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Blank Park Zoo Breaks Ground on Ruan Foundation Wild Iowa and Launches 60th Anniversary Celebration
Next Phase of the $18 Million Expand the Impact Campaign Will Highlight Iowa’s Native Wildlife and Local Conservation
DES MOINES, Iowa (November 6, 2025) – Blank Park Zoo is celebrating a new chapter in its history with the groundbreaking of Ruan Foundation Wild Iowa and the official launch of the Zoo’s 60th Anniversary Celebration. It marks the next major milestone in Blank Park Zoo’s $18 million Expand the Impact capital campaign to transform the Zoo with new animal habitats and enhanced guest experiences.
Located in the heart of the Zoo, Ruan Foundation Wild Iowa will immerse guests in the natural beauty of Iowa’s landscapes and connect them to the native wildlife found throughout the state. More than just new habitats, the project highlights the Zoo’s ongoing conservation work taking place right here in Iowa and helps educate visitors about the animals living in their own backyards.
“Wild Iowa celebrates the animals and ecosystems that make our state so special,” said Anne Shimerdla, President and CEO of Blank Park Zoo. “From otters and eagles to bobcats and turtles, these new habitats will help tell the story of Iowa’s wildlife while inspiring future generations to protect it.”
Support from the Ruan Foundation, Polk County Board of Supervisors, Nationwide Foundation, and other key partners has been instrumental in the ongoing project. The Nationwide Foundation has provided funding to help develop a new and enhanced bald eagle habitat, giving the Zoo’s rehabilitated eagles greater access to sunlight, natural perching areas, and expanded space.
A new river otter habitat will feature underwater viewing opportunities. The expansion will also include a cabin featuring native turtles and reptiles, along with the addition of Prairie Meadows Bobcat Meadows, introducing a new species to the Zoo. Each of these animals plays an important role in Blank Park Zoo’s rehabilitation and conservation programs.
As Blank Park Zoo embarks on its next era of growth, it’s also taking time to honor its history with the launch of its 60th Anniversary Celebration. The year-and-a-half-long commemoration highlights six decades of conservation, education, research and recreation. A new 60th anniversary logo features design elements inspired by the Zoo’s iconic logo first introduced in 1986.
Blank Park Zoo originally opened on May 8, 1966, as the Des Moines Children’s Zoo. A.H. Blank donated $150,000 to the City of Des Moines to build a children’s zoo on a site near old Fort Des Moines, with community members raising matching funds to complete the project. The Zoo closed for renovations from 1983 to 1985, reopening in 1986 as Blank Park Zoo.
To learn more about Ruan Foundation Wild Iowa and support the Expand the Impact capital campaign, visit impact.blankparkzoo.org.
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About Blank Park Zoo
Blank Park Zoo's mission is to inspire an appreciation of the natural world through conservation, education, research, and recreation. Located in Des Moines, Iowa, the zoo offers a unique opportunity for visitors to experience and learn about animals from around the globe, all while supporting vital global conservation efforts. As the only accredited zoo in Iowa, Blank Park Zoo is proud to be a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).