Disney's Animal Care team has been busy over the past two weeks with the births of two new bundles of joy - a female giraffe named Makena and a male zebra named Kidani.
Makena, which means "Happy One" in Swahili, was born on Leap Day, Feb. 29. At birth, she weighed 118 pounds and stood 5 feet, 6 inches tall. Makena is the first calf for her mother, 4-year-old Malaika, who was born at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Makena is the eighth giraffe born at the Walt Disney World Resort since Disney's Animal Kingdom opened in 1998.
Born March 8, Kidani is the first Hartmann's Mountain Zebra born at the Walt Disney World Resort. The Hartmann's Mountain Zebra is an endangered species native to Angola, Namibia and South Africa. Kidani was bred through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Population Management Plan, in which a consortium of zoos and wildlife parks work together to conserve and breed animals.
Kidani was named for the new expansion of Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, which will be named Kidani Village. The zebra currently weighs approximately 65 pounds and stands 3 1/2 feet tall. As an adult male, Kidani could reach 800 pounds and 5 feet tall.
Both mothers and babies are doing well and are expected to rejoin their herds on the savannah at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge in the coming weeks.
Makena, which means "Happy One" in Swahili, was born on Leap Day, Feb. 29. At birth, she weighed 118 pounds and stood 5 feet, 6 inches tall. Makena is the first calf for her mother, 4-year-old Malaika, who was born at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Makena is the eighth giraffe born at the Walt Disney World Resort since Disney's Animal Kingdom opened in 1998.
Born March 8, Kidani is the first Hartmann's Mountain Zebra born at the Walt Disney World Resort. The Hartmann's Mountain Zebra is an endangered species native to Angola, Namibia and South Africa. Kidani was bred through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Population Management Plan, in which a consortium of zoos and wildlife parks work together to conserve and breed animals.
Kidani was named for the new expansion of Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, which will be named Kidani Village. The zebra currently weighs approximately 65 pounds and stands 3 1/2 feet tall. As an adult male, Kidani could reach 800 pounds and 5 feet tall.
Both mothers and babies are doing well and are expected to rejoin their herds on the savannah at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge in the coming weeks.
Thanks for bringing more attention to this...I think people forget to much that their are actual animals at Dak and Dak Lodge.