Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida has revealed more about its conservation initiatives as the park celebrates its 25th anniversary and Earth Month.
The fourth theme park at Walt Disney World opened on 22 April 1998. Disney’s largest venue covers an area of 500 acres and features attractions, shows and animal encounters.
Over the past 25 years, Animal Kingdom has made contributions to the conservation and wellbeing of animals at the park, and in the local community, the state of Florida, and across the world.
Using funding from the Walt Disney Company and guests, the Disney Conservation Fund has invested more than $125 million in conservation efforts to support more than 1,000 species and protect 315 million acres globally.
Also, Disney has announced a $500,000 donation to five conservation organisations in Florida – Conservation Florida, Florida Wildlife Corridor Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Trout Lake Nature Center and Wekiva Wilderness Trust.
Each of these organisations has received $100,000. The funds will go towards projects such as expanding land protection, ensuring healthy tree canopy coverage in underserved communities, and providing clean drinking water for people in need.
Additionally, Animal Kingdom helps communities in Africa, South America and Asia to protect habitats and species, from cotton-top tamarins and elephants.
Locally, the park has worked with partners in Florida to protect nesting habitats for sea turtles, restore and repopulate corals, and rescue and release manatees.
$125 million in conservation efforts
Animal Kingdom has also worked with other AZA members to increase populations of endangered and extinct species, including the Guam rail and Guam kingfisher birds.
Following AZA Species Survival Plans, the theme park has introduced endangered animals to the world, including Sumatran tigers, western lowland gorillas, African elephants, cotton-top tamarins and okapi.
greenloop, blooloop’s third sustainability in visitor attractions conference, is taking place online on 25 and 26 April.
Walt Disney Imagineering’s Emily Dow and Caitlin Krasovic are speaking at the event.
Images: Disney
