Sunday, April 26, 2026

A Visit to the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

In March, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance visited our community senior group; you can read that post at this link.  A wonderful Outreach Program Specialist, James Garcia, brought four different zoo species to show us and tell us about them. James has been with Denver Zoo for 22 years, most of which have been with "Zoo to You Community Outreach Programs," and he told us we would have a follow-up visit to the zoo to see more in  April, which occurred at the end of last week!


Our Metro District recreation coordinators drove the participating seniors by bus to the Denver Zoo and Conservation Alliance in Denver, Colorado, where we met James and received free tickets to enter the zoo. Then we met volunteer docents, who asked us which group we would like to be a part of -- Reptiles, Primates, Carnivores, or Birds. My husband and I chose the carnivore group.



Please click on the photo to enlarge it.

There is a lot to see at the zoo, and since we were only visiting for a few hours, dividing into groups was a good idea.

Right now and until May 10th, 2026, there is a special, limited-time exhibit at the zoo called "Glowing Wild." The exhibit was an after-dark event all throughout the zoo to take one on a glowing journey inspired by wildlife and conservation. It consists of 60 illuminated scenes and 175 new, larger-than-life lanterns that bring animals and their stories to light, all handcrafted by Chinese artisans. Although we were visiting during the daytime, the lanterns were still beautiful to see! Our docent told us that the exhibit was such a success that it will be returning next spring.

You can see what it looked like at night on this YouTube link.




The day of our zoo visit, the temperature was 80 F (26,67 C).  Many of the animals were resting in the shade.

Addax


We had time to stop and see every animal we passed by.


Our docent told us an interesting story about this group of African Wild Dogs. One was born with a defective hip that required one rear leg to be removed. After surgery to remove the leg and recovery, the dog was reintroduced to the pack. The zookeepers were puzzled to see the dog gaining weight, and they found out that the other dogs were taking care of it and bringing it extra food!





We now found the African lions relaxing in the shade.


They are so majestic!



Please click on to enlarge



Lions in the wild are threatened by development, and their numbers are decreasing





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I found this information very interesting--the Lions, wild dogs, and hyenas rotate yards daily to keep them mentally and physically stimulated.



Four lion cubs were born in the zoo last August and are growing large and thriving! They were fun to watch through a glass window!



Please click on to enlarge to learn more about the cubs.




The cubs' mother, Araali, was taking a nap on a nearby ledge! 





There was a Lego exhibit in the past at the zoo, and this "Leo the Lion" remains from that exhibit. It took 6,408 Lego bricks to build him!







A baby reticulated male giraffe was born at the zoo last March! 

Information from the zoo website:

"This adorable baby boy is the first offspring for both four-year-old BB and four-year-old Jasiri, who joined DZCA in 2022 from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Lee Richardson Zoo, respectively.

This pregnancy was part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Program (SSP), which works to ensure the long-term survival of this Endangered species. The birth of this calf is a significant step in giraffe conservation efforts, helping to maintain a genetically healthy population in human care."



Please click on to enlarge to read these two Racoons' story






You can tell the American Flamingo apart from the Chilean because the Americans are the brightest pink of all the flamingo species


More "Glowing Wild" exhibit lanterns


We only saw about half of the 80-acre zoo in the two hours allotted to us, but we enjoyed our visit. My husband and I have visited the zoo many times in the past--you can see this post from 2015 when we brought our two grandsons for a visit, and see the bears, elephants, primates, reptiles, and birds, etc, in that post that we missed on this visit, as well as the Merry-Go-Round and Train Ride.

The Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance does wonderful work, ensuring that endangered animals from around the world live long and healthy lives!


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Sunday, April 19, 2026

The Higlands Ranch Mansion in Highland Ranch, Colorado


The Highlands Ranch Mansion is located in the Highlands Ranch Community, part of Douglas County, Colorado.  Highlands Ranch has a long and interesting history, which my husband and I learned about on a lecture and tour we attended at the mansion. 


At one time, most of the Front Range land west of the city of Denver became farm and ranchland, as settlers from the East came West.


Please click on to enlarge. 

The first to settle in this area was Samuel Allen Long, who came from Pennsylvania in 1884 and filed a 40-acre Homestead claim. He expanded his claim to 2,000 acres a few years later and, in 1991, built a barn and farmhouse which he called Rotherwood Ranch.


Please click on to enlarge.

John W. Springer, a wealthy man with ties to politics, banking, and law, became the new owner from 1897 to 1913, and he renamed it to Springer Cross Country Horse and Cattle Ranch. He expanded the home to include a turret and gave it a castle-like appearance.  Springer became the first president of what was then called the National Livestock Association. 
He became the area's largest landowner. He bought the property through a series of purchases while he was married to his first wife, Eliza Hughes Springer. The ranch grew to 12,000 acres, and Springer pursued his interest in show horses, raising rare German Oldenburg Coach Stallions. After his first wife, Eliza, died, and his second wife was involved in a murder scandal, he sold the Colorado ranch to Eliza's father, Colonel William E. Hughes, in 1913.

Please click on to enlarge

In 1913, Hughes purchased John Springer’s Cross Country Horse and Cattle Ranch, changed the name to Sunland Ranch, and continued to operate it as a working ranch. At the time of his death in July 1918, it was estimated that Hughes was Colorado’s second-wealthiest man (the first being Lawrence Phipps, Sr.). Hughes bequeathed Sunland Ranch to his granddaughter Annie, who sold it two years later to oil tycoon Waite Phillips.



Please click on to enlarge

Waite Philips purchased Sunland Ranch in 1920 and used it as a breeding location for high-grade horses and cattle. He consolidated the ranch with other nearby land purchases to create a prodigious spread called Phillips Highland Ranch, named after the Highland Hereford cattle he raised here.

Please click on to enlarge

In 1926, Frank Kistler purchased Highland Ranch from Waite Phillips, renamed it the Diamond K Ranch, and began breeding operations that specialized in dairy and Angus cattle, sheep, chickens, and hogs. During his time living on the ranch, he did extensive renovations on the ranch, converting it from a castle to an English Tudor-style home.


Please click on to enlarge

The last ranch owner was Lawrence Phipps, Jr., who named it Highlands Ranch. As one of the largest ranches in Colorado, it hosted the Arapahoe Hunt Club for more than 40 years.  Upon Lawrence’s death in 1976, the ranch passed to his estate, which handled its sale to Marvin Davis, head of the Highlands Venturers Corporation. 


In 1978, Highland Venturers sold the property to Mission Viejo Company, and development began of the modern community called Highlands Ranch. Mission Viejo sold Highlands Ranch to Shea Homes in 1997. In 2010, Shea Homes gave the Mansion property and funds for renovation, as well as an endowment to the Highlands Ranch Metro District.
 The Highlands Ranch Metro District became the new owner of the Highlands Ranch Mansion in April.  On June 15, 2012, the Highlands Ranch Metro District hosted the grand opening of the renovated Mansion, inviting the community to enjoy this community treasure.

We toured the open rooms of the mansion...


Full descriptions and historical photos of each of the mansion's rooms can be seen on this link.


Much of the original furnishing remains. I loved the stained-glass lighting fixtures!


The extensive, long hallway is tiled in Italian Terrazzo tile and was used for formal dances by one of the owners.


The multiple dining areas have gorgeous tapestries.


The butler's pantry was filled with interesting period china and other artifacts.


Surrounded by 250 acres of ranchland and tucked away in a beautiful Highland Ranch neighborhood, at 9950 Gateway Dr, Highlands Ranch, CO 80126-3022, the Mansion is less than 20 miles south of downtown Denver, and is a 45-minute drive to Denver International Airport.

Go to the Highlands Ranch Mansion calendar or call 303.791.0177 for more information about free tours or special events held at the mansion. 
The Highlands Ranch Mansion website will also provide information about renting the mansion for special events, such as weddings or business conferences.

It is well worth a visit to learn more about the long ranching and development history of this part of Colorado.





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Sunday, April 12, 2026

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge

My husband and I were driving to the Denver International Airport to pick up our daughter, who was flying home from a business trip, and we decided to leave our home a few hours earlier to make a side visit to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge, which is located on the Colorado Great Plains in Commerce City, about 8 miles (13 km)  northeast of Denver, Colorado.

 

 We began our visit at The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, located at the refuge entrance. It is open Wednesdays through Sundays, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed on federal holidays.)

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge is one of the largest urban refuges in the country. It is a 15,000-acre expanse of prairie and home to over 330 species of wildlife, including bald eagles, bison, black-footed ferrets, deer, coyotes, burrowing owls, and prairie dogs.

There are many exhibits inside the visitor center:

According to historical information on the Wildlife Refuge's website:
"Prior to becoming a Refuge, the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, and Ute followed large herds of bison and lived off the land. Later, as settlers moved west to start a new life, they began growing crops and grazing cattle.

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the U.S. Army transformed the area into a chemical weapons manufacturing facility called the Rocky Mountain Arsenal to support World War II. As production declined at war's end, a portion of the idle facilities were leased to Shell Chemical Company for the production of agricultural chemicals. The Arsenal was later used for Cold-War weapons production and demilitarization."


"The Arsenal is one of the most studied environmental restoration sites in the country. Following an extensive site evaluation in the early 1980s, the Army and Shell began a comprehensive environmental cleanup under the oversight of federal, state, and local regulatory agencies. Soon after, a roost of bald eagles was discovered, prompting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to become involved in managing wildlife at the site. The discovery also led Congress to designate the site as a national wildlife refuge in 1992."


About two-thirds of the refuge consists of mixed-grass and shortgrass prairie, while the remainder is a mix of forest, shrubland, and lakes, streams, and riparian areas.

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge is free to visit, and visitors can enjoy 20 miles of hiking trails, bicycling, fishing (with a fishing license--catch and release), archery, photography, and nature programs.



Sixteen American bison were brought from the National Bison Range in Montana to an enclosed 1,400-acre (5.7 km) section of the refuge in March 2007 as part of the USFWS Pilot Bison Project. The number of bison reached 87 in 2013, forcing the USFWS to reduce the herd to just 60 animals because the limited acreage could not support that many. USFWS officials said that in a few years, they would expand the bison acreage to 12,000 acres (49 km), to allow the herd to expand to an anticipated 210 animals.

To see the bison, we entered a one-way 11-mile self-guided auto Wildlife Drive that took approximately 1 hour to complete.


I did not think we would see many bison because we were driving during the middle of the day, and wildlife is usually most active in the early morning or at dusk, but we did see some!



You can see that this resting bison is beginning to shed its winter fur.



We saw many active prairie dogs on our drive.


Two black-footed ferrets--photo credit: Kimberly Fraser/USFWS,

In 2015, America’s most endangered mammal, the black-footed ferret, was reintroduced to the Refuge. If you click on this link, you can read how this American native ferret almost became totally extinct. They are nocturnal and hard to spot, but there is a ferret enclosure at the Refuge Visitor Center where some can be observed.


I loved this quote by President Theodore Roosevelt that was on display in the Refuge Visitor Center:
"Of all the questions which can come before this nation, short of the actual preservation of its existence in a great war, there is none which compares in importance with the great central task of leaving this land even a better land for our descendants than it is for us."

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge is located at
6550 Gateway Rd, Commerce City, CO 80022-4327
and is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The Visitor Center is open Wednesdays - Sundays from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (closed on federal holidays). 

Visiting the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge was something I had wanted to do for a long time, and I was happy to have finally seen it!

 
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