On the Hoof

African Rift Valley brings safari adventure to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs recently announced the completion of it newest attraction, the African Rift Valley. The three-acre exhibit - built to house the zoo's world-renowned giraffe herd and other African animals - will give visitors an opportunity to experience the sights and sounds of Africa.

Built by J.E. Dunn Construction, the African Rift Valley includes a modern giraffe-, hoofstock- and bird-holding building that will be home for up to more than 30 giraffes. Crews installed a special rubberized surface for the giraffes in the inside activity area made of the same material used in running tracks for the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. Unlike concrete, the rubberized surface minimizes slipping for the animals and provides padding to protect their knees as they get up from the ground.

The design included places for visitors to feed the giraffes from various feeding decks and observe zookeepers as they conduct training exercises to help the giraffes adjust to an exhibit environment. They will cohabitate with other hoofed animals, including lesser kudus and red-flanked duikers.

A unique feature of the African Rift Valley is a spectacular 30-ft-tall ancient baobab tree, constructed entirely of hand-sculpted concrete. The tree limbs were formed using a combination of concrete, piping and fiberglass and hand carved to provide a realistic texture.

Visitors can walk into the 14-ft base of the tree and view through the glass the red river hogs in their dens below, look at the zebra mice exhibit and feed the baby giraffes through openings in the 900-year-old tree facsimile.

A quarter-mile boardwalk surrounds the entire African Rift Valley exhibit, landscaped with native bushes and trees and offering optimum viewing of the animals. Visitors will enjoy observing African crowned cranes, ground hornbills, cattle egrets, colobus monkeys, vultures and a colony of playful meerkats.

The African Rift Valley also offers a Safari Lodge to host special events and sell concessions. The 12-sided structure provides an extraordinary view of the exhibit and a private deck with added feeding areas for the giraffes. The entire exhibit, including the baobab tree, is handicapped accessible.