The Jane Goodall Institute was awarded $5,000 for veterinary supplies to vaccinate chimpanzees and staff against a dangerous measles outbreak at the Tchimpounga Sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Chimpanzees are highly susceptible to human diseases, and the high cost of vaccines for 146 chimpanzees and 60 staff members jeopardized the team’s ability to cope with future medical emergencies.

The Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) was also awarded $3,000 to assist in the relocation of four orphaned chimpanzees confiscated from smugglers in Sudan. The chimpanzees, Cocoa, Minni, Sarah, and Medina, are all orphans of bushmeat trade and are believed to have been smuggled from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are too young to be able to care for themselves but Minni and the others are adjusting well to their new sanctuary home in Uganda. DWCF helped cover the cost of air travel to relocate the chimpanzees from Sudan to Uganda.

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Rapid Response Fund provides emergency funding to wildlife and wild places in the aftermath of disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and disease outbreaks. Since the beginning of 2011, DWCF has contributed more than $40,000 to emergency relief efforts worldwide including repairing an educational walkway damaged in a storm in Zimbabwe to allow for continued youth conservation education efforts, and supporting the needs of the International Primatological Society and Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums following the devastating earthquake in Japan. The funding for these emergency grants has been provided through a partnership with Disney’s Friends for Change and iTunes, thanks to several anthems created by stars from the Disney Channel. Coinciding with the premiere of the most recent song by Bridgit Mendler, “We can Change the World,” Disney contributed $250,000 to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to help the planet when it needs it most.

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Post tags: Chimpanzee, Conservation, dap, Donation, DWCF, Environment

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Disney’s Friends for Change is a multi-platform initiative that helps inspire kids and families to join together and make a positive impact on their world (and the people and animals that live there). Through PSAs on-air and online tool-kits, the program aims to provide useful information to help kids make small changes that add up to big differences. As part of the program, Disney is donating $1 million dollars annually to fund projects all around the globe and has funded over 41 projects that help the planet ranging from educational & community programs to species & habitat protection. Friends for Change currently has over 4 million actions taking place from kids in 33 countries throughout Europe, Latin America, Japan, India and China. For more information, please visit http://disney.go.com/projectgreen.

The “We Can Change the World” song and music video are designed to both entertain and inspire ways to initiate positive change. In the video, Mendler and kids from around the world along with Disney Channel stars Valeria Baroni (Argentina), Jorge Blanco (Mexico), Olavo Cavalheiro (Brazil), Nicole Ishida (Japan), Murtuza Kutianawala (India) and Eve Ottino (France), are featured.

The music video was directed by Art Spigel (“Disney Channel Games”) and the song was written by Joacim Persson and Bridgit Mendler. It was produced on location at Disney Golden Oak Ranch in Los Angeles, California.

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Post tags: Bridgit Mendler, Conservation, DC, Disney Channel, Environmentality, Friends for Change, Radio Disney

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‘We are very impressed with the passion people are showing for African Cats—advance ticket sales for this film have surpassed both Earth and Oceans at this stage of the game, which shows how excited moviegoers are for both the movie and the “Save the Savanna” initiative,’ said Alan Bergman, president, The Walt Disney Studios. ‘The Amboseli Corridor is an essential passage utilized by so many animals in the African savanna. The advance ticket sales so far will allow Disneynature with African Wildlife Foundation’s assistance to conserve more than 9,500 acres of this passage—which equates to 19 Disney’s Animal Kingdoms, or nearly two-thirds the size of Manhattan—and we still have two weeks till opening day.’

‘The “See African Cats,’ Save the Savanna” program transforms the moviegoing experience into tangible on-the-ground conservation action. The commitment of Disneynature combined with the passion of moviegoers will raise critical funds to conserve the land that the magnificent species featured in African Cats call home,’ said Dr. Patrick Bergin, CEO, African Wildlife Foundation. ‘Through this amazing collaboration, we celebrate our 50th Anniversary together with Disneynature and all the people who are helping establish the Amboseli Wildlife Corridor.’

‘See African Cats, Save the Savanna’ continues Disneynature’s conservation efforts, which began with its first release, Earth (2009), for which three million trees were planted in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. The program in support of Oceans (2010) helped establish 40,000 acres of marine protected areas in The Bahamas, which contain miles of vital coral reef.

During the film’s opening week (April 22-28), a portion of the proceeds from that week’s ticket sales will be donated to the African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to ensure the future of lions, cheetahs, elephants, zebras, giraffes and a host of other animals in the vibrant African savanna. The AWF will be working to protect the Amboseli Wildlife Corridor, a passage between the Amboseli, Tsavo West and Chyulu Hills National Parks that is frequently used by a variety of wildlife.

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Post tags: African Cats, Conservation, Disneynature

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As rare as they are in the wild (with a count of around 1600), they’re even rarer in zoological parks. Zoos in less than ten countries exhibit them and in the United States, only four zoos have them on display: the National Zoo in DC, Zoo Atlanta in Georgia, the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee and the San Diego Zoo in California. Perhaps more shocking than their rarity is the price at which they come. Each of these institutions pay a minimum of $1M per year for a pair of adult pandas with a standard contract length of ten years. That amount is then doubled as money is contributed to China for panda wildlife preservation and research as dictated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service who has mandated that at least 50% of the fees goes to research in order for a zoo in the U.S. to import pandas.

If the zoo is lucky in that the pandas mate and produce a cub (a feat that’s so famously near impossible that artificial insemination has become the norm), the annual fees to China increase by $600,000 and the cub is property of the Chinese government, and soon ‘returned.’ Add to that the initial expense of building the habitat and the ongoing care and maintenance and it becomes an immediate financial challenge for many zoos that rely on park admissions and donations to keep operations at full steam.

Of course this certainly wouldn’t be as much an issue for Disney Parks and Resorts (aside from Disney’s Animal Kingdom being nahtazu) and in many ways, it seems like a natural and perfect fit. So we ask: where are the pandas?

At this point, we can only presume there are political concerns. Not Disney-China relations, but Disney-United States relations. Given that pandas are a primary source of tourism for the few zoos that do have them, adding them to the most visited theme park resort in the world would most certainly prove detrimental to the other zoos to some extent, so it may be that there are some ‘exclusivity’ concerns being tossed about. Also worth noting is that in the grand scheme of things, Disney is still the cub in the family when it comes to exhibiting animals in the zoological arena.

Still, it’s hard to ignore that Disney has been wooing China and its people in overt and covert ways with more prominence as time goes by. Given the well publicized non-successes of Hong Kong Disneyland, The Walt Disney Company has focused serious attention on China (in addition to India and Russia) over the past few years. The

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The voting is part of an overall call to action for kids to make a difference in their local communities. Registered participants make personal promises to reduce their impact on the environment by changing their everyday actions. They can also help allocate Disney’s $1 million commitment to fund environmental programs worldwide.

Voting is continuous throughout the year. Kids have the opportunity to vote on five different projects per quarter. Each project is managed by leading environmental nonprofit organizations. The projects are centered on Disney Friends for Change’s four focus areas — climate, habitat, waste and water. With nearly 2.5 million votes, Disney Friends for Change kids have helped direct almost $2 million to 41 projects in 21 countries since the program was launched in May 2009.

The award amount is contingent upon how many votes each project receives. This is the third round of award voting, and the first to include international votes. The results are as follows:

First Place, $100,000 award
BirdLife International, Saving Spoony’s Chinese Wetlands: The project contributes to the conservation of the Spoon-billed Sandpiper, a unique and highly threatened migratory shorebird. The project raises awareness among local governments and communities about the importance of the species and of the inter-tidal wetlands that are vital for its survival. This is the third project funded by Disney Friends for Change program in China, totaling $175,000 of support from the program in the country. Other funded projects in China include work supported by The Nature Conservancy as well as Roots and Shoots, a program supervised by the Jane Goodall Institute.

Second Place, $50,000 award
The Nature Conservancy, Protecting Canada’s Great Bear Rainforest: The project trains local students to monitor local wildlife in an effort to protect the rainforest, home to such animals as grizzly bears and wolves. This is the first Disney Friends for Change program funded in Canada.

Third Place, $50,000
Fauna and Flora International, Iberian Lynx Habitat Conservation: Once considered common, the Iberian Lynx is now the rarest of all the cat species. Less than 100 of the Iberian Lynx now live in the wild. The population crash is due to habitat loss in Spain and Portugal and declining

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Post tags: Conservation, Donations, Environment, Environmentality, Friends for Change

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Disneyland Resort will receive the award for Outstanding Stormwater BMP Implementation Program for its holistic approach in developing and implementing a master water quality management plan in partnership with the City of Anaheim. This master plan supports the environmental legacy of Walt Disney and the long term vision for sustainable programs throughout the resort. The Resort began implementing best practices based on its master plan this past year through state-of-the-art development at the resort. With new equipment and development in place, stormwater can be treated, captured and detained on the property, and stormwater discharge will be reduced.

“Our commitment to preserving the environment dates back to Walt Disney who truly valued conservation efforts,” said Frank Dela Vara, director of Environmental Affairs at the Disneyland Resort. “As we grow and expand, one of the ways we continue to build on this legacy is by investing in new technologies, systems and processes that improve water quality. We are honored to receive this award and look forward to continuing to develop innovative practices that help sustain our environment and support our core business values, because it is the right thing to do.”

“The Awards Committee evaluated how creative and innovative organizations could be as they addressed stormwater and environmental challenges in their communities. The Disneyland Resort program embodies both best practices and creative concepts in stormwater management, and is a model for other organizations. We recognize its success, innovation and dedication to the improvement of stormwater quality in California,” said Jill Bicknell, awards committee chair.

The CASQA awards program identifies and recognizes creative approaches, outstanding projects, best practices and exemplary accomplishments in the field of stormwater quality management. CASQA awards can be given to both public and private projects and individuals from public agencies and private businesses. A CASQA member must nominate award candidates, and candidates are evaluated on demonstrated excellence, ingenuity, creativity, professionalism and documented results. Awards may be made at local, regional and statewide levels.

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Post tags: Awards, Conservation, Environmentality

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“As part of Disney’s longstanding commitment to the environment, the work supported through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund is more important today than ever in helping preserve our planet’s most precious resources,” said Dr. Beth Stevens, senior vice president, Environmental Affairs, The Walt Disney Company. “We are proud to support these organizations that are truly making a difference around the world to aid in the protection of wildlife and the natural environments they depend on to flourish.”

Over the past decade, the DWCF—through support from The Walt Disney Company and Disney Guests—has provided more than $15 million in grants for the study of wildlife, protection of habitats, land management plans, community conservation and education. Along with a focus on support for species and habitat conservation science, the DWCF encourages programs that engage local residents and benefit both human and animal communities.

Below is a highlight of some of this year’s recipients:

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Post tags: Conservation, dap, Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, Disney's Animal Programs, DWCF

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The Bahamas represent an important ecosystem, straddling the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.  The 700 islands that comprise The Bahamas contain miles of vital coral reefs, which are the foundation of a healthy ocean environment, providing shelter, nurseries and feeding grounds for hundreds of marine species, including dolphins, sea turtles and a wide range of fish. Scientists estimate that the coral reefs of the Caribbean could be gone in 50 years without a network of well-managed marine protected areas.

“We’re excited to once again collaborate with The Nature Conservancy on an initiative that takes the impact of Disneynature’s storytelling to an entirely new level,” said Alan Bergman, president of The Walt Disney Studios. “The health of our oceans is absolutely vital to the well-being of our planet and thanks to the supporters of Disneynature’s motion picture ‘Oceans,’ this investment in marine conservation will help ensure critical aquatic environments will thrive for future generations.”

“Disneynature has captured the beauty, wonder and fragility of our world’s marine habitats and species in ‘Oceans,’ said Mark Tercek, president and CEO of The Nature Conservancy. “We appreciate Disney’s commitment to help protect marine areas in The Bahamas, which is home to 30 percent of all coral reefs in the Atlantic Ocean. With Disneynature’s support, The Nature Conservancy and its partners are making significant progress toward our ambitious goal of doubling the total amount of marine protected area in The Bahamas.”

Throughout Earth Month, Disney also supported The Nature Conservancy’s initiative in stores and online adding an additional 4,000 acres protected.   In Disney Stores (DisneyStore.com), proceeds from sales of eco-friendly “Save Planet Earth” reusable bags benefit the Adopt a Coral Reef program.  In addition, a donation on behalf of the company’s environmental youth initiative, Disney’s Friends for Change (

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Post tags: Charity, Conservation, Coral Reef, Disneynature, Donations, DWCF, Nature Conservancy, OCEANS, The Nature Conservancy

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Post tags: Conservation, dap, DWCF, Environment, Environmentality

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“With 400,000 tickets sold so far, Disneynature’s second film is making a huge splash and saving coral reefs along the way—and ‘OCEANS’ hasn’t even opened yet,” said Chuck Viane, president, distribution, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. “Coral reefs are essential to the global ecosystem; we’re already on our way to establishing more than 790 acres of new marine protected areas—that’s the equivalent of about 600 football fields or nearly the size of New York City’s Central Park—and sales are still going strong.”

SEE OCEANS, SAVE OCEANS
Disneynature will make a contribution to one of the largest conservation organizations in the world, The Nature Conservancy, to save coral reefs in honor of each moviegoer who sees OCEANS during opening week (April 22-28).  Through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Disneynature and The Nature Conservancy will help establish new marine protected areas in The Bahamas. For more details on Disneynature’s collaboration with The Nature Conservancy, please visit: www.disney.com/Oceans.

“The environmental community of The Bahamas is excited about Disney’s commitment to preserving our precious coral reefs,” said Eleanor Phillips, Northern Caribbean program director for The Nature Conservancy. “No matter where you live, everyone depends on our oceans for many of our most basic needs like food and medicine.  After witnessing decades of exploitation and neglect of our coral reefs, it honestly makes my heart sing to see so many people working together to advance this important cause.”

The 700 islands that comprise The Bahamas contain miles of vital coral reefs, which are the foundation of a healthy ocean environment, providing shelter, nurseries and feeding grounds for hundreds of marine species, including dolphins, sea turtles and a wide range of fish. Scientists estimate that the coral reefs of the Caribbean could be gone within 50 years without a network of well-managed marine protected areas.

With generous support from Disneynature, The Nature Conservancy has recently launched its Adopt-a-Coral-Reef program in The Bahamas. The Nature Conservancy is working to protect the coral reefs in The

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Post tags: Conservation, Coral Reefs, Disneynature, Earth Day, OCEANS

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A few days ago, we revealed some of the new Earth Day limited-time-only merchandise from the Disney Store featuring the Alien from Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 3 with the tag line SAVE PLANET EARTH. Today, DisneyStore.com launched its Earth Day Boutique and although you won’t find any of that merchandise online, you will find dozens of other eco-friendly merchandise including Alien tees, a tree planting kit (pictured), a Muppets water bottle and re-useable tote and more eco-friendly merchandise.

Other items of special interest in the store include merchandise supporting the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund and a special re-useable tote from Make-A-Wish in honor of its first annual World Wish Day on April 29 with proceeds going to charity.

To see all of the items now available for purchase, click the special link below.

DisneyStore.com Earth Day Boutique. Shop Now!

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Post tags: Conservation, dap, Disney Store, Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, DisneyStore.com, DWCF, Earth Day, Environment, Environmentality, Make-A-Wish, MAW, Merchandise, Muppets, Toy Story, Toy Story 3, TS, TS3

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Funding will provide the ARCH team with medical supplies and equip a “mobile clinic” that is delivering emergency care for injured animals and administering vaccinations to prevent outbreaks of diseases such as rabies. Click here to watch a short video about IFAW’s relief efforts.

The DWCF provided $20,000 to the emergency effort through Disney’s Friends for Change: Project Green and the iTunes initiative, in which 100 percent of the proceeds from the download of the inspiring anthem “Send it On” benefitted environmental charities through the DWCF.

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Post tags: ARCH, Conservation, dap, DWCF, Haiti, IFAW

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Members of the primate team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are encouraged by Kashata’s natural instincts at motherhood. First-time mothers often experience difficulty knowing the right things to do. They must learn to properly hold the baby and adapt to a demanding nursing schedule.  “Kashata has been a model mother from the moment the baby was born, said Matt Hohne, animal operations director for Disney’s Animal Programs. “She immediately knew how to properly hold the baby and her nursing skills have been exemplary.”

Since Kashata has been holding the baby close to her body, animal keepers have yet to determine the baby’s gender. Most gorilla mothers keep their offspring close for several months while the baby adjusts to the environment. In addition, gorilla babies typically nurse for approximately 12 months and may be weaned between the ages of four and five.

The new baby, which is yet to be named, is the third gorilla born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan which manages genetic diversity among species through detailed records of individual animals. Disney’s Animal Kingdom also participates in AZA Species Survival Plans for several other animals, including elephants, cotton-top tamarins and okapi. The first gorilla birth occurred in 1997 before Disney’s Animal Kingdom opened, and the second baby arrived in 1999.

Aside from breeding activities, Disney’s Animal Programs team remains active in gorilla conservation in other areas. The team currently:

GORILLA FACTS:

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Post tags: Africa, Conservation, DAK, dap, Gorillas, Lowland Gorillas, Pangani Forest Exploration Trail

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During the next few weeks, animal managers, veterinarians and behaviorists will wish farewell to dozens of endangered animals that will return to their native Florida habitat after spending weeks, months or even years with members of the Disney team. The animals range from a tiny, 11-ounce endangered rodent to a recently rehabilitated four-pound sea turtle to an eight-foot, 828-pound manatee. Whether flippers or feet, the common thread is that each one has received top-notch care as a reflection of Disney’s commitment to animal conservation and wildlife rehabilitation.

CRACKING THE CODE ON WOODRAT LOVE
Most recently, the animal care team collaborated with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Lowry Park Zoo on the first-ever reintroduction of 14 Key Largo woodrats to the Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge in South Florida. The woodrats were bred at both Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa as part of a recovery plan to augment the existing population found only in Key Largo. Scientists estimate that this native species has dwindled to about 500 after years of habitat loss, drought and the invasion of non-native animal species, such as the Burmese python.

“Although small in size, the Key Largo woodrat plays a larger role in the circle of life,” according to Anne Savage, senior conservation biologist at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. “Through diligent study, we may be able to link these tiny rodents to the distribution of essential sources of food for other animals. That activity could facilitate the growth of fungus, trees and other fauna. That’s an important reason to be concerned about saving them.”

Prior to their release at Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the Key Largo woodrats were placed in individual enclosures with nest structures designed and built by refuge volunteers.  Supplemental food was provided for nearly a week while conservation biologists observed the animals in their new environment and felt comfortable removing the animals’ protective enclosures. Each animal has been fitted with radio-collared transmitter which will help scientists track their movements once released.

Breeding this elusive species was a challenge since scientists had very little information about social structure, reproductive biology or ecology. Through diligent research, Disney animal experts studied the behavior of this nocturnal animal and found ways to successfully breed 30 of the native species. Since June 2006, 18

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Post tags: Conservation, dap, DWCF, Key Largo Woodrats, Manatees, Sea Turtles

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The donation will go towards a new Adopt-a-Coral-Reef program focusing on The Bahamas which aims to save 500,000 acres of threatened coral reef, accounting for 30% of the reef in the Atlantic Ocean.

As a result of attendance during the first week of Disneynature’s first US film, EARTH, Disney helped plant 2.7 million trees in the rainforests of Brazil.

For more information on the program, visit the The Nature Conservancy.

OCEANS will open nationwide on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.

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Post tags: Conservation, Disneynature, Nature Conservancy, OCEANS

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