Dive Deeper into the Report
Follow hashtag #cheyennemountainbornfree on Instagram for videos and posts on Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Posts will populate below as they are published!
← Return to Zoo Investigations Home
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs, CO (2026)
In July 2025, the Born Free USA team completed another undercover zoo investigation for one of the top zoos in the United States: the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
During our visit, we assessed the accuracy and efficacy of each major aim stated by the zoo industry, including educating visitors about the animals, providing optimal animal welfare with appropriate physical and mental stimulation, and participating in, or leading, meaningful conservation efforts. It is our intention that by providing data from the top zoos in the U.S., we illustrate a more accurate picture of whether those aims are being achieved and scrutinize what these facilities offer the animal inhabitants and human visitors.
We then argue whether zoos can justify their existence and continue to keep wild animals in captivity based on our findings. This research acts as an individual case study and adds to our overall assessment of the remaining zoos, which we will update in due course.
View the Investigation
Help End Captivity
Expose the lies of the zoo industry by donating to Born Free USA.
Your donation will help us advocate for an end to the use of captive wildlife in entertainment; fight the exploitation of animals in captivity through rescue and investigations like this; halt the illegal trafficking of protected species; and more.
DONATE NOWShare the Investigation
Help spread the word about the suffering of animals in zoos by sharing our Cheyenne Mountain Zoo investigation.
Twitter/X
Demeaning animal demonstrations and interactions with visitors, stressful social arrangements, and off-site animal shows: This is just some of what @BornFreeUSA observed at the #cheyennemountainzoo. Dive into their latest zoo report: bit.ly/cheyennemzinvestigation
Demeaning animal demonstrations and interactions with visitors, stressful social arrangements, and off-site animal shows: This is just some of what Born Free USA observed at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Dive into their latest zoo report: bit.ly/cheyennemzinvestigation
Demeaning animal demonstrations and interactions with visitors, stressful social arrangements, and off-site animal shows: This is just some of what @bornfreeusaorg observed at the #cheyennemountainzoo. Dive into their latest zoo report at bit.ly/cheyennemzinvestigation