girafee1985
Active Member
I will be staying in northern Colorado and will have a day to do one of these two zoos. Which one would you recommend?
Denver or Cheyenne Mountain?
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I visited both this past October, and let me start by saying that both are very nice facilities. Are there any particular interests/species that you are looking to see? Denver I feel offers a more complete collection, however Cheyenne offers a zoo in a particular unique setting (on a mountain) and offers some rarities such as Asiatic black bears and mountain tapirs (though I have no idea if they are exhibited in cooler temperatures).
Both should be exhibited. If it’s really cold, they have access to their stalls.
girafee1985
Active Member
Being "spoiled" by living by two great Zoo's the Philly and Bronx zoos I have been privileged to see many species.I have scene an asiatic black bear at the Philly zoo. I believe the Queens zoo as well but could be wrong.One species I notice the Cheyenne zoo holds is Moose a rarity in zoos as I have been to many and have yet to see one! Sadly the species I am most interested in seeing Chimpanzees or Bonobos both lack. I am leaning towards Denver due to it being 100 miles closer and a latter closing time but Cheyenne zoo does have a world class Giraffe exhibit.
azcheetah2
Well-Known Member
Why not consider the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Denver. They're supposed to have really nice and big exhibits. It's not your typical zoo, though, because they don't house a bunch of different species. Mostly lions, tigers and bears, but they have a few other animals, too.
https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/
https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/
girafee1985
Active Member
Thank you but it is out of my price range unfortunately.
azcheetah2
Well-Known Member
That's a bummer. But totally understandable. Personally, although I've never been to either zoo, I'd probably go to Denver Zoo because it seems to have more species that interest me.
It depends on what setting you are looking towards. If you prefer a zoo with stunning views, rare species and a gorgeous tiger habitat, visit Cheyenne Mountain. If you prefer a more complete collection with a decent hoofstock collection, an amazing elephant/rhino/tapir/gibbon/clouded leopard/etc. facility, an incredible orangutan exhibit with live trees, visit Denver.
I visited both with my cousin about nine years ago in winter. We spent I think two days (or a day and a half) at Cheyenne Mountain and half a day at Denver. Both of us (in 100% agreement) enjoyed Cheyenne Mountain and disliked Denver. However whenever I have mentioned this on ZooChat I have been rallied against by the majority of forum members who loved Denver for reasons beyond my understanding. They had bland hoofstock yards, they had horrendously small cat exhibits. However I will freely confess that my visit was before the new Asia addition, though what I have seen of it on here is nothing stellar (though also not terrible).
So my vote is unequivocally for Cheyenne Mountain, but I feel I will be in the minority.
So my vote is unequivocally for Cheyenne Mountain, but I feel I will be in the minority.
What did you think of the Orangutan and Gorilla habitats at Denver? Did you visit those exhibits?
The gorilla exhibit was decent in size and had natural trees, so maybe better than most, but still not unusually impressive IMO. The orangutan exhibit I do not remember (though if it was in the same primate area I certainly saw it, there was just nothing remarkable enough for it to stick in my memory).
girafee1985
Active Member
Thank you everyone for your input. Still researching and have time but leaning towards Denver cause of the closer proximity and latter time opened also amount of species. Cheyene seems like a better view which I appreciate but more interested in the collection. Off topic but anyone have any idea why Moose are so rare in zoo's? You would think they would be common but for some reason especially here on the east coast they are a rarity.