Blank Park Zoo Has a New Mayor – But it is NOT a Person!

I think this is an election we can all be excited about!

Back in November, Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines held an election to determine which of their residents would be the new mayor of the zoo. The catch? The mayor isn't a human. It's an animal! Meet the 2025 Mayor of Blank Park Zoo... Oscar the Porcupine!

Oscar is a North American porcupine, which is the second largest rodent in North America, according to Wikipedia.  An adult porcupine has around 30,000 quills on its body, and they use those quills for defense, as well as insulation in the wintertime. Another method of defense is their smell. Wikipedia says:

"The North American porcupine has a strong odor to warn away predators, which it can increase when agitated. The smell has been described as similar to strong human body odor, goats, or some cheeses."

Because of their strong methods of defense, porcupines are able to comfortably live a solitary life. They spend a lot of their time hanging out in trees, but they also spend a lot of time falling out of those trees when they're hunting for snacks. But, don't worry, they're protected from infection when they get injured by their own quills. Porcupines have antibiotics in their skin!

Porcupines like Oscar may be "nearsighted and slow-moving," but that doesn't mean they don't make good mayors! They are nocturnal, so they can get a lot of work done while everyone else is sleeping, and they have a decent life expectancy, with some  reaching the age of 30. It also helps that Oscar has some political experience as an Ambassador Animal for Blank Park Zoo. He even got an official endorsement from Russ Trimble, the Mayor of West Des Moines!

If you're wondering who Oscar beat out for the Mayor of Blank Park Zoo, he was up against Kitsi the Japanese Macaque and Deuce the African Lion. But, the election wasn't even close! Oscar got 74% of the vote, probably because his campaign slogan said that he was "one in a QUILLion" and "not afraid to get prickly with the competition."

Mayor Oscar will be meeting his constituents on Saturday, February 15th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Blank Park Zoo. The Blank Park Zoo website reads:

"Guests will have the chance to get up close with Oscar, and enjoy an educational program all about this prickly politician. Get creative with porcupine-themed activities, including making your very own Oscar-inspired porcupine. It’s a day of learning, laughter, and celebrating our favorite spiky mayor."

For more information on the event, check out the Blank Park Zoo's website HERE.