A four month old white rhino calf and his mother joined the herd at Kilimanjaro Safaris today. The Vice President of Disney’s Animals, Science, and Environment, Dr. Mark Penning, posted the announcement on Instagram today.
Baby Ranger is a four month old white rhino calf who was born back in October at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Ranger and his mother Kendi have joined the savanna together for the first time today, and may be seen while riding the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction.
The White Rhino is considered to be a Near Threatened species as opposed to Endangered, and this is largely in part of conservation efforts like those at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
“The One and Only Ivan” is now available on Disney+! Did you know Disney’s Animal Kingdom inspired “The One and Only Ivan” filmmakers? Check out the details and photos as shared below by Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks.
Gorillas have always held a special place in my heart, so I’ve been deeply touched by the award-winning book “The One and Only Ivan,” which tells the true story of Ivan, a 400-pound silverback gorilla who was raised by humans for the first 27 years of his life in a communal habitat in a suburban shopping mall. While there were several other animals there, such as Stella the elephant and Bob the dog, there were no other gorillas. Ivan did not know what it was like to be a part of a gorilla family until he moved to Zoo Atlanta, a fellow Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited institution that oversaw giving him the best possible care.
“The One and Only Ivan” has been adapted for the screen premieres August 21, streaming exclusively on Disney+
You may see some familiar sights from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park in the film, as the park served as an inspiration to the filmmakers. Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail, with its lush greenery, was used as a model for the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Filmmakers also spent time studying the behaviors of our western lowland gorilla troops, learning about their family dynamics and observing how they forage for food, play with one another, and sleep. We are very fortunate to have an exceptionally dedicated team of animal care experts who invest a lot of time in building trust with these gorillas, and all the 5,000+ animals in our care, which allows us to work closely with them.
In fact, our work with gorillas goes far beyond caring for the troops at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, through the Disney Conservation Fund, we support the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (GRACE), the world’s only sanctuary for orphaned Grauer’s gorillas, a critically endangered species. GRACE provides the sort of storybook ending that Ivan dreams about in the movie. Rescued gorillas join an adoptive gorilla family and get to live together in spacious natural forest enclosures. Our animal care team members provide resources and share their expertise with staff at GRACE, which has been imperative in saving the lives of gorillas and helping ensure they thrive.
I’m very proud of the work our teams have done to support “The One and Only Ivan” and their dedication to ensuring gorillas are well cared for each and every day. I encourage you to watch this heartwarming story on Disney+, and be sure to check out our free downloadable activity packet with all you need to know about the care and conservation of these wonderful animals.
Ready for a dose of cuteness? Well, we have baby animal news to share from Disney’s Animal Kingdom… and pretty much nothing is cuter than a baby animal! From tiny insects and chirping birds to zebras, nyala and steenbok on the savanna, Disney welcomes so many babies to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park.
Disney Parks took to Twitter to share: “From tiny insects and chirping birds to zebras and steenbok, we are thrilled to welcome so many babies to the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge family. Follow Dr. Mark Penning on Instagram (DrMarkAtDisney) for more updates on #DisneyAnimals!”
Check out the short video below:
From tiny insects and chirping birds to zebras and steenbok, we are thrilled to welcome so many babies to the Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge family. Follow Dr. Mark Penning on Instagram (DrMarkAtDisney) for more updates on #DisneyAnimals! pic.twitter.com/ksVKJih6Az
New baby animals are the cutest… especially monkey babies! We are so excited about the news from Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President, Disney’s Animals, Science & Environment. Dr. Mark took to Instagram to announce the newest bundle of joy at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
Today (July 26), I’m overjoyed to share a sweet surprise with you all. This weekend, we welcomed a baby mandrill monkey at Disney’s Animal Kingdom! When the Animal Care team at Animal Kingdom arrived at work yesterday, they found mom, Scarlett, had just delivered this adorable little one. Both are doing well and quickly bonding.
I couldn’t think of a better way to wrap up #AnimalCareAppreciation Week than to see their work in action to help this baby into the world.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom has shared some exciting news! Their first ever birth of a babirusa piglet has just happened… and it’s a girl! Welcome to the world sweet Kirana. Check out the details below as shared by Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President, Animals, Science and Environment, Disney Parks. Is it weird that we want one?! So cute!
We are squealing with delight! Disney’s Animal Kingdom is celebrating a first for the park: the birth of a babirusa piglet. And, it’s a girl! Our Disney animal care team has chosen to name her Kirana, which translates to “sunbeam” in Indonesian.
Babirusas are part of the hog family, native to the swamps and rainforests of the Indonesian Islands. They’re known for their unique snouts and magnificent tusks that can grow up to almost 17 inches! Close relatives of the babirusa also live at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, such as the warthogs on Kilimanjaro Safaris and the KuneKune pigs at Affection Section.
This birth is another success story for our dedicated team of Disney animal care experts, as parents Betty and Mentari were chosen to breed through the Species Survival Plan (SSP) overseen by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The SSP assures responsible breeding for endangered species, such as the babirusa pigs and Asha, the Hartmann’s Mountain zebra foal recently born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Over the last 15 years, Disney animal care experts partnered with reproductive biologists and the SSP to “crack the code” on breeding a babirusa pair. The piglet is making an important contribution toward the worldwide conservation and understanding of the species, which will help ensure a future generation for these vulnerable animals.
The Disney Conservation Fund has supported projects in Africa for more than 20 years to inspire grassroots conservation and improve livelihoods. These projects can help protect Africa’s amazing wildlife and benefit the hogs – such as babirusas – living in these habitats.
The piglet is healthy and bonding with mom inside their den at the park. To learn more about hogs, visit DisneyAnimals.com.
