NewsCovering Colorado

Actions

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo to reopen Saturday

Posted at 8:52 PM, Aug 08, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-09 00:44:52-04

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo announced it will reopen to everyone Saturday morning, a little less than five days after Monday’s devastating hail storm.

The zoo said it will return to its normal schedule following Saturday, staying open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Zoo members will be allowed to enter the zoo at 8 a.m. Saturday, while the general public will be allowed in at 9 a.m.

All other zoo activities including EdVenture programs, birthday parties, ZOOMobile appearances, WildNights, Kids-Only WildNights, are canceled for the rest of the week. The zoo is expecting those programs to resume Monday. Those who paid for the programs should have been contacted about refunds.

While the zoo shared positive news about reopening, it also shared somber news that two more animals died from the hail storm.

Zookeepers say the meerkat pup that was missing is presumed dead and a peacock named “Snoop” died from hail injuries.

The zoo said the condition of all other animals is improving and a veterinary team from Colorado State University will visit the zoo to check on Twinkie, the zoo’s Rocky Mountain goat. The goat suffered an injury to its eye, but the zoo said it has shown improvement under veterinary care.

The zoo said 101 severely damaged vehicles remain in the parking lot. Zoo security will continue to patrol the parking lot until 5 p.m. Thursday. Vehicles left behind will be towed to the south end of the parking lot so that cleanup of glass and debris can happen prior to the zoo’s reopening.

If vehicles are not claimed by next Tuesday at 8 a.m. they will be towed at the owner’s expense.

The zoo also announced ways to donate to the facility to help cover some of the lost income from shutting the zoo down for several days and to help employees who suffered losses to their vehicles.

CLICK HERE to donate. You can donate to either the zoo or employees affected by the storm, just write zoo or employees in the comment section or in the memo line of a check.