Since Walt Disney World closed, and sent most of their Cast Members home… what happens to all of those beautiful creatures at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?
Disney recently released this video to give us some peace of mind:
“Whilst our beautiful park is temporarily closed… the animals are all still here!”, says Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President of Animals, Science & Environment for Disney.
“We have a dedicated animal care team following state and federal guidelines, working behind the scenes, to ensure the animals receive the very best care.”
From butterflies and birds, to hippos and elephants, the animal’s welfare is (and has always been) the park’s top priority. Thousands of animals occupy many different kinds of habitats. The care team continues to assure all are fed, happy and healthy while also maintaining their expansive living areas.
Walt Disney’s legacy of caring for wildlife and nature is a way of life for Disney’s animal care team. Their mission is to lead Disney’s parks around the world to care for animals and the environment, connect people to nature and conserve natural resources.
Since we can’t hop aboard Kilimanjaro Safaris or stroll through a critter-filled trail just yet, Disney intends to continue sharing animal stories and updates while we are all are stuck at home. In fact, just since we published earlier this morning, Disney has shared another great news item . . .
Baby Porcupine!
We have an adorable update to the story above. Disney’s Animal Kingdom has announced the arrival of a cute little baby porcupine, covered in red fur. Baby porcupines are actually called “porcupettes.” Their tiny quills begin to harden just hours after birth, making it extra difficult for the keepers to get a closer look. In the case of this newborn, they had to send quills off for genetic testing to determine that . . . it’s a girl!
Baby Zebra!
And another new addition to this world . . . the cutest Zebra you’ve ever seen. The foal was born on Saturday and is 65 pounds of adorable.
Hartmann’s mountain zebras are native to sub-Saharan Africa and are a vulnerable species due to habitat loss and hunting. The birth was part of a program Disney’s Animal Kingdom participates in called the Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and ensures responsible breeding and genetic diversity of thousands of species of animals. This is the third zebra birth at Walt Disney World this year!
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Let’s Hear From You
I don’t know about you, but I really can’t wait to return to Disney’s Animal Kingdom! What about you? Are you a fan of Disney’s nature park?
…And let’s hope Dr. Marsh and Dr. Seeker are taking care of our beloved dinosaurs as well!
You can follow @DrMarkAtDisney on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes content.
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