We're answering YOUR giraffe questions!

You asked us YOUR questions about giraffes on Facebook, and today our Cheyenne Mountain Zoo animal keepers have answers.

Cheyenne Shumock-Miller asked: How long do they stay this size?! Or close to it?

Giraffe calves can grow up to nine inches during the first month of life and continue to grow rapidly in the first year. After that, their growth slows to less than an inch per year. The giraffe is the tallest living land animal. Males can reach a height of 16-18 feet, while females are somewhat smaller, averaging 14-16 feet.

Colorado Vacation Directory asked: Do you have a name yet?

It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s tradition to name newborns after they are 30 days old. Once he’s been named, we will make an announcement!  

Candice Huffman-Tidd asked: Do you actually breed the animals? Or does this happen on its own?

Our two bull giraffes, Khalid and Mawimbi, spend their days in their own outside yards or indoor stalls – separated from each other and from the rest of the herd. This replicates how they would live in the wild, as older male giraffes often live on their own. Based on breeding recommendations, we select one female at a time from our herd to spend time with one of our males. After the two giraffes are placed together, keepers watch for any signs of pregnancy.

Chelsea Leger Dayberry asked: How often do they have babies?

Giraffes can breed throughout the year. They have a gestation period of 14 to 15 months. Female giraffes can give birth up to eight times in a lifetime.

Helen Thomson-Olson asked: Is it true the older a giraffe becomes, their spots get darker?

When they are born, giraffe spots are lighter in color, but they will darken in the first year.  After that, their coloring remains basically the same for the rest of their lives. Giraffes are known for their spotted coats, but did you know that it is actually the pattern of their skin? Every giraffe has a unique pattern of spots. Our reticulated giraffes have large brown spots separated by cream-colored lines. Males are darker than females.

Rhiannon Gelner-Norton asked: Why do they lick the poles in their exhibit, both inside and outside?

Giraffes are "browsers," which are animals that primarily eat leaves of trees and shrubs. In the wild, they could spend up to 75% of the day browsing and eating. At our Zoo, they do not have to work as hard to find food, but have the instincts to browse for that length of time, so they “browse” on the poles out of instinctual habit.  

Rubyann Alfonso asked: How much do they weigh when they're born?

Our newest giraffe calf weighed 104 pounds and was 5’ 4” tall at birth. Calves can weigh up to 200 pounds when they are born, and stand as tall as 6 feet.

Nyah Stier asked: Why do giraffes have brown spots, and why do they have a long neck?

Reticulated giraffes are the most distinctively patterned of the eight subspecies of giraffe. Their elaborate pattern is good camouflage in dense, dry vegetation. Their necks also help them survive in the dense and dry vegetation– making it possible for them to eat food that is unavailable to most other ground-dwelling mammals.

Catherine Tran asked: How soon after birth do giraffe babies get up?

Within 30 to 60 minutes of being born, the calf is up and ready to go! It will continue to walk awkwardly for the next few days as it gets used to maneuvering its new, and very long, legs. Mother giraffes give birth while standing up – making a giraffe calf’s first experience in the world a five-foot fall to the ground! This introduction may seem harsh, but it is very important. The fall severs the umbilical cord, while stimulating the calf to take its first breath of air. Mother will then lick her calf until it is ready to try standing. 

Enriching Animals' Lives at the Zoo

The first time I saw our 300-pound Amur tiger, Grom, jump straight into the air to catch a deer hide that was ziplining down his exhibit at warp speed, I was captivated. He leaped so high and moved so swiftly, it was unforgettable. Grom’s demonstration and his special “treat” were part of his daily enrichment.

Amur tiger, Grom, with a deer hide

At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, we give our animals enrichment every day! It’s fun for guests to watch, but Animal Care Manager Dina Bredahl explains that enrichment is a vital part of our animals’ care.   

Enrichment is anything that stimulates the mind and body of an animal. Animals have to work hard to survive in the wild – many graze, browse, hunt or forage for food for many hours a day.  We use enrichment to ensure that our animals’ physical, psychological and social needs are met. This ensures their days are challenging and interesting, and it keeps them “on their toes,” much like they would in the wild.

African lion, Angie, with a hide and meat covered bone

How do we accomplish that? The answer is the fun part of enrichment! The sky is the limit, and our zookeepers’ knowledge about the animals they work with is key. There are several types of animal enrichment, which include food, sensory, novel objects, environmental and training – just to name a few.

For food enrichment, we often use special feeders that require tool use or manipulation in order to access it. This is more challenging, time consuming and rewarding for our animals, rather than simply putting the treat in a food bowl.  If we freeze pineapples and cantaloupes for the bears, it keeps them busy as they gnaw and dig at the treats.  All of the primates like bobbing for apples or other fruits. The otters get fresh oysters or clams to trigger their feeding instincts. 

Canadian moose, Tahoma, sparring with a tree hung in his exhibit

There are other ways to provide enrichment that do not involve food. An overfed animal is not a healthy animal! Scent enrichment is a great way to temporarily change an animal’s environment…the better the animal’s sense of smell, the more effective this is. Lemurs do a lot of scent marking in the wild, so they react to perfume sprayed on their trees. The wolves show a lot of interest in buck urine. And the lions love to roll in elephant poo – just like they would do in the wild.

We also “recycle” a lot of animal materials for other another animal’s enrichment. The primates enjoy playing with colorful bird feathers and the feline species will hunt down patches of goat hair or snake sheds hidden in their exhibit.

Chickens plucking at mini corncobs stuffed in a KONG toy

We monitor the behavior of our animals and continually change the enrichment they receive to best create an environment that is healthy, stimulating, safe and keeps them active.

Want to know what is enriching the animals at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo? Visit the Zoo and watch a keeper talk and animal demo. Get the full schedule here: http://cmzoo.org/guestInformation/planVisit/animalHappenings.asp

Happy Birthday, Boudreaux!

Boudreaux, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s komodo dragon, turns 10 years old today! He was born on Jan. 17, 2003 and arrived at our Zoo in September 2011.

“All you need to know about Boudreaux is he is one cool guy,” said April Hyatt, Aquatics Zoo Keeper. “He enjoys when keepers are in his exhibit and when he gets attention.”

Hyatt also reports that Boudreaux is a very active komodo dragon for his size and age. “When komodo dragons are young, they are arboreal, meaning they spend a great deal of time in trees. When they are older, they are more terrestrial, or ground dwelling. Boudreaux weighs 92 pounds, but he still enjoys climbing the trees in his exhibit, which is unique for his size.”

Guests can frequently watch Boudreaux swimming, walking around in the sand and enjoying enrichment. His favorite enrichment items include boxes, small pieces of animal hide and anything that he can dig under.

Boudreaux is a great ambassador for komodo dragons. Guests are fascinated by him, which gives keepers an avenue to educate about the species.

Found only in Indonesia, komodos can grow up to 10 feet long and 300 pounds, classifying them as the heaviest lizards on Earth. There are 3,000 to 5,000 komodo dragons in the wild. Poaching, human encroachment and natural disasters have driven them to an endangered species status.

To learn more about komodo dragons and to wish Boudreaux “Happy 10^th Birthday,” stop by the Aquatics building at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. 

Why isn't anyone hibernating at the Zoo?

During our first animal science class we were taught that bears hibernate. So, it’s only natural that our Rocky Mountain Wild grizzly bear keepers keep getting asked, “Why are Digger and Emmett still awake?”

It’s a great question!

The purpose of hibernation is for an animal to conserve energy when food sources are limited, thus it is associated with winter months. Before going into hibernation, grizzly bears go through a period called hyperphagia, meaning they eat in excess. Some bears will gain up to 400 pounds in preparation for hibernation – Digger and Emmitt naturally gain between 100-150 pounds in the fall. After the first substantial snowstorm of the season, wild grizzlies will enter their dens and remain in hibernation until late winter or early spring, when food sources become more abundant. They’ll occasionally have periods of time in the winter when they will wake up, move around and even go outside. This type of hibernation is sometimes referred to as false hibernation. 

Grizzly bears that have a consistent food source in the winter, like Emmett and Digger, do not have to hibernate at all. Keepers report that they are hardwired to go through seasonal behavior changes, though. Right now, our grizzly boys are experiencing a phenomenon called “torpor.”

Torpor is a period of time when bears have lower body temperatures and lower metabolism. They are sleepier and have less of an appetite. In the summer, Digger and Emmitt eat 20-25 pounds of food everyday. Right now, they are eating 10 pounds of food daily. While they normally love eating meat, fish, romaine, celery, carrots and bear chow, keepers report that they will leave portions of food and naturally start to lose weight during the winter months.

Our grizzlies are a little more sluggish these days, but they still are fun to watch.

“Sometimes in the morning they want a few more hours of sleep,” said Rebecca Zwicker, Rocky Mountain Wild Keeper. “But, even in the winter, the problem is trying to get them to go back  into their den at night.”

Zwicker reports that another fun “gearing-up-for-winter” behavior to watch is Digger stepping up his den digging in the yard. “It’s always in a new place, and I think he feels like it’s never quite done. This year, it’s under a log near the trout pond. Every night he has to dig to just the right point before he’ll come into their building.”

During snow storms, it’s fun to watch our grizzly bears play in the powder. The unique experience often makes them hyper-active – the exact opposite of hibernating.

A Resolution to Reuse

“I resolve to teach my child to reuse!” Make 2013 the year your family learns to find creative ways to repurpose recyclables for some creative projects. It’s a fun resolution that will help make a difference for our planet. Using “trash” for creating projects is inexpensive, fun and educational. Get your thinking caps on, take a look around and start designing your next conservation project.

Need a little inspiration? We have a few simple ideas to get you started.

Project one: Postcards

Use your child’s favorite empty cereal box for postcards!

You will need:
- 1 empty cereal box (or more)
- Markers

- Postage

Directions:
1. Take the empty box and cut it into 4”x6” pieces.

2. Divide the card in half with a marker. Write the delivery address on the right side. Let your child fill the left side with a fun note or picture for their grandparents, a relative or friend.

3. Put on a stamp, and drop their postcard in the mail!

4. Finally, place any leftover box pieces in the recycle bin and voila, you’ve taught your child how to reuse (and recycle).

Project two: Binoculars from Toilet Paper Rolls

Turn those toilet paper rolls or paper towel tubes into binoculars. This project uses minimal craft supplies, and if you’re resourceful, you won't have to buy anything.

You will need:  

- 2 toilet paper rolls or a long paper towel tube, cut in half, for each pair of binoculars
- Other reusable items to decorate their binoculars:

* Fabric - like old blue jeans
* Newsprint or other recycled paper

* Old buttons

* Crayons or paint
- Glue or use 2 twist ties to join the tubes
- String, shoelace or leftover ribbon for a neck cord (optional)

Directions:
1. Start by letting your child decorate their two tubes anyway they want!

2. Help your child secure their tubes together. This can be done in one of two ways. The first would be to simply glue the two tubes together. Use clothespins or binder clips at the edges to hold together while the glue dries. The second is to secure the tubes together with twist ties. Poke two holes in each recycled tube, about a ½ inch from the edge, on both ends of the rolls. Join the two tubes, using the twist ties, by lining up the four holes and twisting the ties inside the tube. Tuck any leftover ends out of the way.

3. If you want to include a neck cord, recommended only for older kids, poke one hole in each tube on the outside edge of the binoculars about ½ inch from the edge. Slip a string, shoelace or ribbon through the outer two holes for the neck cord. Make sure it's long enough for kids to take the binoculars on and off easily.

4. Take your children on a nature walk and have them tell you what they spot with their new binoculars!

Project 3: Imagination Diorama!

Take any recyclables you have and give them to your children to create a nature scene. They might cut out a milk carton for a tree, use old newspapers to create a mountain scene or make egg carton animals. You never know what they will come up with using the items you give them for materials – let their imagination be their guide for their new art creation.

Teaching children to reduce, recycle and REUSE is important for protecting the future of our environment. Make it your New Year’s resolution to spend time teaching your family about ways to repurpose old to create new; your plan makes a difference!