COLORADO SPRINGS – The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo announced Friday that a fifth animal died from Monday’s severe hail storm.
The zoo said Katy Perry, another peacock at the zoo, died two days after it announced the death of a peacock named Snoop.
A meerkat pup that had not yet been named is presumed dead. A 13-year-old cape vulture named Motswari, and a 4-year-old Muscovy duck named Daisy were killed.
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 will reopen to everyone Saturday morning, a little less than five days after Monday’s devastating hail storm.
It will return to its normal schedule, 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.
The zoo previously thought its Mountaineer Sky Ride chairlift wouldn’t be operational while they waited for an inspector, but spokesperson Jenny Koch said the installer was able to inspect the ride and it passed all safety checks.
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.
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.
