CMZoo’s Giraffe Center Makes Impressive Progress and Nears Pivotal Deadline
The International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe is getting taller, and this week, construction teams celebrated the arrival and placement of the first steel beams. Finalizing the steel structure of the Giraffe Center this fall is pivotal. To open on time in 2026, teams are working diligently to beat the deadline – before winter weather presents new challenges.
Visitors can already see some of the beams in place from the guest parking lot. From the top of the concrete walls, already in place, the beams will elevate the building to its highest point, about 35 feet above the top of the concrete walls.
The $40 million dollar project, funded through Zoo revenue and donations, will increase the herd’s outdoor space by 25% and expand their indoor space with a 12,000-square-foot giraffe barn.
It’s hard to believe, but the Zoo’s African Rift Valley habitat, home to the Zoo’s iconic 15-member giraffe herd was built more than 20 years ago. In that time, giraffe professionals have learned a lot about providing world-class care. Home to the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (the Giraffe Center), established in 2022, CMZoo is recognized as a leader in the professional field of giraffe care. This exhibit will reflect that expertise. The Giraffe Center is a concentrated effort to connect giraffe experts and to expand educational programs to improve and enrich the lives of giraffe in human care throughout the world.
The new giraffe barn is all about choice for giraffe and guests. Giraffe will have opportunities to interact with guests in new and exciting ways, and engage in enriching activities in their habitat independent of keepers and guests. The goal is to fill each giraffe’s day with positively reinforcing activities, such as exploring new spaces, munching on leaves and twigs or taking advantage of some quiet time. With a large herd of giraffe that has various preferences and different personalities, the habitat will be filled with meaningful choices. For example, it will have 11 feeding zones, in comparison to the three zones available in their former exhibit.
The giraffe barn will have an ETFE roof that will flood the interior space with natural light. This innovative material is low maintenance and fire- and hail-resistant. This lightweight material is used in sports stadiums, airports, and some European zoos to create visually striking and functional spaces. The clear roof that will cover the giraffe barn and gift shop will be the largest of its kind covering an animal exhibit in North America. It will bring the outdoors inside on cooler days, keeping guests and giraffe comfortable in Colorado’s 300 days of sunshine.
The relocation of the Zoo’s main road is making room to expand the giraffe yard to the west. The expanded yard will have additional spaces for giraffe to discover, and includes a new feeding tower to encourage giraffe to navigate the hills of CMZoo for the first time. The larger, more geographically diverse yard will provide the herd with new space to explore, contributing to their overall well-being. The giraffe herd will have expanded outdoor space and their barn with natural floors and fresh air, provided by giraffe-size garage doors – and guests can feed them from each location.
For more information, and to be part of something BIG, visit cmzoo.org/giraffeproject.
Explore Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun with a Limited-Time Guided Jeep Tour
Through Sun., Aug. 31 only, CMZoo members and guests can see Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun in a new adventurous way — by guided tour in a 4×4! This summer, the Zoo partnered with El Pomar Foundation and Adventures Out West to improve experiences for visitors to the Zoo and to Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. By reducing vehicle traffic in the Zoo, Zoo guests share the road with vehicles less frequently. Instead of driving themselves to the Shrine, Shrine guests can sit back and enjoy the views — all while learning about area wildlife, history, geology and more!
Once guests reach Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, they meet a Shrine tour guide and explore the unique structure, learning about the incredible legacy of Spencer Penrose, who founded the Zoo in 1926, and catching stunning views of Colorado Springs, North Cheyenne Cañon and Garden of the Gods from Cheyenne Mountain.
• Scenic Rides to the Shrine are available Tuesdays through Sundays from 9:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.
• Price: $5 per seat
• The full experience lasts about 1 hour, including the Jeep tour (up and down) and around 35 minutes to explore the Shrine.
• Scenic Ride to the Shrine tickets are limited and may sell out. Advance reservations are not required, but they are available at cmzoo.org/ride.
• The Shrine is closed on Mondays and most holidays.
• Daytime tickets to the Zoo are required to gain entry to the Scenic Ride to the Shrine pick-up area, near Grizzly Grill and the play hills.
• Reserve Scenic Ride to the Shrine tickets for the same day as your Zoo visit.
• Book Scenic Ride to the Shrine tickets at cmzoo.org/ride.
• Questions? Call our partners at Adventures Out West at 719-578-0935.
Guided Jeep tours are available through Sun., Aug. 31. After Labor Day, Zoo members and guests can drive themselves to the Shrine. Guests requiring wheelchair-accessible vehicle access to the Shrine are allowed to visit The Shrine at no cost by driving their own vehicles to the Shrine. Show your daytime Zoo admission at the drive-in gates to gain admission.
Skip the Parking Lot with Anytime Rideshare Tickets
Is your favorite time to visit the Zoo sold out? Try our new rideshare tickets — they're always available and can be used at any time for daytime admission.
For the past six summers, we have managed our parking lots by limiting capacity to the Zoo. Our goal is to reduce visitors' frustrations with limited on-site parking, and to avoid the hassle of off-site shuttles. Now, CMZoo members and guests can book rideshare Zoo admission tickets at cmzoo.org/rideshare. Arrive at your leisure and show your Uber, Lyft or taxi receipt with your rideshare tickets at admissions.
Rideshare tickets are free for members, and they're $5 less than peak-time nonmember tickets. They can be used any time during normal daytime admission (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. when the Zoo closes at 5 p.m. Early member entry is at 8 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day).
Visit cmzoo.org/rideshare to reserve your rideshare tickets today! Questions? Email [email protected].