Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Logo
|
|
Three members of the zoo's large giraffe herd
|
|
| Date opened | 1926 |
|---|---|
| Location | Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA |
| Coordinates | 38°46′12″N 104°51′18″W / 38.77°N 104.855°WCoordinates: 38°46′12″N 104°51′18″W / 38.77°N 104.855°W |
| Land area | 140 acres (57 ha) (40 acres (16 ha) in use) |
| No. of animals | 750 |
| No. of species | 150 |
| Memberships | AZA |
| Website | www.cmzoo.org |
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is America's only mountainside zoo. It is located southwest of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Cheyenne Mountain in the United States and has an elevation of 6,800 feet (2,100 m) above sea level. The zoo covers 140 acres (57 ha), 40 (16 ha) of which are in use. It is located west of The Broadmoor resort along the slopes of Cheyenne Mountain's lower north end. The animal collection includes more than 750 animals, representing nearly 150 different species, with more than 30 endangered species.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was founded in 1926 by philanthropist, Spencer Penrose to house his growing collection of exotic animals. In 1938, after substantial development, Penrose incorporated the Zoo as a non-profit public trust to the people of Colorado Springs. This trust was deemed "for the sole purpose of establishing and maintaining a zoological park to provide recreation, education, conservation and scientific facilities in the field of zoology and related subjects, and to preserve the Zoo in perpetuity for the people of the Pikes Peak region."
As an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of only a handful of Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoos in the country that does not receive local or regional public tax support, nearly 100 percent of the Zoo's income is generated from earned revenues, gate admissions, gifts, membership dues, donations, and corporate sponsors and grants.
Located near the main entrance and gift shop, the African Rift Valley exhibit houses the zoo's Reticulated giraffe herd as well as African lions, Grant's zebra, Okapi, Red river hogs, meerkats, Black-and-white colobus monkeys, Cape vultures, and Crowned crane. The Reticulated giraffe herd is the largest in the United States.
...
Wikipedia