Latest news with #SavingAnimalsfromExtinction
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blank Park Zoo breaks ground on roaring new lion conservation center
DES MOINES, Iowa — In April 2024, the Blank Park Zoo announced plans for the largest renovation project in its 60-year history, and on Tuesday morning, zoo leaders broke ground on phase one. The new lion conservation center will triple the space for the zoo's lions, while adding a trio of viewing experiences for guests, and even an immersive VIP viewing area. The exhibit is the first addition of the zoo's ongoing 'Expand the Impact' capital campaign an $18 million renovation project aimed at enhancing animal and guest experiences and conservation efforts. Quarry Springs Park in Colfax adds 40 new RV sites 'We're a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and so those are partners that we have throughout the United States that partner with not only best practices for animal management, but also for conservation programming. And so we're excited to be a part of this network. This new space will allow us to become one of the leaders in lion conservation. So, our work will be done, not only here in the United States, but we also work with the African Lion Safe Program, which stands for Saving Animals from Extinction. And that'll be, our work will extend internationally into the wild as well,' said Anne Shimerdla, President and CEO of the Blank Park Zoo. Leaders with the zoo say once the lions are moved into this new area, their existing exhibit will be used to expand the tiger area. The zoo says they're hoping for the new lion conservation center to be open to the public beginning late spring/early summer of 2026. Metro News: Blank Park Zoo breaks ground on roaring new lion conservation center Juvenile assaulted at Walnut Creek Campus in West Des Moines MercyOne releases statement about split with Medical Center Anesthesiologists Exile Brewing Company wins gold at world beer competition Some metro trails closed because of flash flooding Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Four bison arrive at Somerset conservation center
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WTAJ) — The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium's International Conservation Center in Somerset announced they have four new additions. They welcomed one of North America's most iconic species. Four American Bison, one male and three females, arrived at the ICC in December. They were each born this past summer and are roughly eight months old. They come to the zoo through a partnership with a prairie-based nature reserve in Central Montana, called American Prairie. Both the zoo and the nature reserve are part of the Saving Animals from Extinction (SAFE) program which hopes to merge resources of facilities across North America to recover bison and restore their native habitat. Breast cancer survivors honored at annual Pink Zone Game 'This is the beginning of an exciting breeding and reintroduction program that will repatriate bison to indigenous territories across the United States,' ICC Director Ayeshah Al-Humaidhi said. 'The herd will also provide training opportunities for animal care managers across zoological institutions and our Native American partners.' Bison, which are more commonly referred to as buffalos, are the official mammal of the United States and the largest land animal in North America. Due to hunting and habitat loss, their population dwindled and just over a thousand were believed to be left at the turn of the 20th century. Today the population is listed as 'near threatened,' and through preservation efforts is being slowly reintroduced to the wild. At the ICC, the bison will serve as ambassadors for their species, helping visitors understand the vital role they play in the ecosystem as a keystone species and the importance of preserving their natural habitats. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
