Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Cheyenne Mountain Zoo News

This is really cool, and seemingly a challenge considering how much water is "lost" just to animal consumption and evaporation. I'm not entirely sure they're water neutral, but a The Zoo episode about the NY Aquarium explained that they return all water used back to the ocean, "treated and cleaner than it was.". These are really great efforts as we deal with climate change.

 

This is partly why CMZ decided to renovate the 1960s era Aquatics building instead of the much older and arguably worse looking Monkey Pavilion which dates to the 1940s. The zoo had to dump and fill the hippo pools everyday as there was not a modern filtration system and the zoo was wasting millions of gallons of water. Water’s Edge’s filtration is humongous and the zoo will be able to recirculate more water and only need to dump the whole system very rarely. Water conservation is one of the staple conservation initiatives CMZ is pushing.

 

A baby black howler monkey was born yesterday morning.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Celebrates Valentine's Day with New Baby Howler Monkey - CMZoo

 

Another update on Water's Edge including a peek at what the zoo is calling an African vacation yard that can be utilized by a variety of animals.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2740887609327366

 

The zoo has started demolition on the site of an old bowling alley to build an overflow parking lot.


Cheyenne Mountain Zoo razes shuttered Bear Creek Lanes for off-site overflow parking

 

At first, I was surprised to see that there were multiple off-site overflow parking lots. And so far away! Is there very little on-site parking because previous parking has been given over to exhibit expansion? If that's the case, it's more than worth it for a zoo that's landlocked.

 

There is pretty little room for the zoo to expand in any direction. The parking lot at the zoo is pretty much surrounded by the zoo and neighborhoods and a garage is not financially reasonable for the zoo. Since the zoo has increased attendance, parking has been a major issue for guests and the surrounding neighborhoods. They have been offering free shuttles from shared parking lots the past few years including the local high school (which works well as the school is less utilized in the summer) and a former Sears lot. The area doesn’t allow for a new lot to be built anywhere closer unfortunately.

 

I've never been to your wonderful zoo--that I follow faithfully!--so I didn't realize how urban its location was. LOL I guess the name suggested something more remote to me, not the actual name of a city. This problem of space for urban zoos is something that both interests and concerns me. With larger habitats and more motorists than ever, I really see the number of species a zoo can contain declining. It seems like only a matter of time before the zoo years to claim that original parking lot as exhibit space.

Numbers are flying through my head, and I'm surprised that a garage isn't financially feasible; the bowling-alley property cost $1 million, and there must be considerable costs for the shuttles and rent/purchase of the other off-premises lots. I'm very sympathetic. Your original parking must be very small, because a Sears lot and a 2-acre purchase alone add up to considerable space. I think you're fortunate to have zoogoers loyal enough not to object to the time spent on a 5-mile ride and waiting for the shuttle. Now if you could raze the Sears store.......

 

CMZ is temporarily closing public operations until 4/1/2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

 

I have a question Bahati the okapi is the only individual at the zoo? And from what zoo and what year,do he arrived at the zoo?

 

Yes he is the only individual. He arrived from Zoo Tampa in 2016.

 

Thanks for the info,@Echobeast .

 

The first penguins have arrived to Water’s Edge Africa!

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=932836353841193

 

Tahoma the moose was euthanized due to end of life pain and welfare issues.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Reflects on the Service of Long-Time Friend and Colleague Who Touched Millions of Hearts

 

Hippos have arrived to Waters Edge: Africa!

Hippos Return to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo!

 

Wow the exhibit truly looks amazing. A large indoor area for a herd (not just a pair like most zoos). A size-able outdoor area as well with significant land space (an issue with most new exhibits). And great viewing opportunities for the guest. Hope more zoos look to this exhibit as a model compared to newer exhibits in Dallas and Cincinnati.

 

It's really impressive on ground level. Today I went to see the hippos but the penguins stole the show. Two came outside to the guest path and a bunch of us keepers were able to pet them and get really close. IMO the best hippo and African penguin exhibit I have seen.

 

Can’t wait to see more images of the complex. Do you know if they plan to bring in an additional hippo in the near future? Also what other species are in the complex?

 

The plan is to have a breeding herd. The building can house up to 5 hippos (two cows, their calves, and a bull). For work related reasons I can’t say everything here obviously but currently the announced species include African penguins (walkthrough outdoor portion similar to many wallaby yards. Underwater viewing in both indoor and outdoor pools), Nile hippos, ring-tailed lemurs (which will live on the island in the middle of the pool you can see in the video), common warthogs (plan is to mix them in the hippo yards. There are a few “warthog only areas” for them), crested guinea fowl (also mixed in the large yards), and at least one other species that the zoo hasn’t officially announced yet but their exhibit is done and signage is up. Another nice thing that will facilitate more hippos is that there are actually two yards and with gate management, the water space can be divided into 4 with access to different land space both indoor and outdoor. So you can have say a bull in one yard with access to a pool and the females can have access to the other outdoor yard and 3/4 of the pool for instance.

 

Sounds like just about the only zoo in recent years to actually address the demographic and management issues raised by the SSP. Maybe thats what happens when you focus less on having massive underwater viewing, where the hippos are always in the water and visible, and instead actually build an exhibit that suits hippo behavior. The species list sounds good, and only grows the zoos already significant collection of African animals.

Also sorry if I come off as angry, yet recent hippo exhibits in Cincinnati, Dallas, San Antonio, Fort Worth (less sure about this exhibit), and the upcoming exhibit at Milwaukee all seem to built with the animals needs not at the forefront.