The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a zoological park located southwest of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Cheyenne Mountain in the United States. At an elevation of 6,800 feet (2,100 m) above sea level it is the highest zoo in America. The zoo covers 140 acres (57 ha), 40 (16 ha) of which are in use.The zoo houses more than 750 animals, representing nearly 150 different species, with more than 30 endangered species. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
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History
Business man Spencer Penrose was given a gift of a bear in 1916 which inspired him to collect animals. Animals were housed at Penrose's Broadmoor Hotel until a monkey bit a hotel guest. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was founded in 1926 to house the collection of exotic animals. In 1938, Spencer Penrose incorporated the Zoo as a non-profit public trust to the people of Colorado Springs.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and does not receive local or regional public tax support.
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Exhibits
- African Rift Valley: African themed section containing reticulated giraffe, meerkats, okapi, red river hogs, griffin vultures, colobus monkeys, Grant's zebra and other species. 199 giraffes have been born at the zoo since 1954.
- Asian Highlands: Amur tigers, Amur leopards, snow leopards, and Pallas' cats.
- Making Waves: This new exhibit is under construction and will house Nile hippopotamuses, African penguins and other species. The exhibit is planned to open in 2019.
- Australia Walkabout: This exhibit contains a walk-through red-necked wallaby yard, a budgie aviary, emus, American alligators, Matschie's tree kangaroo, and other species.
- Bears: Andean Bears and Asiatic black bears.
- Encounter Africa: Opened at a cost of $13.5 million, the Encounter Africa exhibit is home to African elephants, black rhinoceros, African lions, and meerkat.
- Monkey Pavilion: Originally opened in 1942 to house big cats, this building now exhibits smaller primate species including lar gibbons, white-cheeked gibbons, ring-tailed lemurs, Geoffroy's marmosets, Hoffman's two-toed sloths, and other species.
- My Big Backyard: Chickens, rabbits, koi, amphibians, invertebrates are exhibited here.
- Primate World: Primate World contains apes and other animals. Sumatran and Bornean Orangutans, Western lowland gorillas, siamangs, and naked mole rats are exhibited.
- Rocky Cliffs: Mountain goats.
- Rocky Mountain Wild: Costing the zoo $8.2 million, Rocky Mountain Wild houses moose, North American porcupines, Mexican gray wolves, mountain lions, Canada lynx, river otters, bald eagles, and grizzly bears.
- Scutes Family Gallery: The zoo's reptile house. Contains over 40 species of reptiles.
- Tapirs: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the Los Angeles Zoo are the only two zoos in the United States to exhibit mountain tapirs.
- The Loft: Educational exhibit building.
Conservation
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo breeds animals such as black-footed ferrets, Wyoming toads, mountain tapirs and Mexican gray wolves. The zoo participates in over 30 Species Survival Plan programs.
Other attractions
- Carousel: The c. 1925 Allan Herschell Company carousel, active at the Zoo since 1937.
- Mountaineer Sky Ride: For a fee, this open-air, ski lift style ride takes guests above the Mountain goat, Grizzly bear and Amur tiger exhibits. Guests are then dropped off in an area west of the zoo not accessible by walking and ride round trip back down.
- Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun: Admission to the zoo includes access to the Cheyenne Mountain Highway and Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun.
Notes
References
- In Between the Spots at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Blog
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the Palm Oil Crisis - Blog
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Frog Blog
External links
- Official website
Source of article : Wikipedia
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