Victoria Makes Her Royal Debut at Blank Park Zoo
Birth of Critically Endangered Antelope Highlights Global Conservation Effort
DES MOINES, Iowa (May 28, 2026) – A royal addition has arrived at Blank Park Zoo, and is giving conservationists new hope. Victoria, a female addax calf, was born at the Zoo in May, as part of the global effort to protect one of the world’s most endangered antelopes.
Born on May 7, 2026, Victoria arrived nearly 60 years to the day Blank Park Zoo first opened its gates. Her birth coincided with the kickoff of the Zoo’s Diamond Jubilee celebration, making her name especially fitting. Victoria was named after Queen Victoria, the first monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee, marking 60 years on the throne in 1897.
Victoria is the third addax calf born at Blank Park Zoo in the last three years. Her brother Henri was born at the Zoo in 2025. She joins her parents Adeline and Po, who were brought to the Zoo on a breeding recommendation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Addax Species Survival Plan (SSP). These carefully coordinated SSP programs manage species populations across AZA-accredited zoos to ensure healthy, genetically diverse, and sustainable populations.
“Victoria may be small, but her impact on conservation is enormous,” Blank Park Zoo President & CEO Anne Shimerdla said. “Her arrival is a powerful reminder of why modern zoos play such an important role in conservation, education, and inspiring the next generation to protect wildlife.”
Once widespread across the Sahara Desert, addax have been driven to the edge of extinction by decades of illegal poaching and habitat destruction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the species as critically endangered, with fewer than 100 wild-born individuals believed to remain in their native range. However, conservation efforts have made progress by reintroducing over 150 addax that were born in human care into protected reserves.
Visitors to the Zoo can see the newborn each day in the Jamaa Kwa Africa section, along with the giraffes.
Guests can visit Victoria all summer, along with the three new lions arriving later this year at the all-new Marjorie A. Foster Lion Conservation Center, with a Blank Park Zoo membership. Membership includes unlimited daytime admission, exclusive events, and discounts. To plan your visit, purchase tickets, or become a member, visit blankparkzoo.com.
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About Blank Park Zoo
Blank Park Zoo's mission is to inspire an appreciation of the natural world through conservation, education, research, and recreation. Located in Des Moines, Iowa, the zoo offers a unique opportunity for visitors to experience and learn about animals from around the globe, all while supporting vital global conservation efforts. As the only accredited zoo in Iowa, Blank Park Zoo is proud to be a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).