Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

On Sunday, the 26th of Feb, Sharath KC and I visited the Cheyenne mountain zoo. I had never visited this place before. It is a very impressive facility. A fairly small zoo built around the Cheyenne mountain that is also famous for its underground nuclear bunker and NORAD (North American Aerospace Defence command).

I particularly liked the cute little Meerkats, the Gorillas and the Orangutans. We watched the penguins being fed and the care taker told us that they were from the South African region and that they worked in pairs. She had named all of them and would identify them based on the band colour and the spots on their chest. She also told us that she would get to travel to South Africa some time later this year. 

The Gorilla Goma was very bored and he sat in his cage turning his back to the visitors but occasionally giving a curious turn to see who was watching. The look on his face was very complex; that of a human behind bars. I felt sorry for almost every animal but more for the Gorillas who so closely resembled us and perhaps are more superior to us because they do not speak and complicate things like we humans do. 

The reptile exhibits were impressive with very beautiful settings to match with their body colour and texture. 

At the Mexican grey wolf cage, the observer/care taker was studying the animals. It was their breeding season and she informed that the babies would eventually be released into the wild in New Mexico and Arizona region. That was comforting but most importantly reassuring  to know.

A Black-billed magpie, outside the cage sang in different tones. She did not have one particular tune, she sang with variation and it was amazing. The sad eagles with broken wings, watched her escape into the blue skies. 

We drove up the mountain to visit actor Will Roger’s shrine. It is an impressive castle like structure with great interiors. The location offers some great views of the city of Colorado Springs and the surrounding mountains.