Iowa zoo adds new tiger, otter, bats & birds
William Clark
Updated on March 15, 2026
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Blank Park Zoo has announced several new animals that will be on display this winter — including a big cat named Bronevik.
The addition of the 409-pound male Amur tiger was at the recommendation of the Species Survival Plan. Zookeepers hope he’ll be a good match with the zoo’s female Amur tiger.
“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.”
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Bronevik comes to Des Moines from the Omaha Zoo’s Wildlife Safari Park.
Another new animal at the Blank Park Zoo is Bamboo, an almost two-year-old river otter. She’ll join other otters Sassy and Fisher. Bamboo also comes to the zoo on a breeding recommendation from the SSP.
The largest, in number, additions to the BPZ are 30 Jamaican fruit bats and nearly 30 birds.
The bird species are:
- 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
