While The Giraffe Center isn’t quite ready to welcome guests, we’re getting closer every day! Stay tuned for details about The Giraffe Center Grand Opening. The new space is coming together beautifully, and behind the scenes, our giraffe care team is preparing the herd for a successful transition into their new home. Through positive reinforcement training and new routines, the giraffe are building confidence ahead of the move. We’re getting closer, and we can’t wait to welome you ... more

Laikipia (pronounced lah-KEY-pee-yah), a 19-year-old female giraffe at The International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (Giraffe Center), will receive treatments under anesthesia for progressing hoof and joint issues at the end of July. To prepare, her care team is leaning on their expertise and a collaborative network of giraffe professionals ... more

Meet Thorn, a one-year-old male giraffe who recently arrived at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and is settling into life in African Rift Valley! Since arriving in May, Thorn has adjusted quickly and is fitting in with the herd. He can often be seen spending time with giraffe like Ohe, Kinda, and Wednesday as he explores his surroundings. Brave, curious, and engaging, Thorn is already a confident giraffe while still being gentle and playful with both his herd mates and care team. ...more

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO - Preventive care is important for people and animals, alike. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo partners, Children’s Hospital Colorado, discuss the many benefits of well-child visits, and how pediatricians can support medical, behavioral and mental health at different stages of childhood development ...more

MUZIKI WAS THE OLDEST GIRAFFE IN THE CMZOO HERD, AND THE FIFTH OLDEST IN HUMAN CARE IN THE COUNTRY - Cheyenne Mountain Zoo said a grateful goodbye to Muziki (pronounced moo ZEE-key), a 27-year-old female reticulated giraffe, on Fri., March 13, 2026. After a quick decline in her health due to age related issues including bone density loss in her jaw, her care team made ...more

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo staff and giraffe fans around the world are remembering Mashama (pronounced muh-SHAW-muh), an older male giraffe who passed away early Sunday morning. He experienced sporadic ‘off’ days with bouts of lethargy and decreased appetite over the past few months, but he was still having far more good days ...more

Say hello to Jasiri, a 5-year-old reticulated giraffe who recently arrived at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo from Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance for a temporary stay. Jasiri’s move supports giraffe conservation through the Giraffe Species Survival Plan (SSP), a program managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)... more

It’s a big year at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo! In 2026, CMZoo is celebrating its centennial year, welcoming a new President & CEO and opening a brand-new Giraffe Center...  more

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, Press Release

Windhoek, Namibia, 21 August 2025 (IUCN) –  A groundbreaking assessment has officially recognised four distinct giraffe species, overturning previous classifications of the world’s tallest land mammal as a single species. The taxonomic review, undertaken by the IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Giraffe and Okapi Specialist ... more

Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, CVM News
By Troy Johnson

In contemplating the wonder and complexity of the natural world, the late author Kurt Vonnegut found metaphorical utility in stilt-legged, flexible-necked vegetarians capable of balancing 2,500 pounds of body weight on four feet the approximate diameter of dinner plates. “Evolution is so creative,” Vonnegut wrote. “That’s how we got giraffes.” ... more