An anonymous donation of $1 million will help build a new conservation center at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs.
The zoo's old conservation building was abandoned after a landslide damaged the building during downpours last spring and summer.
That left 1,457 Wyoming toads and tadpoles and 42 black-footed ferrets in a temporary home.
"We’ve been dedicated to saving black-footed ferrets since 1990 and Wyoming toads since 2004, so it was difficult to comprehend what setbacks we’d face by not having a dedicated place for them,” said Bob Chastain, president and CEO of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. "The old building is unsalvageable, due to the current damage. We knew we had to build a new conservation center."
The Zoo is currently in the design phase to determine the best location for the conservation center. Unlike the previous building, the center will be in an area of the Zoo that the public will have access to, zoo officials said.
The Zoo hopes to build and open the conservation center by 2020.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo cares for over 950 animals.
---------
Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.
