COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo reached a significant construction milestone Wednesday with a topping ceremony for its new giraffe conservation center, marking the placement of the final beam on the giraffe barn.
The International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe is set to open in 2026 and will feature an innovative layout designed to enhance both visitor experiences and giraffe welfare.
The new design allows visitors to interact with the giraffes while encouraging the animals to stay active and engaged.
"We realize our people are important to the giraffes' success here, and what I mean by that is if we can spread people out and people will feed them from lots of different places, there'll be lots of reason for them to walk around and exercise and explore new things and so we really hope that people will embrace that and help us start feeding from many locations in this new exhibit," said Bob Chastain, CEO of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
The zoo has additional plans to enhance the giraffe experience. In January, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will unveil six life-sized bronze giraffe statues as part of the new center.
The conservation-focused facility represents a significant investment in giraffe care and education, positioning the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo as a leader in giraffe conservation efforts.
To learn more about the center, click here.
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