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Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund Provides Emergency Support for Chimpanzees

Stitch Kingdom — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:51:25 +0000

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund is responding immediately to needs of the Jane Goodall Institute and the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance to protect endangered chimpanzees in Africa.

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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Elephant Calf Welcomed into World at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Stitch Kingdom — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 02:43:00 +0000

The elephant herd at Disney’s Animal Kingdom got just a little larger with the birth of a baby calf. Weighing 311 pounds, the male African elephant was welcomed into the group by his mother Vasha, 10 herd members and a team of animal care professionals assisting with the birth.

The 25-year-old mother delivered the herd’s sixth offspring after gaining more than 800 pounds during a 22-month gestation. This latest addition, which has yet to be named, is the second calf for Vasha, who gave birth to a female calf, Kianga, in 2004.

With support from the animal care team, the newborn, whose first tentative steps are becoming stronger and more confident, is now successfully nursing from his mother. Vasha has been getting to know the calf, gently touching the young animal with her trunk and keeping a watchful eye on him.

“The natural bonding between mother and calf is fascinating,” said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D., vice president of Disney’s Animal, Science and Environment Programs. “The team is encouraged by the early interaction between mother and calf and will continue to monitor them closely for the next several weeks.”

The next critical milestone is for the calf to continue the bonding process with his mother who will teach him important lessons and protect him as he gradually acclimates to the rest of the savannah herd over the next several weeks. With 12 elephants, Disney’s Animal Kingdom has one of the largest African elephant herds in North America, including four males and eight females.

Vasha became pregnant through artificial insemination in October 2009 and received extensive pre-natal care throughout pregnancy. Since early August, animal care teams have provided round-the-clock monitoring, regular ultrasounds and daily hormone monitoring to more accurately predict the beginning of labor. In the past few years, Disney’s animal care teams have been able to narrow the birth window to within four days, which enables them to better prepare for the delivery. With this birth, the team had been on heightened baby-alert since Monday.
This is the sixth elephant born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Others include:

Tufani, a male, born in 2003; Kianga, a female, born in 2004; Nadirah a female, born in 2005; Tsavo, a male, born in 2008; and Luna, a female born 2010.

Disney has been at the forefront of efforts to better understand and care for endangered elephants. 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 elephant population in North America. AZA’s Elephant Species Survival Plan has called for a five-fold increase in African elephant reproduction

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Post tags: dap, Disney's Animal Programs, DWCF, Elephants

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Is Disneyland Shanghai’s ‘Animal Kingdom’ a Call-to-Action for Giant Pandas in Orlando?

Stitch Kingdom — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 16:37:53 +0000

Take a leisurely stroll along the Maharajah Jungle Trek at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in the Walt Disney World Resort and you’ll encounter many of Asia’s exotic animal inhabitants from the Komodo dragon of Indonesia to the Bengal tigers of India. What you won’t find, however, are the coveted giant pandas of China.

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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Post tags: Conservation, DAK, DWCF, Giant Panda, Shanghai

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Rehabbed Osprey Released Back Into Wild at Walt Disney World’s Coronado Springs Resort

Stitch Kingdom — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:20:34 +0000

After a four-month rehabilitation at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, an adult male osprey was recently released at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort near the site where he was rescued earlier this summer. An eager group of Walt Disney World Cast Members and resort guests looked on as the bird took to the air for the first time since June.

The osprey was emaciated and listless when he was found on June 17. After receiving emergency care from Disney animal care experts, the raptor was transported to the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey in Maitland, Fla. for further treatment. After several months of intensive care, the bird was moved to the Center’s Magic of Flight barn to stretch his wings and complete the rehabilitation process.

Disney sponsored the building of the flight barn in 2001 and has provided ongoing support of the Center. As one of the few structures of its kind in the U.S., the flight barn is used to rehabilitate raptors, such as eagles, hawks, owls and ospreys, so they can ultimately be released back into the wild.

“It’s always nice seeing a bird released back where he belongs,” said EagleWatch Coordinator Lynda White, minutes after watching her most recent patient fly the coop at Lake Dorado. She attributed the successful release to the support of her staff and companies like Walt Disney World. “We wouldn’t be able to do what we do without Walt Disney World,” she said. “In fact, without Disney, there wouldn’t be an EagleWatch program or a flight barn at all.”

Several weeks prior to the osprey’s release, volunteers from Walt Disney World Resort joined staff at the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey to refurbish the flight barn and its surroundings. Volunteers spent the day helping with roof repair, pressure cleaning, replacement of food boards and prey boxes, and re-wrapping very large perches.

“We were excited to pitch in to help spruce up the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, which provides so many services to both community and wildlife,” said Nancy Gidusko, director of Community Relations at Walt Disney World. In addition, Walt Disney World Community Relations gave the center a new pressure washer and sliding ladder for continued upkeep, and Disney’s Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives donated equipment for animal care.

Disney’s on-going support has enabled the flight barn to play a pivotal role in conserving and protecting Central Florida’s wildlife by helping thousands of birds regain their strength and stamina before returning to the wild.

Photo courtesy Walt Disney World Resort.

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Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Names 2010 ‘Disney Conservation Heroes’

Stitch Kingdom — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:10:14 +0000

The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) announced the recipients of the “Disney Conservation Heroes” award for 2010 today during the annual meeting of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The award recognizes citizens around the world for their tireless efforts at the local level to save wildlife, protect habitats and educate the communities around them.

“Conservation efforts around the globe and in our own backyard rely on the local community and direct involvement of dedicated people like our Disney Conservation Heroes,” said Dr. Jackie Ogden, Vice President, Animal Programs and Environmental Initiatives, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “These are extraordinary individuals who are passionate about protecting animals and habitats in areas of critical concern.”

This year’s honorees represent conservation programs in six countries and three continents that concentrate on a wide array of animal species from sea turtles to chimpanzees. They were nominated by nonprofit environmental organizations and AZA zoos and aquariums committed to field conservation programs.

Each award recipient and their nominating organization will share a $1,000 award from the DWCF. This year’s recipients include:

Kenda Diallo, Pan African Sanctuaries Alliance: Diallo joined the staff of a small primate rescue center in Africa with little formal education, but progressed from general laborer to head keeper of the facility. He plays a critical role in the success of the Centre de Conservation pour Chimpanzees (CCC) sanctuary in Guinea where there is no electricity and often no running water. Diallo leaves his family for three-week intervals to work and live at the CCC. This past year dry conditions sparked a brush fire at the sanctuary invading chimpanzee enclosures, night houses and handling facilities. Diallo organized a team to beat back the fire with branches and douse the cages with water, protecting both the animals and staff. Diallo also played a major role when the CCC returned chimpanzees back to the forests, making it the first successful reintroduction in more than a decade. He has helped chart the chimpanzees’ progress ever since. He also oversees the daily care of the 40-plus chimpanzees still living at the center and conducts regular patrols through the communities and towns nearby in search of illegally held infant apes.

Lily–Arison Rene de Roland, The Peregrine Fund: Rene de Roland is National Director of The Peregrine Fund’s Madagascar Project, overseeing two project sites and supervising a staff of 25. In 2006, while conducting country-wide surveys for the threatened Madagascar Harrier hawk, he re-discovered the Madagascar Pochard, a diving duck thought to be extinct. He has established a captive breeding program to help increase the duck population and is responsible for the creation of three permanent protected areas covering more than 150,000 acres. He has traveled back and forth

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Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Announces 2010 Grant Recipients

Stitch Kingdom — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:44:52 +0000

Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund has announced the 2010 recipients of nearly $1.5 million in grants to protect vulnerable wildlife and ecosystems around the world. The funding enables nonprofit organizations to provide support for more than 45 species across the globe–from protecting the critically endangered Sumatran rhino in Indonesia, to tracking northern jaguars in the foothills of Mexico, to studying the threats of the endangered green sea turtle.

“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:

Wildlife Trust: Black Lion Tamarin Conservation through Research and Community Involvement – Wildlife Trust teaches communities about sustainable development alternatives, including tree nurseries and handicrafts, to protect the black lion tamarins living in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest. Northern Jaguar Project: Northern Jaguar Feline Photo Project - In an effort to reduce jaguar mortality and build conservation alliances with rural landowners, Northern Jaguar Project works directly with local ranch owners in Mexico to monitor and protect the species. Save the Elephants: Elephants and Bees – Save the Elephants minimizes human-wildlife conflict by studying and researching innovative strategies to reduce crop-raiding. By using beehives as a deterrent, community crops are left un-touched and families have a new source of income through honey production. University of Hawaii: Conserving the Green Sea Turtle in Hawaii - This program advances the understanding of the impact of pollution on endangered green sea turtles. Through further research, conservationists are able to work more effectively with local communities and governments to protect the turtles. International Rhino Foundation: Sumatran Rhino Conservation - The Sumatran rhino is considered the most endangered rhino species with numbers declining more than 70 percent in the past two decades. International Rhino Foundation is

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

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Over 35,000 Acres of Coral Reef to be Saved by ‘OCEANS’ Moviegoers

Stitch Kingdom — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 20:42:04 +0000

Disneynature announced today that its “See ‘OCEANS,’ Save Oceans” campaign will protect more than 35,000 acres of coral reef in The Bahamas on behalf of the moviegoers who came out to see Disneynature’s motion picture “Oceans” during its opening week. Through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Disneynature will help establish new marine protected areas through the The Nature Conservancy’s Adopt a Coral Reef program. At 55 square miles, this protected area of coral reefs will be almost two-and-a-half times the size of Manhattan or the equivalent of more than 412 Disneylands, supporting the expansion of the Westside National Park of Andros.

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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Elephants May Fear and Warn of Bees According to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Study

Stitch Kingdom — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 22:22:14 +0000

Although elephants may be the largest land mammal, they may also have an inherent fear of bees and know how to communicate that threat to each other.

That’s the conclusion of a team of researchers from Save the Elephants, Oxford University and Disney’s Animal Kingdom who have discovered a new alarm call made by elephants in response to the threat of bees. Working with herds of elephants in Kenya, scientists theorize that this unique rumble may warn other herd members of the bees’ presence, prompting pachyderm retreats even when no are bees present.

“The purpose behind these studies is to find a novel way of keeping elephants from raiding the crops of local communities, and thereby reducing “human-elephant conflict,” according to Joseph Soltis, Ph.D., research scientist at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. “As human populations expand, they move into elephant territory and elephants and people end up sharing the same space. One of the consequences is that elephants start raiding crops, which can end up harming both people and elephants.”

Using an array of microphones hidden in the bush, scientists first recorded the vocal reaction of the elephants to bees and then replayed these elephant rumblings without bees present. When elephants heard this recording through wireless speakers, they behaved the same as they did when bees were present; they shook their heads, threw dust in the air, and ran away from the area. These very low-frequency “rumble” vocalizations are apparently different from other rumbles, leading researchers to believe that that elephants may use their voices to communicate threats to each other.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PmslOb6HSU

“The calls give clues that elephants may produce different sounds in the same way that humans produce different vowels, such as changing a word from “bye” to bee,” said Disney’s Soltis. “By altering the position of their tongues and lips, it’s possible that, like with human language, this enables them to give superficially similar-sounding calls with very different meanings.”

The researchers believe such calls may be an emotional response to a threat, a way to coordinate group movements and warn nearby elephants – or even a way of teaching inexperienced and vulnerable young elephants to beware. Despite their thick hides, adult elephants can be stung around their eyes or up their trunks. Young calves could potentially be killed by a swarm of stinging bees as they have yet to develop this thick protective skin.

This latest discovery is part of an ongoing study of elephants in Kenya. Earlier research found that elephants avoid bee hives in the wild

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Post tags: Bees, dap, DWCF, Elephants

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Disney Parks Releases 2009 Conservation Report

Stitch Kingdom — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:38:33 +0000

Just in time for Earth Day, Disney Parks and Resorts released its 2009 Conservation Report earlier today. The report, which highlights various programs, activities and educational initiatives Disney Conservation has parktaken over the past year, can be found here.

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

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Disney Store Expands ‘Earth Day’ Collection in Honor of ‘Friends for Change’ and OCEANS; Free Hat Offer

Stitch Kingdom — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 18:36:18 +0000

In addition to the limited-time only ‘Save the Planet’ merchandise featuring the Alien from Toy Story 3, Disney Store has expanded its Earth Day 2010 merchandise to include merchandise inspired by Disney Channel’s Friends for Change ‘Project Green’ and the new anthem Make a Wave by Joe Jonas and and Demi Lovato which also serves as the end title song for Disneynature’s OCEANS.

In honor of OCEANS, guests who bring six plastic bottles or aluminum cans to their local Disney Store on Earth Day, April 22, will receive a free Friends for Change and OCEANS co-branded baseball cap made from six recycled plastic bottles itself.

Parents can also also bring kids to the Disney Store to pick up OCEANS themed activity sheets that teach children about our lakes, oceans, rivers, and streams and how we can reduce the amount of trash and waste in our waterways. OCEANS offers an unprecedented look beneath the sea, and can be a great viewing experience together for families and children. Disneynature’s OCEANS will also contribute to The Nature Conservancy’s ‘Adopt a Coral Reef,’ through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, on behalf of every person who sees the film in theaters April 22- April 28.

[View with PicLens]

Don’t forget to visit the DisneyStore.com Earth Day Boutique. Shop Now!

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Post tags: DCP, Disney Store, Disneynature, DWCF, Earth Day, Merchandise, OCEANS, TDS

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DisneyStore.com Launches ‘Earth Day Boutique’ With Toy Story, Muppets, DWCF and Make-A-Wish Items

Stitch Kingdom — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 22:53:02 +0000

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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National Audubon Society to Recognize Disney Conservationist Dr. Beth Stevens

Stitch Kingdom — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 19:53:58 +0000

On May 18, Dr. Beth Stevens, Senior Vice President of Environmental Affairs for The Walt Disney Company, will be one of four women recognized by the National Audubon Society in a ceremony in New York City as one of the leading women in the field of American conservation.

Dr. Stevens will be awarded the Rachel Carson Award named for Rachel Carson, whose landmark book Silent Spring opened the world’s eyes to the damage inflicted by the indiscriminate use of pesticides such as DDT. Before Congress, Rachel Carson’s testimony called for an environmental regulatory department which came to life several years later with the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Since its inception, the award has raised over $1,000,000 in support of Audubon’s important campaign to protect the Long Island Sound and Audubon’s Women in Conservation Program which includes a website to help educate women on important environmental issues and the ongoing efforts that address them and an internship program for girls and young women hoping to gain exposure to the environmental non-profit world.

Dr. Stevens earned her bachelor’s degree in Zoology at Duke University and her Ph.D. in Biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She joined the Disney Parks and Resort division to help open Disney’s Animal Kingdom as Conservation and Science Director and then General Manager for Disney’s Animal Programs. She was soon promoted to Vice President of the park as well as Disney’s Animal Programs. She has also served as President and Chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as well as serving on the boards of the Save the Tiger Fund and the International Rhino Foundation.

Other recipients of the award in 2010 are: actress and activist Isabella Rossellini; superintendent of Yellowstone National Park Suzanne Lewis; and Fernanda Kellogg, president of the Tiffany & Co. Foundation.

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Post tags: Awards, Beth Stevens, dap, DWCF, Events, National Audubon Society

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Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund Donates $20,000 in Aid to Animals in Haiti

Stitch Kingdom — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 03:03:38 +0000

Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) is proud to support International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to provide veterinary care and vaccinations for animals in the wake of a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti. IFAW and the World Society for the Protection of Animals are jointly leading the Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti (ARCH), working with more than a dozen of the world’s leading animal protection organizations to aid as many animals as possible.

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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Disney Animal Experts Say Farewell to Flippered and Furry Friends

Stitch Kingdom — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:29:17 +0000

Breaking up is hard to do – especially before Valentine’s Day. But for a team of animal care experts from Disney’s Animal Programs, saying goodbye often means a new beginning for the wildlife they’ve taken under their wing.

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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The Walt Disney Company Announces $7M Investment in Forest Protection Projects

Stitch Kingdom — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:10:17 +0000

BURBANK, Calif. — The Walt Disney Company announced today a $7 million investment in forest projects that will build on its long history of conservation and environmental stewardship. The projects will protect forests in the Amazon, the Congo and the United States safeguarding ecosystems that benefit climate and quality of life on the planet.

The investment is being made in partnership with leading non-governmental organizations Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy and The Conservation Fund that, like Disney, put great emphasis on science and technical excellence.

Forest protection is one of the most effective ways to combat climate change, improve the livelihood of local communities and protect threatened wildlife. Healthy forests provide food, shelter and income to millions of people around the world. The projects supported by Disney will also benefit species ranging from gorillas in Africa to North American songbirds.

Support for these projects, using a variety of conservation strategies including avoided deforestation, reforestation, and improved forest management, supplement Disney’s companywide efforts to combat climate change by reducing fossil fuel use and switching to cleaner forms of energy.

“Disney has always been a conservation leader,” said Disney President and CEO Robert A. Iger. “Now, more than ever, it’s essential to take swift action to preserve our most vulnerable natural environments for future generations and to be innovative in achieving that goal.”

Forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Each year, 50,000 square miles of forest disappear around the world, equal to the size of Pennsylvania. The burning and clearing of tropical forests is responsible for nearly 20 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas pollution – or more than all the world’s cars, trucks, planes, trains and ships combined.

In partnership with Conservation International, Disney is providing $4 million to the Tayna and Kisimba-Ikobo Community Reserves in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and the Alto Mayo conservation project in Peru. The project areas are located respectively in the Congo Basin and the Amazon, two of the world’s most important tropical forest regions.

The protection of these forests will not only reduce carbon emissions, but secure vital watersheds and habitat for a wide-variety of plants and animals, many of them threatened or endangered. These include the gorilla and okapi in the Congo and the Andean spectacled bear and yellow-tailed woolly monkey in Peru.

The majority of Disney’s funds will go towards financing community management of the forests within the project areas and expanding sustainable livelihood practices among local villages. They will also be used to complete project design, conduct forest carbon analysis and finance verification of emissions avoided through successful implementation of the projects.

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Post tags: Conservation, Conservation International, DWCF, Environment, Environmentality, Forests, The Nature Conservancy

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