Wildlife Wednesdays: Is a Tortoise a Turtle? Find Out This and More at The Seas with Nemo & Friends and Disney’s Animal Kingdom
posted on May 16th, 2012 by Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks
So you don’t to have to wait until your next visit, yes, a tortoise is a turtle, but a turtle is not necessarily a tortoise (see fun fact below). You can find out all kinds of fascinating information and participate in a variety of activities for the whole family May 23 when Disney’s Animal Kingdom and The Seas with Nemo & Friends celebrate World Turtle Day.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, guests may see a turtle getting a veterinary exam, find out if they are smarter than a turtle, and get an up-close look at some of the turtles and tortoises that make their home at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and learn about how we care for them.
At The Seas with Nemo & Friends, sea turtles are the focus (naturally!). Guests can watch a sea turtle swimming gracefully by in the 5.7 million gallon saltwater main aquarium, learn about the conditions needed for sea turtles to nest successfully (did you know that female sea turtles return to the same beaches where they were hatched to lay their eggs?), and take part in an activity that follows a sea turtle hatchling on its journey to the sea, discovering how all of us can help to remove the obstacles that stand in its way.
I am very proud that the team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and The Seas with Nemo & Friends celebrate and conserve turtles and tortoises every day. Over the years, for example, our animal care team has nursed more than 300 endangered sea turtles back to health and released them back to the wild. And since its inception, the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has directed more than $1.1 million to sea turtle conservation efforts through more than 27 nonprofit organizations worldwide.
All of us can help turtles and tortoises by taking action to reduce, reuse and recycle, by making sure that we dispose of trash properly, and by observing turtles and other wildlife from a safe distance, taking care not to disturb them or their habitats.
Fun Fact: The word “turtle” refers to all species of turtle, including freshwater and sea turtles, box turtles and tortoises. Tortoises are turtles that live on land.
Upcoming 2012 wildlife conservation events at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (as always, dates subject to change):
- June 6: Pollinator Day
- August: Cotton-Top Tamarin Month
- Sept. 5: International Vulture Awareness Day
- Sept. 26: Elephant Awareness Day
- Oct. 31: Bat Day
And at The Seas with Nemo & Friends, celebrate World Oceans Day on June 8.
For more from the “Wildlife Wednesdays” series, see the posts below:
- Wildlife Wednesdays: See ‘Spot’ Swim at The Seas with Nemo & Friends
- Wildlife Wednesdays: Walt Disney’s Words Tell Today’s Conservation Story
- Wildlife Wednesdays: Central Florida Kids Connect with Nature During a Special Day Camp at the Walt Disney World Resort
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Rhino Mom Welcomes Newest Addition to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Family
posted on May 9th, 2012 by Matt Hohne, Animal Operations Director, Disney’s Animal Programs
We are very pleased to announce that a white rhino calf, a boy (no name yet—the team is still deciding), was born May 4 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Disney photographer Gene Duncan stopped by to take some photos, and we’re happy to share them with you.
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This birth was the fourth for mom, Kendi, a 13-year-old white rhino, who was the first rhino born at the park. A rhino birth is a significant event because at one time the species was nearly extinct. As a result of conservation efforts and careful management, the species has grown to number approximately 20,150 worldwide, with 215 residing in North American zoological parks.
The success of our white rhino breeding program has enabled our animal care team to make a direct contribution to the conservation of white rhinos in the wild. In 2006, Nande and Hasani, two rhinos born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, traveled to Africa to join four others at Ziwa Sanctuary in Uganda, where they are helping to reestablish a population that had been extinct since the 1980s. In 2009, Nande became the first white rhino to give birth in Uganda in 27 years; she gave birth to a second calf last year.
Our new calf currently is bonding with mom in their backstage home and will join the other rhinos on the savanna of the Kilimanjaro Safaris in the coming weeks.
The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and the Disney Foundation have provided more than $1 million in support to programs in Africa and Asia to protect the last five remaining species of rhino.
New Exhibit a Highlight of International Migratory Bird Day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
posted on May 9th, 2012 by Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks
Just in time for this year’s International Migratory Bird Day celebration, May 12 at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a new, permanent exhibit that tells an amazing story about a migratory bird – the endangered whooping crane – has been installed at Conservation Station. During the event, guests will have the chance to see the new exhibit, which includes an ultralight aircraft used to lead whooping cranes on their migration and talk with representatives from Operation Migration, which has played a leading role in this bird’s conservation.
Each year, a new group of hand-reared whooping cranes makes its first migration south from Wisconsin to Florida. The rare birds are led by ultralight aircraft flown by the pilots of the Operation Migration team. Threats such as habitat loss and unregulated hunting brought the whooping crane population to an alarming low of only 15 birds in the early 1940s. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has supported this program since its inception in 2000 to help grow the migratory population of these cranes and to develop and refine this innovative model, which might help other species.
Scott Tidmus, one of our zoological managers, explains how our animal care team supports Operation Migration and the whooping cranes: “Disney’s Animal Kingdom animal keepers assist with the hand-rearing of chicks, and team members monitor the cranes during their initial arrival in Florida. Our veterinary team performs health exams on the chicks before they are released to start their acclimation to the wild following their migration.”
Other highlights of our International Migratory Bird Day celebration, where guests can be “honorary birds” for the day:
- Main Entrance (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.): Guests receive their bird band and a bookmark with the locations of the other “banding” stations in the park
- Oasis (9 a.m. – 1 p.m.) What is your feather color?: Guests can have their plumage (clothing) recorded.
- Tree of Life (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) What is your leg length?: Guests will have their leg length measured and recorded.
- Asia (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) What is your wing span?: Guests will have their arm length measured and recorded.
- Africa (9 a.m. – 3 p.m.) What is your height?: Children will have their height measured and recorded.
- Rafiki’s Planet Watch (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) Operation Migration exhibit and a variety of other special activities
Upcoming 2012 wildlife conservation events at Disney’s Animal Kingdom (as always, dates subject to change):
- May 23: World Turtle Day
- June 6: Pollinator Day
- August: Cotton-Top Tamarin Month
- Sept. 5: International Vulture Awareness Day
- Sept. 26: Elephant Awareness Day
- Oct. 31: Bat Day
Wildlife Wednesdays: See ‘Spot’ Swim at The Seas with Nemo & Friends
posted on May 2nd, 2012 by Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks
The animal care team at The Seas with Nemo & Friends welcomed a pup of a different sort to the Epcot family. A spotted female eagle ray baby (the babies are called “pups”) was born on March 16.
Both the 160-pound mom and 5-pound baby are being cared for backstage at The Seas, but Mom will be back in guest view in the 5.7 million gallon saltwater main aquarium within the next few weeks and baby will follow soon after.
The pup passed her baby wellness exam with flying colors. Now, the team is monitoring her growth and training her to come to a target for feeding – her food includes clams, mussels, shrimp, squid and a special vitamin supplement.
The Seas animal care team reports that this is the second time that this mom has given birth. They are thrilled because the spotted eagle ray is a challenging animal to breed and the breeding program at The Seas is contributing to knowledge of this species’ life history to help protect them in the wild. Eagle rays, which are found worldwide in subtropical and temperate seas, are a protected species in Florida.
Spotted Eagle Ray Fun Facts:
- Spotted eagle rays, which can have an eight-foot wingspan, are known to “fly” out of the water.
- Their spots can be used to identify individual animals.
- Plates in their mouths are modified teeth, which they use to eat shellfish.
Wildlife Wednesdays: Walt Disney’s Words Tell Today’s Conservation Story
posted on April 25th, 2012 by Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks
As we near the end of Earth Month (and what a fantastic Earth Month it has been!), I thought I would share a brief new video about our conservation efforts that we just completed in partnership with the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund.
We started showing the video just before Earth Day at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Guests can see it when they visit Conservation Station at Rafiki’s Planet Watch, and, of course, find out more about these efforts at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, The Seas with Nemo & Friends, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and when they travel on Disney Cruise Line ships.
We knew we wanted to include Walt Disney in the video. After all, it is thanks to Walt that conservation and the environment are such a rich part of the Disney company’s history–a passion that continues and is being built upon today.
During the course of producing the video–after hearing how perfectly Walt’s words fit the thoughts we wanted it to convey–it seemed only natural to have Walt help narrate the video.
Enjoy—and remember, every day is Earth Day!
1961 PSA with Walt Disney provided courtesy of National Wildlife Federation®
See how we celebrated Earth Day at Disney Parks in the posts below:
Vintage Walt Disney World: Building The Tree of Life at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
posted on April 19th, 2012 by Nate Rasmussen, Archivist, Marketing Resource Center
In honor of 14 years of wild times at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, I thought it would be fun to take a closer look at the park’s icon, The Tree of Life.
This 145-foot tall tree is covered with approximately 103,000 leaves and has more than 325 animals intricately carved into its trunk. More than 8,000 branches spread foliage 160 feet wide over the park below.
The Tree of Life is home to the attraction “It’s Tough to be a Bug!” showcasing the stars of Disney·Pixar’s film “A Bug’s Life.” Even though I’ve seen the show a few dozen times, I still jump every time Hopper sends the stingers to attack – you’d think I’d be prepared.
For more Disney Parks history, check out these other Vintage Walt Disney World posts:
Facebook Game Exclusive Bonus for Disney Parks Blog Readers
posted on April 18th, 2012 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
Did you follow our coverage of the premiere of the DisneyNature film “Chimpanzee” here at Walt Disney World Resort last Friday?
Now, key scenes from the film are being featured as a part of the park-inspired Facebook game, Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers, which allows players to create their own wildlife preserve.
In honor of the film’s release, the game’s creators sent us an exclusive bonus item to share with our readers that they can use in the game, accessible here.
Additionally, from now through April 26, the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has pledged to donate $0.20 to the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) for every install and tutorial completion by players referred from the URL www.PlayAnimalKingdom.com for a total committed donation of up to $250,000. These funds will support JGI’s efforts to protect chimpanzee habitat, care for orphaned chimpanzees in the Republic of Congo, and educate a new generation of young people and connect them to nature.
Have you tried out the game? What do you think?
Earth Day Inspirations: From Young People and a Young Chimpanzee, Named Oscar, During Disney Kids and Nature Celebration
posted on April 18th, 2012 by Beth Stevens, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Corporate Citizenship, Environment and Conservation
With Earth Day just a few days away, I couldn’t resist sharing a few more photos from last weekend’s Disney Kids and Nature Celebration.
After the inspiring Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund awards ceremony last Friday at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, where we honored the Children & Nature Network, Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and Youth Service America, we headed over to Downtown Disney for the world premiere of “Chimpanzee,” Disneynature’s newest True Life Adventure, complete with red-carpet arrivals and special guests, including Hollywood Records recording artists McClain Sisters, who sing “Rise” from the film.
Hear the story of Oscar, a young chimpanzee unexpectedly left to fend for himself, and you can’t help but want to help chimpanzees. The great news is we can! One way is to see the film during its opening week. Disneynature has joined forces with the Jane Goodall Institute for a special “See ‘Chimpanzee,’ Save Chimpanzees” program. During the film’s opening week (April 20-26), Disneynature will make a donation to the Jane Goodall Institute through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to help protect chimpanzees and their habitats.
Last Saturday, the inspiration continued with a recognition ceremony at the America Gardens Theatre at Epcot for the winners of the Disney Friends for Change in-school program Disney Planet Challenge. The winning elementary school class was a 5th grade class at Brickett Elementary in Lynn, Massachusetts, whose project “Think Before You Idle,” aimed to decrease unnecessary vehicle idling through education and encouragement. The winning middle school class was a 7th grade class at Christa McAuliffe School, PS 28, in Jersey City, New Jersey, whose “Project Reservoir,” worked to turn the Jersey City Reservoir into a state-designated environmental learning center. The winners received $6,000 teacher awards, $10,000 classroom grants and a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort for the winning teacher and students. Those recognizing the students included Jay Rasulo, Senior Executive Vice President and CFO of The Walt Disney Company, and Disney Channel stars Laura Marano and Ross Lynch.
The rest of the day at the Disney Friends for Change Youth Summit featured presentations and workshops designed to inspire the 100 young people from around the world attending to imagine their planet’s future and provide them with new ideas to take action for nature when they returned home. Disney Channel stars Debby Ryan, Zendaya Coleman, Bella Thorne, Ross Lynch and Laura Marano participated in the discussions.
What a great way to kick off Earth Day week–I hope your Earth Day is filled with nature’s inspiration!
“Good Morning America” Weather Anchor Sam Champion Talks Disney Parks, Conservation
posted on April 13th, 2012 by Jennifer Fickley-Baker, Social Media Manager
Earlier today, “Good Morning America” weather anchor Sam Champion emceed the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Awards here at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Sam, who is passionate about conservation issues, took time out of his schedule to share highlights from his day with our Disney Parks Blog readers. Check it out!
Celebration at Walt Disney World Resort Honors Commitment to Connecting Kids and Nature
posted on April 13th, 2012 by Beth Stevens, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, Corporate Citizenship, Environment and Conservation
This morning at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, we were thrilled to honor at a special Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) awards ceremony five outstanding organizations for their work to connect kids to nature.
During the ceremony, emceed by weather anchor for ABC’s “Good Morning America” Sam Champion, the DWCF honored The Children & Nature Network, Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, and Youth Service America. Each organization received a $100,000 grant to continue growing their efforts to help kids develop lifelong conservation values. Bob Iger, chairman and CEO, The Walt Disney Company, and Meg Crofton, president, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, U.S. and France, applauded the honorees.
The ceremony is part of the Disney Kids and Nature Celebration, which spotlights Disney’s long-standing commitment to nature, a legacy that spans more than 60 years and began with Walt Disney himself. The celebration continues into the weekend and includes the world premiere today of “Chimpanzee,” Disneynature’s newest True Life Adventure, at Downtown Disney (in theaters nationwide starting April 20), and Disney Friends for Change events, including a youth summit and recognition ceremony for the Friends for Change in-school program Disney Planet Challenge at Epcot tomorrow.
I believe my passion for the planet was sparked by my early outdoor adventures in the North Carolina mountains. I’m sure many of you have similar stories about your childhood experiences in the great outdoors. Today, we must focus on getting young people out into nature and having experiences like the ones we had growing up – it will spark their imagination and curiosity and inspire the future conservation leaders of our planet. We are doing our part at Disney to connect kids and nature through support from the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, through experiences in our parks and resorts, through programs like Disney Friends for Change, through films like “Chimpanzee,” and beyond.
The five organizations were honored for these noteworthy accomplishments:
- Children & Nature Network for championing the effort to draw attention to the importance of the outdoors to childrens’ health and well-being.
- Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots global program for inspiring youth leadership in 120 countries.
- National Wildlife Federation for their legacy programs connecting kids with the great outdoors, including Ranger Rick magazine.
- The Nature Conservancy for developing life-long conservation values and career influence through nature internships for underserved youth.
- Youth Service America for activating youth volunteers through nature conservation projects.
