Walt Disney Imagineering Teams Up with Animal Care Team for Enrichment Activities at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Walt Disney Imagineering has partnered with the animal care team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom to introduce exciting enrichment activities for the park’s animal residents. By utilizing a range of innovative technologies, including 3D printing and recycled items, the teams are providing the animals with mentally and physically stimulating experiences that encourage their natural instincts and enhance their overall wellbeing.
One of the creative enrichment activities includes an ice sculpture designed specifically for lions. The sculpture, shaped like a warthog and covered in mud, stimulates the lions’ instincts for stalking, pawing, biting, clawing, and smelling. Additionally, the ice sculpture serves as a cooling mechanism for the animals.
In the spirit of the holiday season, the gorilla family at Disney’s Animal Kingdom received presents filled with their favorite foods, such as popcorn, hay, and oats. This activity not only encouraged the gorillas’ natural foraging behaviors but also provided entertainment for guests observing the delightful interaction.
To engage the cheetahs, the teams developed a partially 3D-printed remote-controlled ball called the cheetah ball. This innovative creation allows the park’s cheetahs to chase the moving ball, simulating their natural instincts to hunt and run. The use of 3D printing and engineering expertise contributed to the development of this exciting enrichment opportunity.
In their commitment to providing tailored enrichment for each animal, the animal care team at Walt Disney World Resort gets creative with recycled items. Water bottles and coolers are transformed into warthog feeders, while old fire hoses are woven into different shapes, serving as enrichment for rhinos. These repurposed items not only provide mental and physical stimulation for the animals but also promote sustainability and environmental consciousness.
Angela Miller, the behavioral husbandry manager, explains that enrichment activities like the gorillas’ holiday presents encourage natural behaviors such as foraging. Miller adds, These particular behaviors are the ones we are trying to encourage. The guests also enjoyed witnessing the primates’ curiosity and playfulness as they interacted with the wrapped packages.
Walt Disney Imagineering and the animal care team’s collaboration ensures that the animals at Disney’s Animal Kingdom receive the highest level of care by engaging their natural instincts, encouraging mental stimulation, and enhancing their overall quality of life. The ongoing commitment to innovation and creativity guarantees a dynamic and enriching experience for both the animal residents and the park’s visitors.
For more information on Disney’s care for animals and their conservation efforts in the wild, visit DisneyAnimals.com. You can also catch the fascinating second season of Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Disney+, offering viewers unparalleled access to the park’s extraordinary animals and the dedicated animal care experts who have formed remarkable bonds with them.
