This October, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo welcomed a new breeding pair of Mexican gray wolves - two-year-old male Tsijiari (pronounced tuh-zar'-ee) and eight-year-old female Celrue (pronounced cell'-roo) . Keepers are currently working on some easier to pronounce nicknames for them, so stay tuned for a name update! Tsijiari arrived from Living Desert Museum in Carlsbad, NM, and Celrue arrived from Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, MO. Both transfers were recommendations from the Mexican Gray Wolf Species Survival Plan (SSP).

At 47 years old, African elephant Missy is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's oldest animal resident. She is also the fifth oldest elephant in an Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited organization. Like most animals that have surpassed their median life expectancy, Missy has a few health concerns, but overall, animal care staff report that she appears to be in good health. 

Recently, one of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's veterinarians, Dr. Eric Klaphake, associate veterinarian, traveled to Panama to assist our Panama Amphibian Rescue and Conservation (PARC) project partners - The Smithsonian Institute through its National Zoological Park and Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) branches, Zoo New England, and the Houston Zoo. The goal of his trip was to assess frogs at the two PARC locations, provide veterinary care to some individuals and to train two local veterinarians on amphibian care.