of live plant orders at any time.

Visit our website for more information on the sale and pre-ordering your plants today!

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.