Cheyenne Mountain Zoo recognized as one of the best zoos in the Nation

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs is gaining national attention after ranking as one of the top 5 zoos in the entire nation.

Not only was the zoo ranked 4th in the nation, but one of its exhibits, Rocky Mountain Wild, came in as the number 2 best exhibit nationwide, according to USA Today.

Animal Care Manager Rebecca Zwicker said, “All of the animals that are here are ones that you could see in the Rocky Mountains and it’s pretty exciting to be able to come see them up close and then literally just drive not that far into the mountains and be able to see their natural habitat.”

The Rocky Mountain Wild section of the zoo features grizzly bears, mountain lions, and a brand new nine-week-old moose who is still getting adjusted to its surroundings.

Zwicker said, “We are making sure he gets steady bottles, lots of grain to eat on, toys, he’s got a little pool that he likes to splash around in. You are all on a journey with us because we are getting to know him and he’s getting to know us and we all get to watch each other grow up together.”

Coming from Alaska after being orphaned, the little moose will help fill a large void left by Tahoma, who passed away in May at the age of 13.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say that we still miss our old man too," said Zwicker. "He was pretty incredible and we couldn’t thank him enough for laying the groundwork for making us feel more comfortable taking on the endeavor that is a new moose.”

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of only eight accredited zoos in the United States to house moose, which is a big reason why Rocky Mountain Wild is so popular.

“Our animals are pretty excited to see people ... and our keepers do a great job of helping tell their stories and answering questions and that sort of thing. So I think it’s just like you enter Rocky Mountain Wild and you feel like you’ve entered a special place,” Zwicker said.

The male moose has not yet been named, but guests can see him playing around now as we speak.