A Zoo With a View

I would never have known about the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo were it not for my girlfriend, who works as a zookeeper there. This remarkable attraction advertises itself as the only truly mountain zoo in the United States, and it lives up to that billing. Sitting literally on the side of Cheyenne Mountain at an elevation of 6, 800 feet, it offers a panoramic view of Colorado Springs and the plains that stretch beyond the city.

It must be one of the oldest zoos in western North America, too, founded in 1926 by mining mogul Spencer Penrose. He incorporated the facility in 1938 as a non-profit public trust. This is another unique aspect of the zoo: it is privately run and takes no tax dollars for its operation, relying solely on admissions, memberships, donations and grants for its existence and continuing expansion.

The zoo hosts over 1, 000 animals representing nearly 200 species. Some of these are seasonal exhibits, such as the alligators, but thirty-one are participants in global Species Survival Plans. The zoo is best known for its herd of giraffes. These tall animals are a real attraction that visitors can feed from elevated boardwalks around the exhibit. Their popularity sometimes causes....well, “giraffe-ic jams.”

The zoo views are more than scenic, though you can take the “Mountaineer Sky Ride, ” a ski-lift style incline, for the ultimate experience. The zig-zag pedestrian pathways between exhibits allow one to often have a nearly 360 degree view of some of the animals. I was startled to find myself only a few feet from a Mountain Goat just below me when I was watching a magpie in its enclosure.

Maintaining accreditation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a constant challenge given the age of many of the enclosures and the buildings that house still other exhibits, but progress is both steady and obvious. A brand new elephant barn and vastly expanded outdoor yard are nearing completion as I write this. Zoo officials were hoping to debut the new digs by now, but concern for the safety and acclimatization of the pachyderms means the grand opening will be delayed.

The zoo administrators are endlessly creative in fundraising. One example is the “Round Up for Elephants” that allows patrons of the zoo restaurant and other concessions to round up their purchase price with the extra change going to finishing the new exhibit. The zoo thus makes it easy for you to make a difference.

Yet another interesting facet of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is that some of the wildlife is not in cages. Native Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels have run of the place, when they can avoid becoming the prey of weasels. Deer make regular appearances on the grounds. Bears are problematic and unwanted guests that dumpster-dive after hours. Magpies scrounge for scraps from the captive animals. A Golden Eagle soared overhead just last week. Hummingbirds, as well as butterflies, bees, and other insects visit the many native flowers planted as part of the landscaping. I am working with two zookeepers to draft a list of all these species. Invertebrates included, it already tops 200 species.

Zookeepers and curators are constantly striving to create new enrichment opportunities for their captive charges, inventing new ways to enhance the mental and physical health of creatures that normally range unfettered for miles in their native habitats. Their caring attention shows. The animals are in beautiful condition.

The zoo does not settle for the standard fair of keeper talks and summer camps, either. Many special events highlight the year, including this month’s “Boo at the Zoo,” and the ever-popular “Electric Safari,” celebrating its 20th anniversary this holiday season.

I am looking forward to learning more about the zoo, and maybe even helping to integrate more invertebrate wildlife into their collection. It is difficult to not want to be a part of something that brings so much joy to visitors, and helps insure the continued survival of endangered species.

For more information, please see the web site for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, as well as their blog, ”In Between the Spots.” Follow the zoo on Twitter and “like” it on Facebook. Most of all, do visit, become a member, or otherwise participate in more than the virtual zoo. You’ll be glad you did.

Aquarium of the Pacific

One of the many places I visited in southern California last month was the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. I was accompanied by Kim Moore who is a volunteer at this impressive facility. The aquarium is only thirteen years old (as of this June 20, 2011), and they just opened a new exhibit, “Arctic & Antarctic: Our Polar Regions in Peril.”

Located in the Long Beach Shoreline Rainbow Harbor Marina, the aquarium is flanked by restaurants and tour boats, with the Lions Lighthouse for Sight just around the corner (left of the above image). Kim and I took one of the harbor tours to break up the visit to the aquarium.

The first thing you encounter upon entering the aquarium is a life-size model of a female blue whale and her calf (hidden in this image), suspended from the ceiling. The adult fiberglass facsimile is “only” eighty-eight feet long, which it turns out is about average for the current population of this species. He name is “Edie,” and her male calf is “Edison.” The accuracy of these models is impressive, and one gets to truly appreciate the streamlined bodies of these leviathans.

Beyond the whale is a two-story window on a tank called the “Blue Cavern,” in the Great Hall of the Pacific. This tall exhibit is an excellent introduction to the kelp forest habitats common along the southern California coast. In this case, the inspiration was Blue Cavern Point along the northeast edge of Santa Catalina Island. Among the denizens of the exhibit are some impressive California moray eels, Gymnothorax mordax.

Adjacent to the Blue Cavern is the Amber Forest and other “galleries” depicting the marine life of southern California and the Baja peninsula. One small aquarium features a captivating colony of Garden Eels (Heteroconger sp.).

The indoor portion is just one facet of the whole complex. The aquarium also boasts outdoor exhibits that include shark and ray touch tanks where visitors can gently stroke harmless cartilaginous fishes like Bamboo Sharks and Bat Rays. Visible from both above the water and below are Sea Otters and California Sea Lions.

Yet another outdoor exhibit is the Lorikeet Forest, a 3,200 square foot aviary where visitors can feed these stunning birds. Five of the 32 subspecies of the Rainbow Lorikeet are on exhibit.

Native to Australia, New Zealand, and islands in the South Pacific, lories are under pressure from the black market pet trade and from farmers who view the birds as pests in fruit orchards.

Back indoors, the Tropical Pacific Gallery features fish and invertebrates from faraway places. A Northern Pacific Gallery holds animals (including birds like puffins and auklets) from the cold waters of British Columbia and Japan.

It is impossible to communicate in one blog entry all of the exhibits and entertainment opportunities afforded by the Aquarium of the Pacific. It is not a cheap attraction (admission is $24.95 for adults, $21.95 for seniors age 62 and over, and $12.95 for children 3-11), but well worth the price. You should plan on spending the whole day watching the birds, mammals, invertebrates and fish. Don’t be surprised if some of them watch you in return.

Reid Park Zoo

Reid Park in Tucson, Arizona is very much like Central Park in New York City. Both are mostly places to jog, picnic, and actively recreate, and both have a small zoo. I visited the Reid Park Zoo this past Valentine’s Day, and managed to at least catch a glimpse of many of its captive animals.

The zoo, celebrating its 40th birthday this year, occupies only a little more than seventeen acres, but an amazing diversity of fauna is packed into that space. This has created some concern when it comes to the elephants in particular, as they really don’t have enough room to roam. To that end, the zoo plans to tack on an additional seven acres for an expansion entitled “Expedition Tanzania.” Three acres are designated for the elephants alone, and will include mud wallows, and pools and streams. The cost of the expansion is estimated at about $8.5 million. Fundraising is progressing well, and construction could start as early as this year.

The elephants are certainly a major attraction, as are the two white rhinos, but the official mascot of the zoo is the giant anteater. This is one of my favorite animals, too. They look about as improbable as a platypus, but their fur is beautifully marked.

Their bushy tail is about as long as the rest of them, and they walk on their knuckles, more or less, so as not to break their very long front claws. They use their claws to pry open termite mounds in their native plains of Brazil. Those mounds can be as hard as concrete, but slightly more brittle.

The most recent addition to the zoo is a baby Grevy’s zebra, born on January 30, 2010.

He did put in an appearance while I was there, frolicking in the large yard that he shares with mom and pop, two African crowned cranes, and a small flock of Guinea fowl. Yes, no question, he sure is cute.

Another show I was privileged to see was a full-blown courtship display by a peacock, not a stone’s throw away from me. He was so close that I couldn’t back away far enough to get a good shot of his entire glory. It was a fitting end to a Valentine’s Day at the Reid Park Zoo.