Holy Year of the Bat, Batman!

Rewind back to 1922 when the first vampire film was released-bats are frequently portrayed as dirty, scary varmints you don’t want to come into contact with.  But in real life, you will find bats are very clean, not-that-scary animals, acting as natural pest controllers and eating up to 1,000 mosquitoes in a single hour!

Surprised? Bats aren’t confined to caves, spending the majority of the summer living in trees, under bridges, or in old houses. You may already have them in your area, so why not take advantage of their insect eating powers by building a bat house.  When built correctly, bat houses mimic an ideal bat environment-tight, dark, and warm. Follow the steps below to build your own bat house.

Constructing a Bat House

Tools ·  Measuring tape ·  Straightedge ·  Combination square ·  Spring clamps ·  Safety glasses ·  Jigsaw ·  French curve and circle templates ·  Drill fitted with .25” drill bit ·  Caulking gun ·  Paintbrush ·  Foam roller ·  Scissors ·  Staple gun

Supplies ·  2’x 4’ section of ½” exterior grade plywood ·  One 6’ 1x2 ·  ½” deer netting ·  Exterior latex paint – black and another dark color ·  Low VOC adhesive caulk ·  1” deck screws ·  3 ½” deck screws ·  3/8” Staples

Directions

1. Measure and cut the plywood
Using a tape measure and straightedge, mark up for cutting a 2’x4’ piece of ½” exterior-grade plywood. You’ll need one piece that’s 2’ wide x 26” long and one that’s 2’ wide x 22” long. Clamp the plywood to a worktable. Make sure you have on safety glasses, then use a jigsaw or a circular saw to cut the plywood.

2. Draw the bat design
Create a bat cut out using circular and oblong templates called French curves (available at most office supply stores). Lay out the bat shape on the edge of the shorter piece of plywood, making sure it’s 24” wide. 

3. Drill holes for the jigsaw
Clamp the plywood and bat design to your worktable, making sure the whole bat hangs over the edge. Using a drill/driver with a ¼” bit, drill holes just inside the points of the bat shape. This will make it easy to turn your jigsaw blade as you cut out the curved parts.

4. Cut out the bat
Using a jigsaw fitted with a narrow scroll blade, which is designed for making intricate curves, cut out the bat design. Cut the shape closest to the edge first, then cut the whole bat from the sheet. Because both halves of the cutline need to look clean, work slowly and carefully. Whenever you get to a drill hole at one of the points, stop the saw and turn it before you continue.

5. Make the sides
To raise the front panel off the back and create a small crawl space to house the bats, you’ll need strips of lumber around the edges. Cut three pieces from a 1x2-one 24” piece and two 19” pieces.

6. Attach the sides
Using a caulk gun, lay a bead of caulk along the face of the long 1x2. Line it up with the top edge of the larger piece of plywood and clamp it in place with spring clamps. Using a drill/driver, drive 1” deck screws through the 1x2 and into the plywood every 6 inches to hold it in place.

Attach the two shorter pieces to the sides in the same manner and caulk the ends where they meet the top piece before you clamp them down. Use a damp rag to wipe up any caulk that oozes out.

7. Paint the parts
Using a brush and roller, paint the back piece black, from the top edge to the ends of the 1x2s. Also paint the back of the front piece black. These will form the dark inside of the bat house.

Paint the other surfaces in a color that will help maintain a healthy temperature inside the house. If you live in the North, a dark color can keep the house toasty by absorbing the sunlight. In the warm South, a light color may be a better choice. Be sure all surfaces of the wood are painted and well sealed.

Let the paint dry completely.

8. Attach the netting
Unroll the deer netting and lay it over the inside of the back section, flat against the plywood. Using a staple gun, attach the netting to the inner edge of the top 1x2 and along the sides. Make sure to pull it taut so it can’t sag when bats hang from it. Extend the netting all the way over the bottom edge and wrap it around to the back. Once it’s stapled all around, cut off the excess.

9. Attach the front piece
Caulk along the face of the 1x2s on the back section. Place the front piece onto the 1x2s with the bat shape facing the bottom, and the top edges and corners lined up. Clamp it in place. Drive 1” screws every 6 inches through the face and into the 1x2s to secure it.

10. Put on the bat cutout
Caulk the exposed sections of the 1x2s, then place the cutout onto them just below the large front piece. Leave a ½” gap between the two for the air vent. Clamp the piece and attach it in place with a single 1” screw on each side.

11. Hang it up
Hang your bat house under the eaves of your house or from a tall, flat pole made from pressure-treated lumber (make sure to bury one-third of the lumber in the ground to keep it steady). Attach it by driving 3½” deck screws through the corners into the siding or fascia of your house, or if you’re using a pole, along the middle at the top and bottom.

The bat house should be at least 15 feet off the ground, away from bright lights. Choose a place facing south so it gets plenty of sunlight (aim for 6 to 10 hours of exposure). This will keep it nice and hot—just the way bats like it!

These directions and more building tips can be found at: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20165965,00.html

Electric Safari 2011

Pasta for Christmas?

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the zoo
Not a creature was stirring, not even Tamu.
The stockings were hung by the exhibits with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

According to a tradition traced back to 1820, Santa Claus lives at the North Pole with Mrs. Claus, his nine reindeer and many elves. Each year on Christmas Eve, Santa and his elves pack the sleigh for a worldwide adventure, leaving toys for all of the good girls, boys and yes, even the animals here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

On Christmas morning when the keepers arrive, there are two special packages awaiting them. The packages aren’t for the keepers though; they are for the animals. A special food package may hold elk or deer hide, animal legs or even pasta to cook, and a large gift box (yes, it’s wrapped) is full of special items, including:

-         Burlap bags for the apes to use as toys. The bags usually end up over their heads at some point, mimicking what they would do with a large leaf in the wild.

-         Peanut butter & jelly is the favorite of most animals here at the zoo. The keepers will spread it on the walls within an animal’s exhibit or place it on a razor board (a hard plastic board with holes) and allow the animals to pick it out of the holes.

-         Sugar-free Gatorade or Kool-Aid is used to make ice treats for the animals adding a little flavor to their water.

-         Jell-O is given to all areas of the zoo for a special treat. Due to the red coloring, we stay away from cherry or strawberry flavors. We don’t want visitors to think our animals are injured.

-         Coconuts are given out to numerous animals including the primates, and they are the porcupine’s favorite treat.

-         Cereal is a great training tool, and rumor has it the animals love Raisin Bran.

-         Spices and perfumes are sprayed randomly in an animal’s exhibit to ignite their senses. When the animals approach the new scent, it is very intriguing to them and makes for a sometimes comical reaction.

These presents are used throughout the year for animal enrichment. In the wild, animals would spend many hours a day trying to find, collect and eat food.  At the zoo, they obviously don’t have to work quite as hard to “earn their living” but still have a lot of adaptations and energy that they need to use.  This is where enrichment comes in.  The items listed above are used for activities which provide mental and physical stimulation, with the goal of promoting species-appropriate natural behaviors in the animals under our care. We identify specific behaviors, such as foraging or grooming, and create toys or activities to encourage that behavior.  These activities challenge our animals’ bodies and minds to keep them active and engaged.
If you are interested in playing Santa Claus to the animals, check out the “Wish List” on the Electric Safari event page.  The list includes the items we are currently accepting. Plus, when you bring an item during Electric Safari, you’ll receive discounted admission.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! 

“Oh, Christmas lights, keep shinin’ on…”

 Santa Claus is in the zoo, the scent of smoked almonds wafting out of Grizzly Grill and over one million plus twinkle lights are lit for our 21^st Annual Electric Safari event. The event runs December 16 through January 1, from 5:30 to 8:30pm each evening (closed Christmas Eve). For many individuals, Electric Safari is a family tradition, but for others this may be their first time.  

For those of you who have never been to Electric Safari, here are the zoo’s top five tips, based on Christmas songs, to help you enjoy the event.

1. “Baby its cold outside…”

We help cut the chill of the evening air with numerous heaters and fire pits placed along the Electric Safari trail, but weather here on Cheyenne Mountain is always changing, so be prepared.  Wearing layers is always the best way to go and don’t forget your hats, mittens and scarves!

2.  “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”

Nothing says Electric Safari like the aromatic smells coming from the Grizzly Grill, open nightly during Electric Safari. Make sure to stop by for hot chocolate, fresh roasted nuts and a variety of holiday baked goods.

3. “It’s Christmas Eve and these shoes are just her size…”

Just a reminder, we are America’s only mountain zoo. When planning your clothing for Electric Safari, please remember to wear comfortable shoes with good traction. The Electric Safari trail runs throughout the zoo and most animal areas are open for evening viewing.

 4.        “I want a hippopotamus for Christmas…”  

When arriving at Electric Safari, make sure to check the Animal Happenings schedule. We host numerous animal keeper talks and animal enrichment activities each evening, beginning at 6:00pm. If you missed one of the demonstrations, don’ worry! Create holiday magic by helping make items used during the animal enrichment activities in The Loft.

5. “Santa Claus is coming to town…”

Make sure to see Santa and Mrs. Claus in Primate World, from 5:30 to 8:15pm each evening through Friday, December 23. Beat the lines and make Santa Zone your first stop of the evening.

  

Zoo members receive FREE admission! General admission is $8.25 for adults and $5.25 for children age’s (3-11). Receive $2 off an adult admission or $1 off a child’s admission when you bring an item listed the animals’ wish list. Visit cmzoo.org/electricsafari for more event information. 

Meet the Snow Leopards

Have you ever wondered how snow leopards get their fur so soft and fluffy? Or how they make the most of their exhibit here at the zoo? We took your questions, posted on our Facebook page, straight to the leopards themselves (or maybe to their keepers), to get you answers.  Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is home to two snow leopards, a 3-year-old female named Kisa and a 3-year-old male named Bhutan.

Facebook Question: Wouldn't life for you be way better if your enclosure was larger ? :)

Answer: Actually, life is pretty great!  The enclosure you see me in is not the only area I live in.  All of us leopards rotate through the three leopard yards and the leopard building, so I get to be in a new area every day, which is very interesting! Sometimes the keepers give me access to multiple enclosures at the same time, which gives me a ton of space to play in!

Facebook Question: What do you want SantaCatPaws to bring you this year? I already know you been a great cat this year.

Answer: Well, you are right...I HAVE been a very good leopard this year! Santa always brings us lots of fun treats and toys for Christmas, but this year I hope he brings me some special meat treats, like deer hides or steak. Those are my favorite!

Facebook Question: Are you as soft as you look?
Answer: Thank you for noticing!  Yes, my fur is very soft on top and feels similar to rabbit fur.  My fur underneath, which is the fur that keeps me warm when it's cold outside, is thicker and more coarse, like sheep wool.


Facebook Question: Can you change your spots?
Answer: I can’t change my spots.  A leopards spots are very much like a human’s fingerprints - they are unique to each individual and never change.  Many people don't know this, but our skin is spotted just like our fur coats!

Facebook Question: Do you know that white is out of season after Labor Day?

Answer: Yes, we know snow leopards are very fashion forward!  But when you're this pretty, you can totally pull off white after Labor Day!

Here are a few more snow leopard facts. A snow leopard’s average height is two feet, average length is six to seven-and-a-half feet, and they weigh from 77 to 121 pounds. Female snow leopards weigh approximately 30% less than males. Snow leopards live for as long as 21 years in captivity. Their reclusive nature makes it hard to determine snow leopard lifespan in the wild. Eating wild sheep and goats, and smaller animals like rodents, hares, and game birds, is what makes up their daily menu. These cats can be found in the rugged mountains of central Asia. Their range spans from Afghanistan to Kazakhstan and Russia in the north, to India and China in the east. China is home to about 60% of snow leopard habitat. Snow leopards have already disappeared from certain areas of Mongolia, which is part of their historic range.  Due to the high demand for their coats, snow leopards are illegally hunted for the fur trade. Very rare in most of their range, an estimated 3,500 to 7,000 snow leopards are left in the wild, with 600 to 700 in zoos around the world.