Blank Park Zoo showcases animal athletes

Samantha Dunn of the Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines had a few trivia questions for Rockwell City youth Friday morning.
First, Dunn asked the crowd of about 30 children, could a kangaroo, a raccoon or an armadillo jump the highest? The group correctly guessed that the kangaroo would leap the highest from the ground.
Dunn posed several similar questions about animals, comparing the creatures’ skills to athletic conquests, just like students might be seeing during the 2016 Olympics.
Then Dunn brought out four special guests – a Senegal parrot, a guinea pig, a Burmese tortoise and a ball python.
“They live behind the scenes,” Dunn said, explaining that children who have visited the zoo likely did not see these particular animals. “They live in a building that isn’t open to the public.”
Instead, the animals tour Iowa with Dunn and other handlers, who talk about what the animals eat and like to do. 
Read more in the Aug. 24 edition.