Photo: White Rhino Calf Born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
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Mother’s Day may be a little more memorable this year for a Disney “mom” that recently gave birth to a white rhino calf at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
After a 16-month gestation period, Kendi delivered her fourth calf Friday, May 4. The healthy male, which has not yet been named, is the ninth white rhino born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom; his mother, 13-year-old, Kendi, was the first.
“The birth of a white rhino calf is certainly something to celebrate since the population of this species is endangered in the wild,” said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., vice president of Animals, Science and Environment for Disney Parks. “It’s encouraging that with protection and careful management, the global population of white rhinos continues to grow.”
The calf and mother doing well and are currently off the savannah bonding at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Guests will be able to see them when they return to the herd in the coming weeks.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom participates in a white rhino breeding program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The program focuses on sustaining the white rhino population in North America.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the success of the rhino breeding program has directly contributed to the conservation of other white rhinos in the wild. In 2006 two rhinos born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Nande and Hasani, joined four others at Ziwa Sanctuary to help reestablish a white rhino population in Uganda. So far, Nande has been responsible for two offspring — a male calf born in 2009 was the first rhino born in Uganda since the 1980s followed by a female white rhino born in 2011.
Disney’s commitment to conservation and rhinos goes beyond breeding. 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. For more information on the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund visit www.waltdisneyworld.com/about.
White rhino fun facts:
- White rhinos are named not for their color, which is gray, but for the shape of their mouths. The word “weit” in Afrikaans means wide.
- The white rhino is among the world’s largest land mammals, second only to the elephant. A male rhino can grow to more than 5,000 pounds as an adult.
- A rhino can move its ears independently to pick up sounds but it depends most on smell.
- The receptors responsible for the rhino’s sense of smell are larger than the animal’s entire brain.
- The white rhinoceros has the widest set of nostrils of any land based animal.
Photo courtesy Walt Disney World Resort
Categories: Animal Kingdom, Conservation / Animal Programs, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Births, White Rhino
Baby Mandrill Welcomed into World at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
After six and a half months of waiting, Disney’s Animal Kingdom is welcoming a “colorful” addition to its animal family. A male baby mandrill was born May 30 to first-time mother, Kelley, and is the third one born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Mom and baby are doing very well.
Native to Africa, mandrills are among the largest species of monkey in the world and are considered endangered. They’re known for their bright coloration, furry head crests, manes and beards. Adults also have thick purple and blue ridges along their noses, big red lips and golden beards. Fans of Disney’s animated movie “The Lion King” might recall Rafiki, who was not only a colorful character, but a mandrill as well.
So far, Disney’s animal care experts are encouraged by the bonding between mother and infant. The baby spends most of his day nursing and sleeping, and is under close observation by the animal care team. The baby and mother are starting to make short forays into their habitat on the Kilimanjaro Safaris, joining other members of the mandrill group.
“The new mom is very relaxed but protective,” said Barb Weber, primate zoological manager at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. “We’re pleased another young female mandrill, Scarlett, has taken a keen interest in the newborn. This is a great experience for her because she is learning from the baby’s mom how to be a good mom herself.”
Preparations for motherhood began long before the baby mandrill was born. For example, primate keepers worked with Kelley during pregnancy to pick up objects which helped simulate holding her baby after birth.
With the new baby, the number of mandrills that make their home at Disney’s Animal Kingdom has grown to 12. Disney’s Animal Kingdom is part of a breeding program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) that is focused on sustaining the mandrill population.
Fun Facts:
- Typical mandrill babies weigh between one and two pounds at birth.
- Adult female mandrills weigh an average of 30 pounds. Adult males are larger and average 60-100 pounds.
- The average life span of a mandrill is approximately 20 – 30 years.
Photo courtesy Walt Disney World
Categories: Animal Kingdom, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Births, dap
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes White Rhino to the World
Disney’s Animal Kingdom welcomed a healthy white rhino to the family last week with the addition of a female calf born Sunday, Jan. 17. Kendi, an 11-year-old white rhino, gave birth to her third baby after a 16-month gestation period. The baby, which has not yet been named, is the eighth white rhino born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom; her mother, Kendi, was the first.
“A rhino birth is considered to be a significant event since the species was once nearly extinct and is currently endangered,” according to Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., vice president of Disney’s Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives. “Under protection and careful management, this species has grown to approximately 11,000 worldwide, with 190 residing in North American zoos.”
During her first weigh-in on Jan. 22, the newborn weighed 178 pounds. The calf and mother are currently off the savannah bonding at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, but will return to the herd in the coming months.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom participates in a white rhino breeding program coordinated by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The program focuses on sustaining the white rhino population in North America. Many older rhinos in the population have not bred and it is important for the long term survival of the North American population for this species to continue to reproduce.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the success of the rhino breeding program has enabled team members 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, reestablishing a white rhino population there that had been extinct since the 1980s. Last year, Nande gave birth to the first white rhino born in Uganda in 27 years.
Walt Disney World’s commitment to conservation and rhinos goes beyond rhino breeding. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has supported more than $250,000 in rhino protection and research projects in partnership with non-profit organizations throughout the world. For more information on the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund visit www.disney.com/conservation
White rhino fun facts:
- White rhinos have no incisors or canine teeth and use their square lips to graze or browse large areas of grassland.
- White rhinos are named not for their color, which is gray, but for the shape of their mouths. The word “weit” in Afrikaans means wide.
Categories: Animal Kingdom, Conservation / Animal Programs, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Births, White Rhino, White Rhinoceros
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Gerenuk Calf to Herd
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 five-year-old mother Sushaunna, and nine-year-old father Jingle. This latest birth is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Gerenuk Population Management Plan.
A gerenuk, which in Somali means “giraffe-necked,” is an African antelope with a unique long neck allowing them to eat leaves off trees. Unlike other gazelles and most antelopes that graze on grasses, gerenuks often stand erect on their hind legs and stretch their long necks to browse on taller bushes. They are typically found in areas of dry, bushy shrub. Gerenuk are very well adapted to an arid habitat and do not need to drink much since they get enough water from the plants they eat. Most adult gerenuk reach approximately three feet at the shoulder and range in weight from between 80 to 115 pounds.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, guests can see gerenuk when they visit the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, a self-guided walking tour of native African wildlife. Pangani means “place of enchantment,” and the exploration trail is an enchanting adventure into a lush, tropical forest and a verdant valley that are right out of the heart of Africa. In addition to gerenuk, animals Guests can find on the trail include gorillas, hippos, okapi, naked mole rats, meerkats and many species of exotic birds.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Two Giraffes to the World
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Oct. 19, 2009 — Walt Disney World Resort recently welcomed two male calves to the giraffe herd at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Weighing 153 pounds, Bolo was born Oct. 12 to second-time mother Big Girl, who first birthed a female calf in November 2005. On Oct. 5, the Disney’s Animal Programs team helped to deliver 166-pound calf Bruehler from third-time mother Aibuni. As newborns, both male calves stand nearly six feet tall and could grow to be as tall as 15 – 18 feet as adults.
Both calves and mothers appear to be doing well according to veterinarians and animal care managers. The young males, who began nursing successfully soon after birth, are already feisty and very active.
“The next important milestone is for the calves to continue the bonding process with their mothers who will teach them important lessons and guide them as they are introduced to the herd in the coming weeks,” said Matt Hohne, Animal Operations Director at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
These two latest bundles of joy represent the 13th and 14th giraffes born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom since opening in 1998. Giraffes at Walt Disney World Resort are bred through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Population Management Plan, which is a consortium of zoos and wildlife parks working together to conserve and breed animals.
Categories: Animal Kingdom, Conservation / Animal Programs, Theme Parks, Walt Disney World Tags: Births, Giraffes
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Welcomes Birth of Colobus Monkey
Disney's Animal Kingdom Resident Kabibi and Her Infant (c) Disney
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., March 5, 2009 — Walt Disney World Resort recently welcomed a black and white colobus monkey – the first of its species born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The infant arrived February 17 after a six-month gestation and may be seen along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail with a group of five other colobus monkeys. Read more…
Categories: Animal Kingdom, Conservation / Animal Programs, Walt Disney World Tags: Animal Kingdom, Births, Conservation, DAK, dap
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