Now that SeaWorld is no longer a part of the Anheuser Busch family of theme parks, they really need to focus on exactly what it is they’re selling. Under Anheuser Busch no matter what the parks did, they were still a giant advertisement for beer.… Read More »What SeaWorld Sells These Days
Last week, SeaWorld Orlando released five endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles – displaced by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico – into the waters of Gullivan Bay near Marco Island, Fl. The area is a natural habitat for Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles. For… Read More »SeaWorld releases Gulf Turtle displaced by Oil Spill
Today the animal care specialists at Seaworld Orlando took in nine endangered Kemp’s Ridley sea turtles from a Gulfport Miss facility. Moving the animals to Central Florida will make room at the Institute for Marine Mammal Studies for Sea Turtles injured in the current Gulf… Read More »SeaWorld provides critical care for endangered Sea Turtles displaced by the Gulf Oil Spill
I grew up going to the Zoo in Portland, Oregon. It was known for it’s family of elephants and the excellent care they received. I remember meeting one researcher who had parked herself just outside the elephant observation area with some interesting recording devices. Turns… Read More »Disney Animal Researchers discover Elephant Warning Call
Got yet another cute baby from the baby factory that is Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Reports started last week that there was a baby gorilla out in the park. Turns out the as yet unnamed infant was born February 19th. Here’s the first official photo:
Now guests who visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom are getting a special treat along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail where they can get a rare glimpse of the newborn gorilla. The critically endangered western lowland gorilla, whose gender is still unknown, is doing well and has already become an integral member of the gorilla family group which includes first-time mother, Kashata, father Gino, and two other females, Benga and Hope.
Members of the primate team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are encouraged by Kashata’s natural instincts at motherhood. First-time mothers often experience difficulty knowing the right things to do. They must learn to properly hold the baby and adapt to a demanding nursing schedule. Kashata has been a model mother from the moment the baby was born, said Matt Hohne, animal operations director for Disney’s Animal Programs. “She immediately knew how to properly hold the baby and her nursing skills have been exemplary.”
Since Kashata has been holding the baby close to her body, animal keepers have yet to determine the baby’s gender. Most gorilla mothers keep their offspring close for several months while the baby adjusts to the environment. In addition, gorilla babies typically nurse for approximately 12 months and may be weaned between the ages of four and five.
The new baby is the third gorilla born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan which manages genetic diversity among species through detailed records of individual animals. Disney’s Animal Kingdom also participates in AZA Species Survival Plans for several other animals, including elephants, cotton-top tamarins and okapi. The first gorilla birth occurred in 1997 before Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened, and the second baby arrived in 1999.
Congrats to everyone on Disney’s animal care team. More gorilla facts below the jump:
Read More »Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Endangered Gorilla baby
Must be the time of year, on Saturday we rode the Kilimanjaro Safari and were amazed at all the animal babies out on the savannah. Today we get news that a Baby White-Cheeked Gibbon has joined the family at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Guests visiting the Asia section of Disney’s Animal Kingdom are getting a glimpse of the latest addition to the park’s family – an endangered white-cheeked gibbon born Feb. 2. Isn’t he cute?
The yet-to-be named male and his mother, Melaka, are bonding well according to the animal experts who oversee the daily care of primates. Guests may see them and the baby’s two sisters, Suki and Tuyen, in their habitat near Kali River Rapids.
The stork has brought another healthy baby white rhino to Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The park welcomed the female calf to the family last week on Sunday, Jan. 17. Kendi, an 11-year-old white rhino, gave birth to her third baby after the 16-month gestation period. The… Read More »Animal Kingdom Welcomes Endangered White Rhino to Growing Herd
Continuing it’s world leading program of conservation and animal breeding, Disney’s Animal Kingdom recently welcomed its 28th gerenuk calf weighing in at eight pounds and approximately 1 ¾ feet tall, after a seven-month gestation. The female calf, named Squirt, was born November 25 to her… Read More »Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Gerenuk Calf to Herd