Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa

In 1963, A.H. Blank donated $150,000 for the construction of a children's zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, and the Blank Park Zoo was officially opened to the public on May 8th, 1966. The zoo was designed around themes of nursery rhymes and included a castle with moat, a Noah's Ark replica and a miniature railroad. Due to lack of improvements through the years, the zoo was saved from the brink of destruction by the newly formed Blank Park Zoo Foundation.

The Blank Park Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and after undergoing extensive renovations was reopened on May 17th, 1986. With a mission devoted to conservation, education and recreation the newly renovated zoo features geographically themed exhibits and spaciously designed habitats. In 1995, the zoo purchased an additional 25.3 acres of historical Des Moines property and added 9 buildings to allow for growth and expansion.

On December 15th, 2006, the zoo announced a huge expansion plan, with a price tag of $50 million. Once completed, the expansion would include a more modern zoo with additional lands for more expansion, a pre-K through 12th grade educational/conservation headquarters, designated county park preserve, a wetland preserve and neighborhood park.

The Blank Park Zoo contains some very interesting wildlife exhibited in several custom-made displays. Contained in an entirely enclosed area, the Discovery Center is broken into separate sections and showcases a wide array of plant and animal life. In the Cave Exhibit, guests will find Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches and Emperor Scorpions and several other types of specimens. The zoo has a free range aviary and butterfly garden, a water lab and bat cave. The Coral Reef displays many different types of reef fish in a breathtaking display of color.

Other notable exhibits are the Australian Trail where guests can see wallabies, kangaroos, emus and egrets, and the Contact Area features Trumpeter Swans, Llamas, Goats and Koi. The zoo has an extensive exhibit devoted to the Great Cats; here guests get to see Lions, Siberian Tigers, Snow Leopards and Servals. The Marine Animals Exhibit is home to Harbor seals, California Sea Lions and Magellan Penguins, and while visiting the African Area, guests will see Reticulated Giraffes, Bongo Antelopes and Zebras.

In June 2007, the Blank Park Zoo added two new areas, the American Bald Eagles Exhibit and Kids Kingdom. The Eagle Exhibit houses a pair of American Bald Eagles from the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. When the eagles shed feathers, they are collected and sent to a place that gives them to Native Americans. Kids Kingdom is a 5,000 square foot area composed of slides, ladders, swings, sand pits, monkey bars and much more. The Kid Kingdom also features a "contact area'' that features sheep, goats, llamas, miniature donkeys and a Zebu.

The zoo has 104 different animal species and 1,484 animal specimens in exhibits that cover 22 acres of land. Guests are invited to visit with more than 1,000 furry, finned and feathered creatures and tour the neighboring botanical gardens.

The Blank Park Zoo is opened Thursday through Sunday from 10 am until 4 pm. The facility is fully handicapped accessible and features a cafy, gift shops and various concession stands throughout the park, wheel chair and stroller rentals are also available.