News Archive

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO – CMZoo’s year-round partner, Children’s Hospital Colorado, has created a guide to first-year doctor visits for human babies. Similarly, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s primate keepers are tracking milestones for Asha’s baby gorilla’s first year of life. Asha, a 32-year-old critically endangered Western lowland gorilla, welcomed a baby boy on July . . .

Thirty-four-year-old Goma moved to CMZoo, in 2016, on a breeding recommendation from the Western Lowland Gorilla Species Survival Plan, supported by Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited organizations, including CMZoo. Goma joined a tightly bonded group of females after coming from a bachelor group, and with time, introductions, and strong social bonds, the troop became a . . .

Each spring, the elusive flammulated owl returns to the quiet forests of Pike National Forest, Colorado, to raise a new generation. Thanks to the support of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo members, CMZoo staff joined Dr. Brian Linkhart — who has dedicated over 40 years to studying these owls — to continue this long-term research. Funded by . . .

Catch up with Missy, CMZoo’s eldest African elephant! Missy, who recently turned 56 years old, shares space with her longtime companion, LouLou. Some of her favorite activities include wallowing in mud puddles, training with her keepers, munching on hay and tree branches, and exploring the trek space, vacation yard and main elephant yards. Our elephant . . .

Our not-so-tiny penguin chick has a name! Meet Sparrow. Keepers chose the name to go along with Captain and Pearl’s names. Captain, Pearl and Sparrow are all names related to the Pirates of the Caribbean films, where the swashbuckling Captain Jack Sparrow commands the pirate ship, the Black Pearl. Since hatching on April 8, 2025, . . .

Help us wish Ouray a happy 32nd birthday! The Fourth of July isn’t just America’s birthday—it’s also Ouray the bald eagle’s designated hatchday! Ouray is a bald eagle, but she’s also a ‘golden eagle’ because she’s well into her golden years. The median life expectancy of a bald eagle in human care is 16 years, . . .

We have exciting baby news! Two of our skunks recently had kits! Isabel and Padfoot are each raising a litter of seven baby skunks. That’s fourteen tiny bundles of cuteness keeping their paws full. The two litters arrived exactly two weeks apart. The babies are often busy nursing, sleeping and curiously nuzzling one another. Isabel, . . .

Our penguin chick isn’t so tiny anymore! Hatched on April 8, this little one is already nearing the two-month mark, and growing fast! It still lives in the nest box with Captain and Pearl, and it already weighs about 5 pounds, nearly the size of an adult African penguin. Keepers check on the chick daily . . .

Three sets of fuzzy ears and wide, curious eyes recently joined the CMZoo family! These tiny ring-tailed lemur babies are already turning heads with their inquisitive expressions and snuggles on Allagash. While they’re still nursing, they’re also beginning to explore some solid foods. The pups cling tightly to Allagash but are starting to show signs . . .

Waddle we do with all this cuteness? A tiny, fluffy African penguin chick made its grand debut at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in early April! This little one is growing up big and strong. At just 22 days old, the chick weighs 983 grams! Its care team monitors and weighs it every few days. This little . . .