Blue Zoo Des Moines, the interactive aquarium facility at the Jordan Creek Town Center that drew national attention in 2024 after an employee was bitten by a shark, has announced it is closing almost two years after opening.
In a Friday, May 8 Facebook post, the West Des Moines facility said its final day is expected to be May 25, Memorial Day, describing the decision as “difficult” and “sad.”
“This is one of the hardest posts we’ve ever had to write,” the post read. “Please know this decision was not made lightly, and this is not what we wanted. Circumstances changed, and despite every effort, we are no longer able to continue operating this location.”
Blue Zoo opened May 21, 2024, as part of a small, for-profit aquarium chain centered around hands-on animal encounters and family entertainment. The nearly 20,000-square-foot facility featured saltwater and freshwater exhibits, touch pools, a “bird forest” with hundreds of parakeets, reptile habitats and a sensory-focused “Under Sea Sanctuary.”
Children and families could feed stingrays and attend mermaid and pirate-themed events at the attraction.
The aquarium initially did not specify why it was closing, referring only to changing “circumstances,” but in a later Friday post attributed the decision to a “substantial increase in rent.”
The facility also said employees had spent months working toward accreditation through the Zoological Association of America.
“We were in the final stages of that process,” the aquarium wrote about the effort to secure the accreditation. “Countless hours of care, training, preparation, learning, and commitment went into reaching that milestone.”
The ZAA is a smaller accrediting organization than the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which accredits major zoological institutions, including Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines.
Critics, including the Humane Society of the United States, have argued the ZAA maintains less rigorous accreditation standards and has included roadside zoos and exotic animal exhibitors tied to animal cruelty and wildlife trafficking cases, including facilities associated with “Tiger King” figure Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, who was convicted on wildlife trafficking-related charges.
Blue Zoo cited for ‘cruel interactions’
The aquarium’s short time in West Des Moines was marked by controversy and national attention, particularly after a July 2024 shark bite incident that quickly spread across social media because of its unlikely setting: a shark bite in the middle of inland Iowa.
During that incident, Blue Zoo euthanized an 18-inch bamboo shark after it bit an employee’s hand while staff were transporting the animal during what the aquarium described as a medical emergency.
The incident triggered backlash online and intensified criticism from animal welfare groups already scrutinizing the facility’s interactive business model.
The Humane Society of the United States called for Blue Zoo to be investigated and shut down, alleging the aquarium promoted “cruel interactions with stressed wild animals.”
Federal animal inspection reports had also raised concerns shortly after the aquarium opened.
A U.S. Department of Agriculture inspection documented an incident on May 22, 2024, one day after opening, in which a child accidentally killed a parakeet inside the aquarium’s interactive bird enclosure after jumping from a parent’s lap onto the bird.
Blue Zoo later said it worked with the USDA on additional precautions and staff training.
Some Blue Zoo animals will be moved to the chain’s other locations
The issue of the fate of the aquarium’s animals quickly surfaced in comments beneath the facility’s Friday post.
“Our animals are – and always will be – our top priority during this transition,” Blue Zoo wrote in response to one commenter. “Behind the scenes, our animal care team is working very carefully to ensure every animal goes to a safe, loving, and well-qualified home.”
The aquarium said some animals will be transferred to other Blue Zoo locations while others will go to “trusted zoos, aquariums, and professional animal care facilities.”
The facility also said it had already contacted schools and groups with bookings scheduled beyond the anticipated closure date.
Before signing off, the aquarium encouraged families to return one final time.
“Come feed the stingrays one more time,” the post read. “Stop and say goodbye to your favorite animals. Visit the bird room. Wave to the sharks.”
Nick El Hajj is a reporter at the Register. He can be reached at nelhajj@gannett.com. Follow him on X at @nick_el_hajj.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Blue Zoo closing only 2 years after opening at Jordan Creek
Reporting by Nick El Hajj, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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