The average Iowan does not get to view much unique aquatic life within the state borders. Opportunities to learn about these amazing creatures are few and far between and limited to essentially to the Blank Park Zoo, the only Association of Zoo and Aquarium (AZA) accredited zoo in Iowa.
When an aquarium promising these sights and education opportunities positioned itself between Buffalo Wild Wings and The Black & Gold Shop at Jordan Creek Town Center it almost seemed too good to be true. Unfortunately, those doubts were affirmed as the Blue Zoo aquarium has already been criticized for violating animal rights and is yet another “roadside zoo” attraction meant to make money.
Multiple preventable animal deaths have already occurred since the Blue Zoo opened in May. However, when contacted by WHO13 a corporate spokesperson for the aquarium did not respond to a written question about how many animals have passed since opening.
The first publicly known incident involved the death of a Parakeet after continued negligence on the Blue Zoo’s behalf. Inside the building, is a room meant for interactive feeding experiences between the customer and these exotic birds. The incident occurred after a child was sitting on his mother’s lap while resting on a bench in a room filled with over 300 birds and then jumped off and effectively crushed the Parakeet.
While this incident may be an unfortunate mistake, many feel that these deaths were bound to occur due to poor oversight of the facility. In an article by Kate Kealey at the Des Moines Register it was detailed “[g]roups entering the enclosure were reminded by Blue Zoo staff to shuffle their feet as they walked. A USDA inspector, who visited the facility on May 31, observed that small children often failed to do so. Birds were seen under patrons’ shoes while looking for seeds to eat, he reported.”
Unfortunately, these failures in planning and proper procedures have meant the rare bird’s death is not an isolated event. On July 22nd, 2024 a Bamboo Shark was euthanized after biting an employee when being transported. The shark was showing signs of distress, after resuscitation efforts, the shark was moved to a larger tank and became startled. The shark then bit the employee and did not let go and they were forced to euthanize.
The manager of the West Des Moines Blue Zoo location, Dylan Clayton, told KCCI in an interview that “Blue Zoo is looking at adding special gloves and rethinking if team members should get in the water with the sharks.”
Many feel as though these preventive measures should have been in place before opening the establishment and have shared on social media their disappointment with the Iowa attraction’s treatment of animals. Outrage is not limited to social media as Preston Moore, the Iowa State Director of the Humane Society of the U.S., is taking a stand against the roadside attraction.
Moore explained to WHO13, “[w]e are calling for the city of West Des Moines to take steps to close this business and to prevent future businesses like it from opening.”
