Blank Park Zoo Breaks Ground on Largest Lion Conservation Expansion in 40 Years

Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines has begun construction on the Marjorie A. Foster Lion Conservation Center, a major expansion that will triple the space for its African lions and significantly boost its conservation efforts. The new facility, set to open in summer 2026, will house up to eight lions—up from the current two—enabling the zoo to take a larger role in international breeding and species management programs. Designed with an airplane hangar theme featuring a real interactive plane, the center will include two outdoor habitats and multiple immersive viewing areas, including floor-to-ceiling glass with three different visitor viewpoints. The project, the largest undertaken by the zoo in 40 years, aims to increase lion welfare by providing more space and choice for the animals, allowing them to spend most of the year outside. Blank Park Zoo President and CEO Anne Shimerdla highlighted the dire state of wild lion populations, which have declined by over 40% in 30 years, and emphasized the center's role in linking local efforts to a global mission to save African lions. The center is located in the Jamaa Kwa Africa section of the zoo and was made possible through the support of longtime benefactor Marjorie Foster.