Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – Animal Happenings

Animals & Keepers Show their Stuff.

Don't miss some great opportunities to learn more about the animals and what we do at the Zoo. Some animal happenings occur during the summer months only. To ensure that the activity you're interested in will happen the day of your visit, call 719.633.9925, ext. 111, or e-mail info@cmzoo.org. Also, remember to check the Animal Happenings signs in each area during your visit for the most up to date information.

Animal Encounters

Bears. Lions. Elephants. And more! Get up close to the Zoo's animals on your own Animal Encounter.

Safari Trail Tours

Have a wild time on the African Rift Valley's Safari Trail Tour.

Receive Animal Show Text Messages!

Receive the day’s animal shows right on your phone via text message. Simply text “Zoo + day of the week” to 839-863. For example, “Zoomonday” or “Zoosaturday.” It’s a quick and easy way to make sure you don’t miss a single animal show! Standard text message rates apply.

Find the animal shows you can experience during your visit below - or download all shows list pdf:

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Keeper Talks and Demos

Listed in order by time of day; earliest to latest.

Komodo Dragon Keeper Talk

When: Daily, 10:00 a.m.

Where: Aquatics building

What: Who says dragons don’t exist? Come hear about our komodo dragon and watch our Animal Care Staff interact with her.

Meet the Gorilla Troop

When: Daily, 11:00 a.m.

Where: Primate World

What: Get acquainted with the zoo’s Gorilla troop. Get the inside scoop while our Animal Care Staff share what makes our Gorillas and their wild counterparts so special. .

Tiger Demo and Keeper Talk

When: Monday - Thursday 11:00 a.m. (weather permitting)

Where: Asian Highlands, at tigers

What: Learn how and why our Animal Care Staff trains and enriches our Tigers. Catch a tiger training session or watch them play with a new enrichment item.

Elephant Husbandry Training Demonstrations

When: Daily, 11:30 a.m

Where: Elephant building or yard

What: Elephants require a lot of special care. Come watch our skilled Animal Care Staff and they share the how’s and why’s of elephant care.

African Rift Valley Animal Meet and Greets

When: Daily, 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. (weather permitting)

Where: African Rift Valley

What: Meet and learn about some of ARV’s smaller residents. Check the dry erase board by the Baobab Tree each day for the animals being highlighted. Note: Check the dry erase board by the Baobab tree for additional information on happenings in African Rift Valley.

Wallaby Walkabout - Keeper Talk and Tour

When: Daily, 1:30 p.m.

Where: Wallaby Walkabout

What: Take a walkabout in our Australian corner of the zoo. Meet some of the most unique animals on the planet and see what the animal kingdom is like down under.

Hippo Training Demonstration and Keeper Talk

When: Daily, 2:30 p.m.

Where: Aquatics building, at hippos

What: Are hippos smart? You be the judge. Come see our Animal Care Staff train and practice various interactive exercises with hippos.

Naked Mole Rat Keeper Talk

When: Daily, 2:30 p.m.

Where: Primate World

What: They’re back! Back by popular demand, a new colony of Naked Mole Rats has taken up residence in Primate World. Come hear about these amazing animals and see for yourself if they really have a face only a mother can love.

Amur Leopard Enrichment Demonstration

When: Monday - Wednesday, 3:30 p.m.

Where: Amur Leopard Exhibit

What: Our Animal Care Staff keeps works hard to keep our cats active and thinking. Come watch the leopards interact with some fun enrichment items.

Snow Leopard Training Demonstration

When: Thursday - Sunday, 3:30 p.m.

Where: Asian Highlands, at Snow Leopard Exhibit

What: The snow leopard has adapted to navigate steep mountain terrain with great ease. Watch as our Animal Care Staff trains with the snow leopards to highlight some of their most impressive skills.

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Animal Feeding Shows

Listed in order by time of day; earliest to latest.

Mountain Lion Enrichment Feeding and Talk

When: Daily, 10:15 a.m.

Where: Rocky Mountain Wild, at mountain lions

What: Let our Animal Care Staff introduce you to Colorado’s big cat. Through interacting with enrichment, from bones to papier-mâché, we hope you will gain an appreciation for how well mountain lions are adapted to their mountain home.

Koi Feeding

When: Daily, 10:15 a.m. and 4:15 p.m.

Where: My Big Backyard

What: Help our Animal Care Staff feed our beautiful Koi and learn more about the biggest fish at the zoo.

Otter Feeding

When: Daily, 11:15 a.m.

Where: Rocky Mountain Wild, at otters

What: Our aquatic acrobats will amaze you as they look for an underwater mid-morning snack. Animal Care Staff will be on hand to share just how outstanding otters are.

Elephant Enrichment Feeding

When: Saturday, 1:00 p.m.

Where: The Elephant Yard

What: Come see the elephants get an enrichment treat. Who knows, maybe you can even help!

Grizzly Bear Enrichment Feeding and Demo

When: Daily, 1:15 p.m.

Where: Rocky Mountain Wild, at grizzly bear viewing

What: Come get an up close view of our Grizzly Bears. Stop by to check out what new behaviors the boys are learning, or see them playing with enrichment made to bring out the best in our bears.

Wolf Feeding and Keeper Talk

When: Daily, 2:45 p.m. (weather permitting)

Where: Rocky Mountain Wild, at Wolf Woods

What: Catch a glimpse of the elusive Mexican grey wolf. This afternoon feeding is a great time to see one of our most secretive residents.

Moose Feeding and Keeper Talk

When: Daily, 3:15 p.m. (weather permitting)

Where: Rocky Mountain Wild, at moose

What: Let us introduce you to “Tahoma”, our resident moose. Join our Animal Care Staff to learn about the largest member of the deer family.

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Natural Behavior Animal Shows

Listed in order by time of day; earliest to latest.

Tiger Show

When: Friday - Sunday, 11:00 a.m.

Where: Asian Highlands, at tigers

Message: Amur Tigers are the world’s largest cat and have the abilities to match. Catch a glimpse of how fast they can run, how they use their claws and even how well they can swim.

Related Web Sites: http://www.amur-leopard.org/

Bird Brains

When: Daily, 11:00 a.m.

Where: My Big Backyard

Message: Big or small, the science behind training animals is the same. How you apply it is an art. Come meet our clever chickens as they join our Animal Care Staff in walking you through the training process. There is more learning than you might think going on under those feathered heads. We hope you may leave thinking being called a “bird brain” is a complement!

Rainforest Review

When: Daily, 11:30 a.m. (weather permitting)

Where: Monkey Pavilion outdoor enclosures

Message: Most of the world's primates live in tropical forests. Unfortunately many of these forests are being destroyed for agriculture and logging. Visit the Rainforest Review show to see some of the ways these amazing animals have adapted to life high in the trees. Learn how you can help preserve a place for nature's high fliers long into the future through habitat conservation.

Orangutans are COOL!

When: Daily, 12:00 p.m.- noon (weather permitting)

Where: Primate World, at orangutans

Message: Have you ever thought about why orangutans have such huge hands? Come see just how "handy" they are as our orangutans share how some of their cool adaptations help them live in the jungle. Find out how you can help make sure orangutans are around for years to come by learning about palm oil and how it affects their habitat. We think that by the end of the show you'll agree that orangutans are cool!

Wings of Africa

When: Daily, 1:00 p.m. (weather permitting)

Where: African Rift Valley, in the giraffe statue entry plaza

Note: Check the dry erase board by the Baobab tree for additional information on happenings in African Rift Valley.

Message: Did you know that birds play a beneficial role in the environments all over the world? Meet six of our African bird species and see fun natural behaviors while learning how they help out around our planet. You may even learn some differences you can make right in your own backyard.

Conservation in Your Own Backyard

When: Daily, 2:00 p.m.(weather permitting)

Where: My Big Backyard, Contact Area

Message: Domestic or wild, every animal has an important role in their own environments. We too have an important role in making sure these animals will be around for the future by conserving, recycling and just keeping our surroundings clean. And the best place to start is in our own backyards. Come visit our pot-bellied pig and other "Backyard Stars" as they help us learn about their adaptations and ways to help keep our environment clean.

Pony Pals

When: Daily, 2:15 p.m.

Where: The Pony Ride area, at the entrance to Rocky Mountain Wild

Message: How many kids do you know that have asked for a pet pony at one time in their life. While Ponies can be amazing companions they are also a lot of work. Our Pony herd has joined together with our Animal Care Staff to remind us all what it takes to have a pony pal of your own.

Loft Show

When: Daily 3:00 p.m.

Where: Rocky Mountain Wild, Te Loft - west side of The Lodge at Moose Lake

Message: How does a Raven build her nest? Can an opossum really balance on something as thin as a rope? Are Barn Owls really silent when they fly? Stop by the Loft and see if you can find the answers to these questions and more.

Treetop Acrobats

When: Daily, 3:30 p.m. (weather permitting)

Where: African Rift Valley, Colobus Monkey Exhibit, next to the view tower and elevator

Note: Check the dry erase board by the Baobab tree for additional information on happenings in African Rift Valley.

Message: Colobus monkeys are a unique and amazing primate. Come watch as our Colobus troop shows off some of their amazing tree-top acrobatic skills.