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Blank Park Zoo
"Iowa's Wildest Adventure"
Blank Park Zoo Entrance.jpg
Blank Park Zoo Entrance
Date opened May 8, 1966
Location Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Land area 49 acres
Coordinates 41.5193° N, 93.6242° W
No. of animals 1,484
No. of species 104
Memberships AZA

The Blank Park Zoo is a 49-acre animal park located in Des Moines, Iowa. It's near the historic Fort Des Moines. This zoo is special because it's the only one in Iowa accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

The zoo's main goal is to help people love and respect nature. They do this through protecting animals, teaching visitors, doing research, and offering fun experiences.

Discover the History of Blank Park Zoo

The Blank Park Zoo has an interesting past. It started thanks to a generous gift.

How the Zoo Began

In 1963, a person named A.H. Blank donated $150,000. This money helped build a special children's zoo. It opened on May 8, 1966, and was called the Des Moines Children’s Zoo.

It was designed with nursery rhymes in mind. There was a castle, a replica of Noah's Ark, a petting zoo, and even a tiny train.

Saving the Zoo and Making it Better

For many years, the city didn't make many updates to the zoo. By 1981, it was almost going to close. But a group of local business leaders stepped in. They formed the Blank Park Zoo Foundation. Their goal was to save the zoo.

The foundation worked with the City of Des Moines. They raised a lot of money for improvements. The zoo then closed in late 1982 for big renovations.

On May 17, 1986, the zoo reopened its doors. It now had new exhibits based on different parts of the world. These exhibits gave animals more space. In 1987, the zoo earned its accreditation from the AZA.

Growth and New Additions

In 1995, the Blank Park Zoo Foundation bought more land. This land was from the historic Fort Des Moines property. They planned for the zoo to grow even more.

They also started a campaign to build new exhibits. These included a home for big cats and a large indoor Discovery Center.

  • On May 1, 1999, the Tom and Jo Ghrist Great Cats exhibit opened.
  • On September 1, 2001, the Myron & Jackie Blank Discovery Center opened.

In 2003, the foundation took over running the zoo. Terry Rich became the first CEO. This started a new chapter for the zoo. They also began popular Spring Break and Holiday Safaris.

In 2011, the zoo added new signs and interactive displays. The David Kruidenier Australia Adventure also opened. It featured the rare cassowary bird. The sea lion pool was rebuilt too.

Explore the Amazing Exhibits at Blank Park Zoo

The Blank Park Zoo is home to many different animals. They live in various themed exhibits.

Myron and Jackie Blank Discovery Center

The Discovery Center is an indoor area you see first when you enter the zoo. It's filled with many plants and animals. It has different sections for unique viewing experiences.

Meredith Alpine Exhibit: Red Pandas Up Close

At the entrance of the Discovery Center, you'll find the Meredith Alpine Exhibit. Here, you can see the zoo's red pandas. They have an indoor space and an outdoor area connected by a tunnel.

The Cave: Meet Nocturnal Animals

Right after the Alpine Exhibit is The Cave. This area is home to many animals that are active at night. It also has some reptile exhibits.

You might see:

Free Range Tropical Aviary: Birds in Flight

This aviary is home to many colorful tropical birds. They fly freely in a forest-like setting.

Some birds you might spot include:

Other enclosed exhibits in this area feature scarlet macaws, golden-headed lion tamarins, and toco toucans.

Aquarium of the Discovery Center: Underwater Worlds

The Aquarium shows aquatic life from all over the world. You'll see a waterfall above the Amazon River Pool. This pool has tropical river fish like tambaqui (Pacu), redtail catfish, and silver arowana.

The coral reef exhibit is home to many colorful sea creatures. These include coral, sea anemones, clown triggerfish, foureye butterflyfish, clownfish, schooling bannerfish, yellow tang, and Achilles tangs.

Jaama Kwa: Connection to Africa

This exciting African exhibit opened in spring 2013. It expanded the existing African Boardwalk. It brought many new animals to the zoo.

You can now see:

The zoo also still has other African animals. These include Reticulated giraffes, Hartmann's mountain zebras, addax, African crowned cranes, and guinea fowl.

The zoo's Eastern Black Rhinos, Ayana and Kiano, have had two calves! Tumani was born in 2016. In 2019, a second calf, Kamara, was born.

David Kruidenier Australia Adventure

Finished in July 2011, this exhibit takes you to the Australian outback. It has an Australian-themed barn and many unique animals.

You can find:

There's also a special aviary here for rainbow lorikeets.

Kids' Kingdom: Play and Pet Animals

Kids' Kingdom is a large playground built in 2007. It has slides, mazes, monkey bars, and sand pits. You can even dig for fossils!

This area also features "contact animals" that you can feed.

Animals in Kids' Kingdom include:

Tom and Jo Ghrist Big Cat Complex

This exciting exhibit opened in 1999. It is home to powerful big cats.

You can see:

The exhibit recently got new interactive displays and viewing areas.

Hub Harbor Pinniped Pavilion: Seals and Sea Lions

The new seal and sea lion pool opened on March 17, 2012. It took a year to rebuild the old pool. This exhibit now has two high viewing areas. It also has an underwater viewing area. Here, you can watch the zoo's California sea lions and harbor seals.

Two notable harbor seals, Ross and Meru, came to the zoo from British Columbia. They were rescued as tiny pups. They were too sick to be released back into the wild. The zoo became their permanent home.

In spring 2020, a young sea lion named Meatball joined the exhibit.

Other Amazing Animals at the Zoo

Besides the major exhibits, the zoo has many other animals in individual habitats.

You can also see:

Conservation Efforts at Blank Park Zoo

Since 1997, the Blank Park Zoo has worked to protect animals. Their Conservation Committee raises money for projects worldwide. These projects focus on protecting animals and their natural homes. They also have a connection to the Blank Park Zoo.

Money is collected in fun ways. This includes children's face painting, raffles, and coin donation buckets.

In 2012, the Conservation Committee helped with these projects:

  • Species Survival Plans: These programs help endangered animals in zoos.
  • The International Snow Leopard Trust: This group protects snow leopard habitats.
  • Greater Prairie Chicken Project: This helps bring back Iowa's native chickens.
  • Giraffe Conservation Foundation: This supports efforts to protect giraffes.
  • The Great Ape Trust: This group rescues orangutans and bonobos. They help apes affected by deforestation and poaching.
  • Panamanian Golden Frogs: This program helps release captive frogs into the wild.
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