Des Moines Blank Park Zoo Welcomes Tiger

(Des Moines, IA) -- There are some new additions to the Des Moines Blank Park Zoo, including a 409-pound tiger, named Bronevik. He's a male Amur tiger that formerly lived at Omaha Zoo’s Wildlife Safari Park. He came to Blank Park Zoo with a breeding recommendation from the tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP).

 

“He is a big guy,” said Jay Tetzloff, chief animal officer at Blank Park Zoo. “Keepers say that he loves goat milk and is a cautious animal. We are really hopeful he and Misha the female tiger will become a great couple.” He replaces Luka who went to live at another AZA accredited zoo.

 

There's also a new North American river otter, named Bamboo and dozens of new bats.

The Myron and Jackie Blank Discovery Center is also home to 30 new Jamaican fruit bats and nearly 30 new birds. The largest of the birds is the scarlet ibis and the smallest is the violaceous euphonia.

 This is the full list of new bird species:

 

·         Emerald Starling

·         Snowy-headed Robin Chat

·         Golden-crested Mynah

·         Bali Myna

·         Silver-beaked Tanager

·         Spangled Cotinga

·         Violaceous Euphonia

·         Green Honeycreeper

·         Yellow-rumped Cacique

·         Black-naped Fruit Dove

·         Scarlet Ibis

The Des Moines Blank Park Zoo is open year-round.