disney’s animal kingdom

New Baby Elephant Welcomed to Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Baby elephant calf nursing at Disney\'s Animal KingdomDisney’s Animal Kingdom recently welcomed a new baby elephant into the world. Isn’t he cute.

26-year old Moyo, the mother, gave birth to a 327-pound male elephant June 28 after 21 months gestation. 22 months is the average gestation period, and the longest of any land mammal. Both Mother and son, as yet unnamed, are reported in good condition and expected to survive.

This is the fourth elephant born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Tufani, who is Moyo’s first male calf, was born in 2003; Kianga, a female, was born in 2004; and Nadirah, the youngest female, joined the herd in 2005. All remain on the savannah at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Moyo herself came to DAK in 1997 from a zoo in Tacoma, WA after her capture in the wilds of Zimbabwe in 1983.

Having toured the facilities and met with the Animal Care team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom I can vouch for the amazing level of care they provide for the animals they supervise. The Animal Care program goes well above and beyond the AZA rules for care and breeding. So much that many of the AZA breeding program studbooks are run by DAK staff.

The full Press Release is below the cut:

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Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund renamed

This morning, during Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s 10-year anniversary celebration, I was surprised to see that a new name and a new logo was introduced for Disney’s conservation outreach efforts, changing the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. Erin Wallace, Dr Jane… Read More »Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund renamed

Happy Birthday Disney’s Animal Kingdom

On this day 10 years ago Walt Disney World’s fourth gate, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, officially opened to the public and a new era in theme parks was born. Animal Kingdom combined the animals of a zoo with the theming and lush landscaping Disney is known… Read More »Happy Birthday Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Lioness Under Glass – 10 Years Of Caring: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Question: how do you clip the toe nails of a 265 pound Lioness? Answer: Very carefully. As part of the build up to their 10th Anniversary, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has provided The Disney Blog up close access to their animal program and the people who… Read More »Lioness Under Glass – 10 Years Of Caring: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Elephant Population Control Project – 10 Years of Caring: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Fair warning to the men in the room you may want to avert your eyes in sympathy for our fellow mammalian males during this story. Southern Africa has an elephant over population problem. Specifically in South Africa and Botswana Elephant overpopulation in wildlife parks and… Read More »Elephant Population Control Project – 10 Years of Caring: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Operation Migration – 10 years of caring: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

For the first story of good work done by the fine folks at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, I thought I’d start with a story you don’t hear much about, but is very exciting to me since it involves re-introduction of a species to Florida. You see,… Read More »Operation Migration – 10 years of caring: Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Walt Disney’s “not so secret” secret green messages

Earlier today I had the privilege of meeting many of the management from Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s Animal Programs. It’s amazing how much stuff is going on there that we in Disney fandom, let alone the general public, just don’t hear about. But more on that… Read More »Walt Disney’s “not so secret” secret green messages

Disney Does Good Things Too

As part of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s role as a zoo (Nahtazu, I know) they started up the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund (whose webpage needs to be updated). A round of grants have just been given out including one to Jay Watch, a group charged with… Read More »Disney Does Good Things Too