Raccoon River Zoo

Raccoon River Zoo is a zoo in Raccoon River, Iowa. It is owned and operated by the Greene Foundation.

## History

Raccoon River Zoo began in 1919 when Milo Brixley began setting up a variety of cages for monkeys, bears, camels, cattle and a jaguar on a large plot of land he had purchased. near Raccoon River, Iowa.

The zoo was quite popular amongst the locals and soon grew its collection to include lions, giraffes, zebras, gorillas, orangutans, chimps, seals and even a beluga whale from Nunavut, Canada.

In 1933 the zoo received its largest and most famous residents. Two pairs of Resident Orcas were introduced into a circular, concrete pool in the center of the grounds.

The whales quickly began drawing in more visitors than ever before, as thousands of midwesterners gathered to see the marine leviathans.

1934, the zoo hatched its first Scarlet Macaws, the beginning of a successful history in breeding these endangered parrots.

In 1939 the Zoo’s reptile house opened to the public.

Later in 1945 the zoo had finished construction on a 10 million gallon marine habitat on the left side of the park just off the central pavilion. Titled ‘Pelagica’, it was a huge pool, separated into three portions and connected by channels. The habitat exhibited many species including Bottlenose Dolphins, Pilot Whales, Sharks, Rays and a multitude of fishes.

The instillation drove guest attendance up even higher than before, which, leading into 1950 made the zoo a nationally known and very profitable attraction, allowing for the construction and creation of even more advanced habitat infrastructure, including a planktonic broadcast system accompanying the arrival of a variety of filter feeding species such as the Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, Minke Whales, and Pygmy Right Whales.

These creatures were also some of the largest animals in captivity at the time. And the only baleen whales.

1974 saw the creation of the Desert Loop, featuring Gemsbok, Scimitar Oryx, Camels, and a wide variety of Reptiles and Invertebrates

As the zoo continued its operations, by 1980 nearly all of the old 1920s and 30s era habitats were replaced by more modern ones.

In 1991 one of the zoo’s Dwarf Minke Whale’s gave birth, marking the first successful breeding of a Baleen whale in captivity.

Just one year later a Pygmy Right Whale was born, at that point meaning every species of marine mammal at the zoo had produced offspring.

In the coming years babies would be produced almost yearly at the zoo.

In 1993 the Chimpanzee Forest Preserve opened to the public, replacing theoutdated monkey house habitat they had been exhibited in for the past 60 years. This project resulted im the decommission of the Desert Loop, and the creation of the smaller Oryx Trails exhibit, phasing out species like the Caracal, Javelina, Dromedary Camel and others out of the zoo’s collection.

1994 Oryx Trails opened to the public.

1997 saw the opening of two new habitats joined together under the name of the ‘Boreal Trail’

The Boreal Trail consists of Tiger Territory and Grizzly Mountain. Featuring Amur Tigers, Grizzly Bears, a rescue Bald Eagle, Coho Salmon, North American River Otters and Raccoons.

In 2002 the zoo purchased a herd of ‘Taurus Cattle’ from the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Biologischer Umweltschutz conservation group in Germany. An enclosure titled the ‘Aurochs Grotto’ was built and opened to the public soon after.

In 2004 a large add-on to the Pelagica habitat was constructed, connecting the end of the Boreal Trail to the large aquarium featuring a rocky coastline for sea otters, seabirds, and a variety of marine invertebrates. Pelagica was renamed to ‘Pacific Ocean’ upon opening of this expansion.

In 2014 the zoo’s orcas were sent to a netted sea pen in a whale sanctuary to live the rest of their lives as wild as possible. Their tank was retrofitted to house three Southern Elephant Seals.

In 2019 the zoo celebrated its 100th year anniversary. The zoo also opened a new Komodo Dragon habitat in the Reptile House.

## Animals and Exhibits

### Sundial Plaza

* Scarlet Macaws
* Southern Ground Hornbills
* Egyptian Fruit Bats

### Waterbird Yard

An open yard with plenty of foliage and a large shallow pool at the front for Andean and Chilean Flamingos. Other waterbirds living here include Peruvian Pelicans, Wood Ducks and North American Ruddy Ducks.

### Elephant Seal Pool

The former out-of-date Orca pool has been heavily modified into a modern habitat for displaying Southern Elephant Seals. It now features a large sandy beach in the back, blended into the surrounding rock work. That blends the previously disconnected pool with the rockwork of other nearby exhibits and natural landscaping.

### Discovery Center

Originally opened as the Reptile House in 1939, the Discovery Center is oldest building in the Zoo. Home to about 43 species of reptiles and invertebrates. As well as 6 bird species and Rodrigues Flying Foxes

#### Reptile House

* American Toad, Spotted Salamander
* Common Garter Snake, Five-lined Skink
* Wyoming Toad
* Arizona Bark Scorpion, Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion
* Blue Death Feigning Beetle
* Bahamas Anole, Caribbean Hermit Crab, Violet Hermit Crab
* Blackback Land Crab, Green Anole, Thai Devil Crab, Vampire Crab
* Axolotl
* Alligator Snapping Turtle
* Chaco Golden-knee Tarantula
* Aldabra Giant Tortoise, Galapagos Giant Tortoise
* Russian Tortoise, Western Hermann’s Tortoise, Armenian Tortoise, Egyptian Tortoise, Marginated Tortoise
* African Fat-tailed Gecko
* African Rock Python
* Angolan Python
* Ball Python
* Cape Girdled Lizard, Geometric Tortoise
* Electric Blue Day Gecko
* Nile Crocodile
* Nile Monitor
* Angonoka Tortoise, Flat-backed Spider Tortoise, Giant Madagascar Day Gecko, Panther Chameleon, Radiated Tortoise, Spider Tortoise
* Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
* Tomato Frog
* Common House Gecko, Common Tree Frog, Yunnan Box Turtle
* Komodo Dragon
* Common Bearded Dragon
* Leopard Gecko
* Coconut Crab

##### Atrium

* Bali Myna, Green Imperial Pigeon, Indian Roller, Matschie’s Tree-Kangaroo, Nicobar Pigeon, Rodrigues Flying Fox, Vietnamese Pond Turtle, White-rumped Shama, Yellow-crested Laughing Thrush

#### Children’s Zoo

* Domestic Chicken
* Domestic Goat
* Common Dwarf Mongoose
* Common Vampire Bat, Seba’s Short-tailed Bat
* Laughing Kookaburra
* Meerkat
* Chinese Pangolin, Reeve’s Muntjac
* Philippine Pangolin
* Short-beaked Echidna

### Bird Show

* African Gray Parrot, Andean Condor, Bahamas Titan-Hawk, Borras’ Eagle Hawk, Cuban Cursorial Owl, Daggett’s Eagle, Dodo, Giant Elephant Bird, Grinell’s Hawk-Eagle, Haast’s Eagle, Harpy Eagle, Henderson Imperial Pigeon, Hyacinth Macaw, Huia, Lesser Antillean Macaw, Merriam’s Teratorn, New Caledonian Du, Newton’s Mihirung, North Island Adzebill, Palm Cockatoo, Po’o-uli, Red-legged Seriema, South Island Giant Moa, Suarez Giant Eagle, Tongan Tooth-billed Pigeon, Turtle-jawed Moa-nalo, Viti Levu Giant Pigeon

### Pacific Ocean

Considered Raccoon River Zoo’s flagship attraction, opening in 1945 as ‘Pelagica’, the Pacific Ocean is split into three habitats; Coasts, Reefs and Open Ocean.

The Coast is composed of 3 habitat areas. A replica of the Rocky Alaskan coastline, home to 4 Alaskan Sea Otters, along with a series of Tide Pools replica touch pools filled with small fishes and coastal invertebrates.

Tide Pools

* Aggregate Anemone, Bat Star, Giant Red Sea Cucumber, Giant Green Anemone, Leather Star, Ochre Star, Shiner Surfperch, Spiny Pink Star, White-spotted Anemone

A series of five aviaries for Alcids, Gulls and Pelicans, Tropicbirds, A pair of Ospreys and a pair of White-tailed Sea Eagles.

* Common Murre, Tufted Puffin
* Kelp Gull, Laughing Gull
* White-tailed Sea Eagle

The Reef consists of several large viewing windows into the Pelagica Pool looking out into a large replica of an Eastern Pacific Reef, another large tank (3,000 gallons) features corals, feather stars, and sponges, and a few more smaller tanks housing creatures like reef invertebrates, seahorses and Lionfish

* Anemone Crab, Atlantic Thorny Oyster, Banggai Cardinalfish, Blue Sea Star, Bubbletip Anemone, Coral Beauty Angelfish, Dimpled Encrusting Montipora, Electric Flame Scallop, Elegant Feather Star, Elegant Firefish, Fire Corals, Fire Goby, Fire Shrimp, Finger Coral, Flame Scallop, Flowerpot Coral, Flame Angelfish, Frogspawn Coral, Giant Barrel Sponge, Giant Clam, Golden Spot Sea Squirt, Knobbly Mushroom Coral, Leaf Plate Montipora, Lobed Brain Coral, Marine Betta, Maxima Clam, Moon Wrasse, Ocellaris Clownfish, Peppermint Shrimp, Red Feather Star, Red Slate Pencil Urchin, Semicircle Angelfish, Sexy Shrimp, Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, Staghorn Coral, Variable Bushy Feather Star
* Peacock Mantis Shrimp
* Zebra Turkeyfish
* Chocolate Chip Sea Star, Half-spined Seahorse
* Blue Blubber Jellyfish
* Common Octopus

The Open Ocean consists of several more large viewing windows into the Pelagica tank looking into a recreation of the barren open ocean, modeled after the East Pacific Ocean, specially the Muertes Shelf, one of which being one of the largest in the world. At 75 feet long, 26 feet tall and nearly 3 feet thick.

* Cuvier’s Beaked Whale, Dwarf Minke Whale, Dwarf Sperm Whale, False Killer Whale, Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin, Pygmy Right Whale, Pygmy Sperm Whale, Short-finned Pilot Whale, Strap-toothed Whale

* Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Leatherback Sea Turtle

* Blacktip Reef Shark, Bowmouth Guitarfish, Brown-banded Bamboo Shark, Coral Catshark, Epaulette Shark, Green Sawfish, Longcomb Sawfish, Port Jackson Shark, Scalloped Hammerhead Shark, Silky Shark, Smalltooth Sandtiger Shark, Tiger Shark, Whale Shark, White-tip Reef Shark, White-spotted Bambooshark, Zebra Shark
* Bluespotted Ribbontail Ray, Chilean Devil Ray, Giant Oceanic Manta Ray, Leopard Whipray

* Ribbon Eel, Snowflake Moray Eel

* Atlantic Mackerel, Bigeye Trevally, Bluefin Trevally, Common Remora, Crevalle Jack, Eastern Pacific Bonito, Giant Trevally, Indo-Pacific Blue Marlin, Indo-Pacific Sailfish, Lagoon Triggerfish, Ocean Sunfish, Peruvian Pacific Sardine, Peruvian Anchovy, Tarpon, Yellowfin Tuna
* Azure Damselfish, Barrier Reef Chromis, Bicolor Anthias, Bird Wrasse, Blackbar Soldierfish, Blackspotted Puffer, Blue-Green Chromis, Blue Ring Angelfish, Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse, Bluestriped Grunt, Copperband Butterflyfish, Coral Grouper, Dragon Wrasse, Emperor Angelfish, Forceps Butterflyfish, Foxface Rabbitfish, French Angelfish, Giant Grouper, Goldenstriped Soapfish, Hawaiian Cleaner Wrasse, Humpback Grouper, Humphead Wrasse, Largemouth Blenny, Latticed Butterflyfish, Leopard Coral Grouper, Longhorn Cowfish, Map Puffer, Masked Butterflyfish, Milkfish, Narrow-lined Puffer, Orbicular Batfish, Pacific Double-saddle Butterflyfish, Papuan Toby, Pennant Coralfish, Pinnate Spadefish, Porkfish, Powder Blue Tang, Raccoon Butterflyfish, Red-belted Anthias, Ring-tailed Cardinalfish, Royal Angelfish, Saddle Butterflyfish, Sailfin Tang, Samurai Squirrelfish, Sea Goldie, Silver Moony, Speckled Butterflyfish, Squarespot Anthias, Striped Surgeonfish, Threadfin Butterflyfish, Tomato Clownfish, Two-spot Red Snapper, Yellow-edged Lyretail, Yellowtail Coris, Yellow Tang

The gigantic Pelagica Tank contains over 10 million U.S. gallons of water, and is home to 80 species including Hawaiian Monk Seals, West Indian Manatees, a variety of Whales, Sea Turtles, Sharks, Rays and several thousand Fish and Invertebrates.

### Oryx Trails

* Common Ostrich, Gemsbok, Roan Antelope, Thomson’s Gazelle
* Rock Hyrax
* Gambian Pouched Rat
* Aardvark, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill
* Addax, Dama Gazelle, Scimitar-horned Oryx

#### Swazi Game Reserve

* Ankole-Watusi Cattle, Common Ostrich, Giant Sable Antelope, Giraffe, Grevy’s Zebra, Pink-backed Pelican, Sitatunga, Southern White Rhinoceros
* Nile Crocodile
* African Savannah Elephant
* Aardvark, Banded Mongoose
* African Lion

### Chimpanzee Forest Preserve

* Chimpanzee
* Mandrill
* Bongo, Red River Hog
* Long-tailed Pangolin
* Temminck’s Pangolin
* White-bellied Pangolin
* Diana Monkey, Greater Spot-nosed Monkey, Wolf’s Mona Monkey
* Zanzibar Red Colobus

### Boreal Trail

#### Grizzly Bear Mountain

* Bald Eagle
* Coho Salmon
* Grizzly Bear
* North American River Otter

#### Urban Iowa

* Mallard, Common Snapping Turtle, Painted Turtle, Red-eared Slider, Bighead Carp, Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, Common Carp, Fathead Minnow, Goldfish, Grass Carp, Longear Sunfish, Silver Carp
* Common Garter Snake
* American Toad
* American Black Bear
* American Pine Marten
* Cougar
* Red Fox
* Great Horned Owl
* Peregrine Falcon
* Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture
* Rock Dove
* Coyote
* Elk, Wild Turkey
* Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider
* Raccoon, Striped Skunk, Virginia Opossum
* Common Barn Owl
* Brown Rat
* House Mouse
* American Cockroach, Brown-banded Cockroach, Domestic House Spider, Genetically Modified Mealworm, Genetically Modified Superworm, Genetically Modified Waxworm, German Cockroach, House Centipede, House Cricket, Modified Waste Disposal Termite, Oriental Cockroach, Genetically Modified Red Wiggler

## Other Attractions

### Evoscope

A 4D theater and ride, this 2-hour experience is not included with admission. Taking you across time to view the different eras of life on earth, narrated by \_\_\_\_\_\_.

### Natural History Museum

* Fossil Hall
* Pleistocene Hall
* Spec Hall
* Deep-Sea
* Caverns

## Controversies

### Cetaceans

Currently, all cetaceans kept at the zoo are genetic clones using DNA from former residents along with samples taken from wild and beached specimens.