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

Celebrate Mother’s Day with the Zoo

Do you have plans for Mother’s Day? We have some wonderful activities to help celebrate Mom’s on this very special weekend.

Friday May 7
Attention Mothers and Daughters:
Come celebrate Mother's Day weekend at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo with a WildNight sleepover!
Bring your daughter to the Zoo and have lots of fun learning about animals and each other. We’ll provide dinner and breakfast, an after-hours tour, and a cozy cabin to sleep in! There’s no better way to start off your Mother’s Day weekend!! Kids must be 5 years old to participate.
Time: 6 p.m.- 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 8.
Cost: $60.50 per pair, and $25.25 each additional child.
Please visit our website to register or call (719) 633-9925 X 127.

Saturday, May 8
"Mother, May I"
Spring has arrived and so have the babies here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Bring your family to the zoo as we explore the world of animal babies and meet any new arrivals!
Time: 1 pm
Cost:$20 per Zoo member family, $35 per non-member family
Register online!

Sunday, May 9
Mother’s Day Brunch
Treat your Mother to a fantastic brunch on Mother’s Day in the Lodge at Moose Lake from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.! Visit the beautiful stations overflowing with made-to-order omelettes, hand carved pork and sausage, freshly tossed pastas, crisp salads with fresh berries and a decadent dessert station! Champagne Mimosa or Bloody Mary included.
Cost: $35 for adults
$20 for children ages 3-11
$10 for children under 3
Zoo admission is not included unless you are a current Zoo member.
To make a reservation, please call 719-314-0970.

Moms Are Special to All of Us.
Treat your Mom to a day of fun at the Zoo on Mother's Day! Mom’s get in for just $5.25 with a special coupon in The Gazette. Cut it out from The Gazette and bring it with you! No duplications or copies excepted, it must be an original newspaper ad. Limit one mom per ad. You can find this ad printed in The Gazette's Main Section on both Sundays, May 2nd and May 9th! To see the ad visit our event calendar online.

Adopt an Animal by April 30!

Exclusive Adopt Package and Limited Edition T-Shirt Giveaway in honor of our new Golden Lion Tamarin babies!

In honor of our brand new Golden Lion Tamarin babies, born March 30, 2010, you can adopt a Golden Lion Tamarin at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and give someone you love the ultimate warm fuzzy!

New animal parents who adopt any species by April 30, 2010 receive an ivory Zoo T-shirt in this limited edition print:


Visit our website to see the adoption levels from which to choose and more details about the Adopt an Animal program at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. New parents who adopt any species by April 30, 2010 will receive a voucher by mail for one free limited edition t-shirt. Voucher may be redeemed at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo admissions gates.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is committed to providing exceptional care for our hundreds of animal residents. It costs over $650,000 each year to feed and care for our 750+ animals. By adopting one of them you help provide for the outstanding care that these animals deserve. Your adoption gift directly supports the care of the animals at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Visit our website for more details about the animals you can adopt!

Run to the Shrine: Tips to Train for the Incline

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo invites world class runners and families alike to join in the Run to the Shrine on Saturday, May 22, 2010. Both the 5K and the 10K options curve through the Zoo and some of the most stunning mountain scenery this side of the Rockies.

Running has tremendous health benefits for the human body. It strengthens the heart and lungs, improves circulation, and keeps the leg muscles strong and toned. The Run to the Shrine is a particularly demanding run due to the 8.5% gradient increase from the base of the Zoo (6,800 feet) to the Shrine (8,100 feet). We wanted to address some of your questions and help you prepare for the Run to the Shrine.

What is the best training I can do for RTS?
Hill training! Hill training is a method of running up hills to increase muscle power and strength. The most common benefits of hill training are: strengthen hamstrings, calves, glutes, hip flexors and achilles tendons. Hill running uses more upper-body muscles than flat running.

What can I expect when I start training?
Hill training is very demanding at first because you work muscles that you don't use very often while running. However, the more you hill train, the easier it becomes.

What is the difference between short, medium and long hills?
The benefits of short, medium and long hills are different. In your training you will want to utilize all of them when preparing for the Run to the Shrine.

Short hills
A short hill is one which takes no more that 30 seconds to run up and has an inclination between 5 to 15 percent grade. The runner's energy source on short hills is entirely anaerobic. When running short hills, the runner should focus on a running technique which has vigorous arm drive and high knee lift, with the hips kept high, so that they are 'running tall', not leaning forwards.

Medium hills
A medium hill is one which takes between 30 to 90 seconds to run up. This is the length of hill is a good distance for the middle-distance runner. This length is good for middle distance runners because it combines the benefits of the short hills with the stresses on local muscular endurance and tolerance of lactic acid.

Long hills
A long hill is one which takes from 90 seconds to three minutes to run up. The energy used to run a long hill comes from aerobic sources, but if parts of the hill are steep and the runner is running hard, there will still be an accumulation of lactic acid. On long hills, the runner will not use as much power per stride as the shorter hills.

STEPS FOR SUCCESS
Step 1: Wear high quality shoes. Make sure you have a good pair of shoes before you start running. Do not plan to do the Run to the Shrine in a brand new pair of shoes. Break them in before race day.

Step 2: Warm-up. Stretch your knees and lower body prior to starting any run.

Step 3: Stay hydrated. Be sure to bring water with you and stay properly hydrated while you are training.

Step 4: Start with an easy 15 minute warm-up on rolling hills. Take your time. Do not exceed your training level.

Step 5: Maintain good running posture. Pump arms vigorously, lean slightly forward, and keep your head up.

Step 6: Cool down with a 15 minute jog on level or gently rolling ground. Jog slowly on each decent.

Note:
1. If you want to run hills on a treadmill, for each change in altitude, run at a 8 percent incline for 90 to 90 seconds with 2 minutes flat recovery jogs.
2. Do not hill train when you are injured.

Learn how to run down hills properly.

Learn about altitude training to fully utilize the Run to the Shrine, and the benefits of running at high altitude. Elite runners train at high altitude to increase the number of red blood cells, improving oxygen delivery to their muscles.

Register online NOW for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Run to the Shrine!
View 5K Course Map. View 10K Course Map.