Blank Park Zoo

Infobox zoo
zoo_name=Blank Park Zoo
location=Des Moines, Iowa, USA
date_opened=May 8, 1966cite web |url=http://www.blankparkzoo.com/en/about_us/zoo_history.cfm |title=Zoo History |publisher=Blank Park Zoo |accessdate=2007-08-18]
area=22 acres (89,000 m²)
coordinates=coord|41|31|10|N|93|37|27|W|type:landmark_scale:2500
members=AZA
website=http://www.blankparkzoo.com/

Blank Park Zoo is a zoo on the south side of Des Moines, Iowa near Fort Des Moines.

Early years

In 1963, Mr. A.H. Blank donated $150,000 ($916,000 in 2005 dollars) for the construction of a children's zoo on decommissioned Fort Des Moines property. The Des Moines Children’s Zoo was officially opened on May 8, 1966. It was originally designed around nursery rhymes and included a castle with moat, a replica of Noah's Ark, petting zoo and miniature railroad.

Over the next 16 years the city failed to make improvements to the zoo and was on the verge of closing until in 1981 a group of civic minded business leaders formed the Blank Park Zoo Foundation to help save the zoo. The Foundations number one goal was to provide financial support for capital improvements, animal acquisitions and promotional and marketing activities.The Foundation succeeded by forming a partnership with the City of Des Moines that resulted in a $1.8 million dollar bond referendum, as well as an additional $1.4 million dollars from the community. Finally at the end of 1982 the zoo closed for some much needed renovations.

Post renovation

On May 17, 1986 the new and improved Blank Park Zoo reopened, and officially became an AZA accredited zoo. The renovated Zoo had a new mission of conservation, education and recreation, and featured geographic themed exhibits with spacious, naturally landscaped environments. In 1995 the Blank Park Zoo Foundation purchased 25.3 additional acres of historic Fort Des Moines property and 9 historic buildings for future growth and expansion of the Zoo. It also began a capital campaign to build a new great cats exhibit and a convert|30000|sqft|m2|-3|sing=on indoor Discovery Center exhibit. On May 1, 1999 the Tom and Jo Ghrist Great Cats exhibit opened and on September 1, 2001, the Blank Park Zoo opened the Myron & Jackie Blank Discovery Center which has become a popular year round attraction. On July 1, 2003 the Blank Park Zoo Foundation officially accepted all responsibility of the management and operations of the zoo from the City of Des Moines. In October 2003 the first Zoo CEO, Terry Rich, was hired and has opened the door to further growth and development, and on May 8, 2006 the zoo successfully celebrated 40 years.

Future Plans

On December 15, 2006, Blank Park CEO Terry Rich unveiled a huge expansion plan to the county planning board that would require help from 12 local entities to complete. One huge stumbling block however is the estimated $50 million dollar price tag. The completed expansion would include: [ [http://www.blankparkzoo.com/en/expansion_news Expansion News ] ]

*An expanded world class “modern” zoo to include updating the current zoo and adding additional acres for new exhibits.
*Establishing a “conservation/education” headquarters for K-12 students and early childhood organizations which would also educate the public about the historic values of Fort Des Moines.
*Designate county park preserve, wetland preserve, and a new neighborhood playscape park.
*A partnership with south side businesses, including Southridge Mall, to revitalize southern Polk County’s economic development.
*A partnership with the Des Moines School District to include relocation of the Central Campus Marine Biology program and a diving pool for Iowa’s EMT and Police departments.
*Establishment of an international festival grounds for state-wide events.
*Historic living area to include a grand entrance and bandshell.
*The south side bike trail and a trail hub for southern Polk County.
*An endangered species conservation facility.

Animals

The Blank Park Zoo contains a variety of wildlife in several various exhibits:

Discovery Center

The Discovery Center is an entirely enclosed area you encounter first when you enter the zoo and contains many different types of animal and plant life. The Discovery Center itself is broken down into separate sections to create a unique viewing experience:

The Cave

* Madagascar hissing cockroach ("Gromphadorhina portentosa")
* Emperor scorpion ("Pandinus imperator")

Free Range Aviary

* Finches

Butterfly Garden

* Butterflies

Waterlab

Shows the various properties and uses of water

Bat Cave

* Egyptian Fruit Bat ("Rousettus aegyptiacus")

Amazon Pool

* Red Bellied Pacu ("Colossoma brachypomus")
* Redtail catfish ("Phractocephalus hemioliopterus")

Coral Reef

Containing many different varieties of reef fish

Macaw

Contains several blue and red macaws

Australian Trail

* Red-necked Wallaby {"Macropus rufogriseus")
* Emu ("Dromaius novaehollandiae")
* Giant Kingfisher ("Megaceryle maxima")
* Cattle Egret ("Bubulcus ibis")

Contact Area

* Trumpeter swan ("Cygnus buccinator")
* Llama
* Goat
* Koi

Great Cats

* Serval ("Leptailurus serval")
* Lion ("Panthera leo"}
* Snow leopard ("Uncia uncia")
* Siberian Tiger ("Panthera tigris altaica")

Marine Animals

* Harbor seal ("Phoca vitulina")
* California Sea Lion ("Zalophus californianus")
* Magellan Penguin ("Spheniscus magellanicus")

African Section

* Reticulated Giraffe ("Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata")
* Bongo (antelope) ("Tragelaphus eurycerus")
* Zebra

American Bald Eagles

In June 2007, the Blank Park Zoo added the William C Knapp Family American Bald Eagle Exhibit. The birds are a pair from the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. The birds are so called "rehab" birds that were injured in the wild and rescued, but they couldn't make it on their own in the wild. According to the rules of keeping Bald Eagles, all feathers shed by the birds must be collected and sent to a place that distributes them to Native Americans.

Kids' Kingdom

In late June 2007, the Zoo, The Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute and hundreds of volunteers around Des Moines built the new Kids' Kingdom playground. It includes convert|5600|sqft|m2|-1|abbr=on of slides, mazes, monkey bars, sand pits, fossil digs and more. The Kids' Kingdom area also includes many for "contact animals" which includes, sheep, goats, llamas, miniature donkeys, koi fish, and a Zebu. Another fun new attraction is the mining sluice.

Conservation programs

Starting in 1997, The Blank Park Zoo Conservation Committee has raised funds for a wide variety of worldwide conservation projects. The primary projects of the Committee must be international, must focus on protecting animals or their natural ecosystems, and must also have some tie to the Blank Park Zoo. Money is collected through various means such as children's face painting, special event raffles, and coin donation buckets.

In 2005 the Conservation Committee chose to participate in 4 programs: [cite web |url=http://www.blankparkzoo.com/en/about_us/about_us.cfm |title=Conservation Committee |publisher=Blank Park Zoo |accessdate=2007-08-18]
* The International Snow Leopard Trust - to protect the natural habitat of snow leopards
* Hornbill Nest Protection - to prevent illegal poaching of hornbills
* The Great Ape Trust - aimed to rescue orangutans in areas of deforestation
* Panamanian Golden Frogs - aimed to sponsor a program to release captive frogs into the wild

References

External links

* http://www.blankparkzoo.com/
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