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Disney's Wild Kingdom: [Write-Ups and Ride-throughs Ongoing]
- Thread starter PerGron
- Start date
Disney's Wild Kingdom
Jambo! and welcome to Disney's Wild Kingdom, the newest Disney Park! Here, our imaginations can run just as wild as the many animal species that call the park home. Taking inspiration from Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, Florida, Disney's Wild Kingdom sets out to be at the forefront of the conservation education conversation, dedicating itself to the research, breeding, and husbandry of hundreds of endangered and threatened species, as well as providing an entertaining venue for guests to be able to learn more about the many species that we share our planet with.
Built around the massive Tree of Life, a larger version of the one found at Animal Kingdom, Disney's Wild Kingdom invites guests to step into the many continents of the planet Earth, discovering the wildlife, the people, and the culture of the many places animals roam alongside humans. Disney's Wild Kingdom will serve as the largest Disney park in the world, providing an immaculate space for the animals and the conservation done in the park. Disney's Wild Kingdom will feature 10 unique lands, some bigger than others, each dedicated to a different portion of the planet.
Guests will enter through the Gardens of Life, a lush foliated walking trail featuring species from each of the continents guests will be discovering, giving hints at what is to come. These trails are winding and easy to get lost in, forcing guests to slow down and take in the atmosphere, setting them up for the adventure and discovery they can await in the park.
Once through the gardens of life, guests enter the hub of the park, the Earth Center, a hub for scientific discovery, where buildings housing reptiles, a veterinary clinic, and more of the inner-workings of the park can be discovered, as well as the Tree of Life and its featured interior show.
In the land of Africa, guests can take a safari ride or walk a hiking trail through the Ulinzi Wildlife Reserve or explore the village of Urafiki, embracing the blending of many of the cultures of Sub-Saharan Africa. Guests may also visit some of their favorite Disney friends in the subland of Hakuna Matata Village (a reference to Epcot's Circle of Life film).
Guests can explore the wondrous bounties of Asia, taking a trip through Baohù, an East-Asian town on the cusp of a national park established by a once-great Emperor, featuring animals found throughout Asia, from Indonesia to India to China, and all the way up to Siberia in the Xingzhi National Park.
For guests looking to go Down Under, they can visit Australia, a land dedicated to the only single-country continent. Guests can explore the Town of Alkawari and hike through the outback in the Jarrah Nature Park.
The next land will be North America, where guests can meet at the Salmon Falls Outpost, discovering the cultures of many Native Americans, as well as take a trek through the Rocky Woods Creek, a densely forested refuge for tons of North American native wildlife.
Guests can also explore South America, taking a trek through the dense South American rainforests in the Amistad Wildlife Preserve and explore the Amistad Village, dedicated to the cultures and people of South America. There is also another subland here, dedicated to Paradise Falls of the film Up.
The final area is Europe, set in the fictional village of Bevarande in Sweden where a small wildlife reserve has been opened for the European wildlife. There is also a smaller focus on fictional animals and mythology in this land.
There is one more land guests may explore, taking them back in time as they visit Primordia, the only place to discover the extinct species from the Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic eras in the Primordia Research Institute.
All of these lands and more are ready to be explored when we take a spin around Disney's Wild Kingdom
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Twilight_Roxas
Well-Known Member
I think this is cool. I would suggest Wakanda, but the last time I did I was accused of trolling when I wasn’t.
D Hulk
Well-Known Member
Shanghai is perhaps the most realistic size wise. Chinese guests really love animal exhibits as well, more than Americans, particularly marine animals. Look at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Guangzhou. Under a decade old and already the world’s 10th most visited theme park, almost entirely in the strength of their animals. Though be aware that China’s animal care standards might be below your standards.
Alternately, California has the best climate and needs another park! As a Dodgers fan, I propose you demolish Angels Stadium a few miles east of Disneyland in Anaheim, because the space there is plentiful. Just be aware of you zoo competition in San Diego
!
Alternately, California has the best climate and needs another park! As a Dodgers fan, I propose you demolish Angels Stadium a few miles east of Disneyland in Anaheim, because the space there is plentiful. Just be aware of you zoo competition in San Diego
!
The standards of care really is my biggest reservation about China. Chinese zoos see a lot more of the entertainment side and I don’t love that when zoos should really be about conservation and education with a little bit of entertainment thrown in, not vice-versa. However, Pandas are a big plus of a Chinese location as they’re $2million per panda per year, including offspring born at your zoo, which is highway robbery for a mediocre animal that sucks at being a bear (they can’t digest the only thing they eat. They’re built to be omnivores). But also, China is the only place in the world housing Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys, a species literally nobody knows about but are amazing.
San Diego won’t have on Disney’s Wild Kingdom.Alternately, California has the best climate and needs another park! As a Dodgers fan, I propose you demolish Angels Stadium a few miles east of Disneyland in Anaheim, because the space there is plentiful. Just be aware of you zoo competition in San Diego
So I’ll start off Blue Sky, and if I end up swaying to one location, I will.
Another exciting advancement. I can’t draw like Doug can, and I didn’t want to steal Disney Sky’s Thunder, so it’ll be a bit different. I’ll be designing most of the park in Zoo Tycoon 2, so I’m pretty excited for that (Planet Zoo is good but doesn’t have the animal selection, and I also can’t run it)
I’ll be starting that this weekend!
Totally don’t think you’re trolling! I won’t be doing Wakanda if not for the sole reason that this park will have a very heavy live animal focus, essentially being a full zoo with some themepark elements. I just don’t feel Wakanda fits the theme of animals and they way they interact with the world.
That being said, I will have an exhibit for black leopards (panthers), so there’s that to look forward to!
Attachments
Twilight_Roxas
Well-Known Member
Well while Wakanda won’t be there would Africa have a meet & greet for T’Challa aka the Black Panther as a piece of Wakanda?
Probably not as I'm trying to make this far more of a zoological park, where the only meet and greets will be heavily involved in nature or animals where T'Challa and Wakanda focus a lot more on futuristic technology.
IP to expect will be
- The Lion King
- Tarzan
- The Jungle Book
- Up
among a few others. It really isn't an IP-heavy park because I wanted to try something that hasn't really been done on the boards and am using my passion for wildlife and nature and zoos to design a zoo that has been majorly plussed.
I've officially completed the outline of the Wild Kingdom Resort!
I'll be writing everything up and designing exhibits on Zoo Tycoon 2 very soon, but just to keep the hype up, I wanted to announce one thing I'll be doing with Disney's Wild Kingdom. Some of you may have noticed that I edited the breakdown of the park, removing a few lands and adding Europe.
Well, my ideas for an Aquarium were just far too large, so I broke it all down into a second adjacent park that I'll be calling Disney's Wild Oceans (tentatively, if you have a better name, let me know.) This will be a combination of SeaWorld and other marine parks with the Disney flair. The two parks will be connected by a lake in the center of it, where they share a nighttime spectacular visible from both parks.
I announced this early that way my writeups make sense going forward. Anyway, I hope to have my first official post started tomorrow, but until then, Kwaherini!
I'll be writing everything up and designing exhibits on Zoo Tycoon 2 very soon, but just to keep the hype up, I wanted to announce one thing I'll be doing with Disney's Wild Kingdom. Some of you may have noticed that I edited the breakdown of the park, removing a few lands and adding Europe.
Well, my ideas for an Aquarium were just far too large, so I broke it all down into a second adjacent park that I'll be calling Disney's Wild Oceans (tentatively, if you have a better name, let me know.) This will be a combination of SeaWorld and other marine parks with the Disney flair. The two parks will be connected by a lake in the center of it, where they share a nighttime spectacular visible from both parks.
I announced this early that way my writeups make sense going forward. Anyway, I hope to have my first official post started tomorrow, but until then, Kwaherini!
Twilight_Roxas
Well-Known Member
Why not use planet coaster’s zoo?
I can’t run Planet Zoo on my computer and also it doesn’t have nearly the selection of pieces or animals as zoo tycoon 2 (through years of modding that the community has done, my game has roughly 2,000 different species to choose from). Planet Zoo just has charismatic megafauna like elephants, bears, etc, and while that’ll all be present in my facility, it doesn’t have the selection of small birds, reptiles, and invertebrates that I want to play around with!
Twilight_Roxas
Well-Known Member
Okay.
Evilgidgit
Well-Known Member
Since every continent has a devoted land, where does Antarctica fit into your plans?
Antarctica will be featured in the 2nd gate
Ranger's Outpost
The entrance to Disney's Wild Kingdom is rustic, with wooden entryways and buildings. Located in the entry plaza is a large planter featuring six different types of plants all grown together. At the center stands an Acacia tree from Africa, with a Sacred Lotus from Asia resting in a pond below. A rainbow eucalyptus from Australia grows next to the acacia with South American Orchids growing below. A Norway Spruce from Europe is the final tree, surrounded by Wintergreen found in North America. All six of these species represent the six continents featured in Disney's Wild Kingdom.
Dead ahead is the entrance, a structure known as Conservation Landing, which features the park's ticket booths, guest services, as well as an adjacent bathroom, and ATMs. Also featured in the plaza is a building offering locker rentals known as Ranger Storage Ltd. Lockers range in different sizes and prices, with $10/day for small lockers, $12/day for large, and $15/day for jumbo lockers. Strollers can also be rented next to Ranger Storage Ltd, with varying prices. Strollers will be $15/day for a single and $30/day for a double, whereas a wheelchair will be $12/day, and ECVs will be $50/day.
Once past the locker and stroller rentals, guests can head to the right side of the plaza, down a heavily foliated pathway, where even before they enter the park they can experience their first animal. The first exhibit features a breeding pair of North-Sulawesi babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis). These two animals come from different accredited facilities, male Besar (meaning large) comes from San Diego Zoo while female Ratu (meaning queen) comes from Louisville Zoo. The two live in a densely-vegetated exhibit that is roughly 1/2 an acre. Because of the size and foliage, the animals are not always visible, but when given the chance to view the animals, guests will have an experience they'll never forget.
Nearby the babirusa exhibit is the first shop in the park, known as Mercahant's Wares. This shop sells a large collection of animal plushes, as well as books, apparel, and pins, as well as generic Disney souvenirs found across the many parks across the world. While not the most highly-themed shop, it is the one that will be most appealing to those looking for their every-day Mickey doll or Disney tee.
Guests then exit the gift shop and come to a set of turnstiles. These turnstiles are there to prevent guests from entering the park through the gift shop without paying. With that, you enter a small courtyard featuring two more exhibits. The first is a massive forest complex making up close to 3/4 of an acre, hosting a decently-sized pond where waterfowl including Fulvous whistling-duck (Dendrocygna bicolor), black-bellied whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis), marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), and Argentine ruddy duck (Oxyura vittata). In order to control breeding, all of the waterfowl on exhibit are males, depicting the bright colors of male ducks, while not dealing with constant egg collecting.
However, also in the exhibit are the main attraction, a breeding pair of saddle-billed storks (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis), male Bud and female Betty. The two live in the densely-forested exhibit, rarely appearing for guests who just rush by, but for the guests who decide to stick around and watch the exhibits, the two show off their striking colors, and every so often will even take a shot at catching fish that the keepers stock in their pond.
Directly across the way from the saddle-billed stork is a rocky outcrop exhibit that plays host to a single Cayman blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi), an endangered lizard species from the Cayman Islands. This lone male, named Tucker, is a former breeder at the Brevard Zoo in Florida who has been retired as he is too closely related to all of the new breeding stock, meaning that Tucker got around! He now lives comfortably in his retirement home at Disney's Wild Kingdom.
These few exhibits are technically still a part of Ranger's Outpost, the entry-land of the park, as their exhibits lead into the Gardens of Life, a winding walking trail featuring even more animal exhibits. Stay tuned for that!
Before we end the tour of Ranger's Outpost, however, you can get a look at the Babirusa barn, an indoor enclosure including a holding yard where the animals can go in the colder days and when rearing young. This is a structure not ever seen by the public, but is still an essential part of the facility.
The entrance to Disney's Wild Kingdom is rustic, with wooden entryways and buildings. Located in the entry plaza is a large planter featuring six different types of plants all grown together. At the center stands an Acacia tree from Africa, with a Sacred Lotus from Asia resting in a pond below. A rainbow eucalyptus from Australia grows next to the acacia with South American Orchids growing below. A Norway Spruce from Europe is the final tree, surrounded by Wintergreen found in North America. All six of these species represent the six continents featured in Disney's Wild Kingdom.
Dead ahead is the entrance, a structure known as Conservation Landing, which features the park's ticket booths, guest services, as well as an adjacent bathroom, and ATMs. Also featured in the plaza is a building offering locker rentals known as Ranger Storage Ltd. Lockers range in different sizes and prices, with $10/day for small lockers, $12/day for large, and $15/day for jumbo lockers. Strollers can also be rented next to Ranger Storage Ltd, with varying prices. Strollers will be $15/day for a single and $30/day for a double, whereas a wheelchair will be $12/day, and ECVs will be $50/day.
Once past the locker and stroller rentals, guests can head to the right side of the plaza, down a heavily foliated pathway, where even before they enter the park they can experience their first animal. The first exhibit features a breeding pair of North-Sulawesi babirusa (Babyrousa celebensis). These two animals come from different accredited facilities, male Besar (meaning large) comes from San Diego Zoo while female Ratu (meaning queen) comes from Louisville Zoo. The two live in a densely-vegetated exhibit that is roughly 1/2 an acre. Because of the size and foliage, the animals are not always visible, but when given the chance to view the animals, guests will have an experience they'll never forget.
Nearby the babirusa exhibit is the first shop in the park, known as Mercahant's Wares. This shop sells a large collection of animal plushes, as well as books, apparel, and pins, as well as generic Disney souvenirs found across the many parks across the world. While not the most highly-themed shop, it is the one that will be most appealing to those looking for their every-day Mickey doll or Disney tee.
Guests then exit the gift shop and come to a set of turnstiles. These turnstiles are there to prevent guests from entering the park through the gift shop without paying. With that, you enter a small courtyard featuring two more exhibits. The first is a massive forest complex making up close to 3/4 of an acre, hosting a decently-sized pond where waterfowl including Fulvous whistling-duck (Dendrocygna bicolor), black-bellied whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis), marbled duck (Marmaronetta angustirostris), and Argentine ruddy duck (Oxyura vittata). In order to control breeding, all of the waterfowl on exhibit are males, depicting the bright colors of male ducks, while not dealing with constant egg collecting.
However, also in the exhibit are the main attraction, a breeding pair of saddle-billed storks (Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis), male Bud and female Betty. The two live in the densely-forested exhibit, rarely appearing for guests who just rush by, but for the guests who decide to stick around and watch the exhibits, the two show off their striking colors, and every so often will even take a shot at catching fish that the keepers stock in their pond.
Directly across the way from the saddle-billed stork is a rocky outcrop exhibit that plays host to a single Cayman blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi), an endangered lizard species from the Cayman Islands. This lone male, named Tucker, is a former breeder at the Brevard Zoo in Florida who has been retired as he is too closely related to all of the new breeding stock, meaning that Tucker got around! He now lives comfortably in his retirement home at Disney's Wild Kingdom.
These few exhibits are technically still a part of Ranger's Outpost, the entry-land of the park, as their exhibits lead into the Gardens of Life, a winding walking trail featuring even more animal exhibits. Stay tuned for that!
Before we end the tour of Ranger's Outpost, however, you can get a look at the Babirusa barn, an indoor enclosure including a holding yard where the animals can go in the colder days and when rearing young. This is a structure not ever seen by the public, but is still an essential part of the facility.
I sincerely hope you guys enjoyed the first update. Unfortunately, my save file got corrupted, so I was not able to build all of the gardens proper, so I broke it down into two sub-sections. I will be delving into the gardens coming up, and hopefully will record the exhibits in better quality and detail. Luckily, I texted these short videos to my friends as we all share a love of Zoos and Zoo Tycoon 2, and I was quite proud of the foliage. Filmed on my phone and all, but at least I salvaged something. Next time it'll be a lot clearer (knock on wood.)
Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one!
Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll see you in the next one!
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Outbound
Well-Known Member
Wow! I love that you've built all this in Zoo Tycoon so that we can follow along with what you're describing. If I had one suggestion, maybe add reference photos to the animals, just because I found myself looking up what a babirusa was lol. Overall though this is a great start! I'm looking forward to seeing the rest.
Added! Sometimes I forget these animals are obscure
So now that 1986 is done, I've assimilated into my new job, school is under control, and I'm overall in a much better headspace, I decided to jump back in and finish Disney's Wild Kingdom.
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to finish the Zoo Tycoon 2 build of this next section, so that'll have to hold off, but I figured I'd dive into it regardless and just use pictures until I can finish the section. Anyway, without further ado, let's jump into the Gardens of Life!
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Gardens of Life
The Gardens of Life follows directly after the Ranger's Outpost, with the exhibits from the former blending almost seamlessly into the new jungle setting. The gardens are very reminiscent of the Oasis at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but with a grander scale and far more pathways to get lost along.
The Gardens of Life take inspiration from the Garden of Eden, much like Genesis Gardens at Animal Kingdom would have, in that it features tons of species from all across the globe in one singular setting in a lush paradise. There is, however, no religious context beyond the basic idea of the concept. Instead, everything is kept entirely objective, featuring outlets full of education about the natural world around us.
As you weave past the exhibits for the iguana and the saddle-billed storks, you come into an overlook, leading almost downhill into a valley filled with tons of exhibits. This overlook is fenced off and often has a PhotoPass photographer there to take a picture as you overlook the beautiful scenery. You can see waterfalls featured in many of the exhibits as well as tons of tropical foliage that spreads throughout the area, tangling through itself, blocking off any view of the paths that you have. It looks like you are overlooking a real-life jungle!
You are given the option to go left or right down into the valley, but whichever way you take, you'll end up below the overlook at the mouth of the gardens. At the mouth of the gardens is a large map of the area, showcasing the pathways to take to see each animal, or the pathways to take to cut through the gardens as quickly as possible. The duration of the trail features a remarkable 22 unique exhibits featuring animals from six different continents.
Once entering the mouth of the gardens, guests are given the opportunity to go to their left or to their right. For purposes of being able to include reference images, I'll be splitting the gardens into two posts. In this post, we'll take the left-branching path which covers nine different exhibits.
Almost immediately once turning down the left-hand path, guests come across two exhibits across the path from each other. One abuts the courtyard featuring the map while the other sits closer to the middle of the gardens. The exhibit that abuts the courtyard features the rarely-kept animal the Tasmanian Pademelon (Thylogale billardierii), a macropod species related to kangaroos, wallabies, and quokka. However, these are the smallest of the macropod family, males weighing in at around 15lbs and females at 8lbs.
As their name implies, the Tasmanian pademelon is found on the island of Tasmania where they are considered least concerned to extinction. This large exhibit features two individual pademelons as the species is solitary in the wild. These two are sisters Willow and Ruby, born at the Taronga Zoo in Australia and imported to Disney's Wild Kingdom to be a part of the exhibit. The species lives around 10 years in captivity, so we are looking forward to a long time with our two sisters.
Directly across from the pademelon exhibit is a habitat featuring a small waterfall into a pool hidden amongst a large bit of tropical foliage. Found within this exhibit is a single individual of a rare feline species: the critically endangered Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas). While this species is incredibly endangered in the wild, the male featured at Disney's Wild Kingdom, named Melestarikan (meaning Conserve in Indonesian), is a part of a worldwide breeding program for the animals. However, where the animals are so uncommon in captivity, breeding two in person is far more difficult than with other more populous animals, and thus, Melestarikan is among the very few captive cats that participate in artificial insemination, where he can then breed with females from all over the world without any of the animals having to move. He lives quite happily within his home here and serves as the only large carnivore found in the Gardens of Life. Melestarikan is also among the rarer of his subspecies as he is a melanistic leopard, meaning that most of his body has increased levels of melanin, giving him a darker coloration, almost black.
Once past these two exhibits, guests come to another fork in the road, where they can go either to the north closer to the exit, or continue along the outside of the pathway and make their way along the other exhibits. Continuing down, we get to the next encloures which is another forested habitat that houses a small group of sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) an antelope found in Africa. This exhibit houses four individuals, housing one male and three females. The male, named Sabra and his harem of females named Adah, Adana, and Asha. These antelope actually rotate their exhibits with their next-door neighbors, meaning any particular day you may see the next residents in this habitat and the sitatunga in the next. This habitat has swampy water throughout it so that the sitatunga may submerge in the water as they are known to do, allowing them to soak, though they may appear difficult to find.
The next habitat (and the alternate habitat for the sitatunga) right now house drill monkeys (Mandrillus leucophaeus). Another African native, these monkeys are related to the more popular mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) but are considerably more endangered in the wild than their cousins. This habitat houses one male and four females, male Mamadou and females Adhylia, Ninah, Merline, and Aliza. These monkeys alternate habitats with the sitatunga as the two share an (albeit separated) off-stage barn, allowing the animals to move about the two exhibits as keepers want them to. This provides a unique habitat to explore each day as the two animal species manipulate their environments. The drills are the second species in the Gardens of Life that is a part of a conservation breeding program, and although the troop has yet to breed, keepers hope that as they settle into their new habitat, they'll successfully produce offspring.
Directly across the pathway from the drill is a smaller exhibit that is home to an almost fully aquatic exhibit. Featuring a bank towards the back and a little bit of foliage, the main part of this exhibit is the water feature where you may find a large group of critically endangered Cuban crocodiles (Crocodylus rhombifer). Found native to the island of Cuba, this species is among the rarest species of crocodilian throughout the world, but this crew of males doesn't partake in the breeding programs for their species. The reason is that they were all illegal pets that were smuggled out of Cuba. Due to their unknown genetics, rather than breeding, they get to live in a bachelor group here at Disney's Wild Kingdom.
From the crocodiles, guests then have the option to follow a narrow path that passes over a bridge that sits between two large waterfalls. This path lies behind another exhibit, but we'll backtrack to hit that one. The Exhibit behind the waterfalls is one that houses two very birds. It is an aviary that houses a breeding pair of Philippine Eagles (Pithecophaga jefferyi). This species is not housed anywhere else outside of Southeast Asia, but as a part of a potential expansion of the breeding program of this critically endangered raptor. The two birds, Nico and Alyiah, both live within this large flight aviary hidden deep within the gardens of life, protected from a majority of the sounds of people as they are tucked away so secretively. However, for those guests who do pass by the waterfalls, they are in for a very unique treat.
Backtracking past the waterfalls and back to the exhibit in front of them, this exhibit houses a group of medium-sized canids that appear to look like domestic dogs. However, these species are actually closer in relation to the Australian dingo (Canis dingo), a species known as the New Guinea Singing Dog. This is a pack of four individuals, all females, named after the Golden Girls, Blanche, Sophia, Rose, and Dorothy were all illegal pets that were sold as "wolf-dog hybrids" as pets. While some places consider the New Guinea Singing Dog a domestic dog breed, they are still more akin to a feral or wild species and require very special care. This group of four dogs now serve as an example of dangerous animals and the importance of researching animals long before you decide on getting one as a pet.
Heading farther down the path towards the main path into the center of the park. This exhibit is marked with a very large waterfall that leads into a pond. This habitat is home to a unique species of stork known as the black stork (Ciconia nigra) that live alongside another group of waterfowl including a pair of long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis), a small group of northern pintail (Anas acuta), and a pair of Eurasian white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons). This exhibit is along the main pathway and can be seen even for guests just cutting through the area.
Backtracking to the final exhibit on the walkway behind the leopards, the final exhibit is a smaller exhibit that is entirely enclosed. It is also sunk down below the walkway so guests are looking at the treetops. Inside, guests can find a unique outdoor exhibit for an annulated tree boa (Corallus annulatus), a medium-sized boa found in Central and South America. This exhibit was actually supposed to house a troop of some species of marmoset, but those animals would be moved to another exhibit and this exhibit was repurposed for the boa. While this boa isn't very large, it allows him an ample amount of space to move around, making it so guests have to look very hard to find him. Because of this, it is very rewarding when guests do see him and his beautiful coloration.
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And that's where I'll leave it off (with exactly 10 pictures, haha). I hope you guys enjoyed the first half of the Gardens of Life, and I can't wait to finish up the second half!
Unfortunately, I haven't been able to finish the Zoo Tycoon 2 build of this next section, so that'll have to hold off, but I figured I'd dive into it regardless and just use pictures until I can finish the section. Anyway, without further ado, let's jump into the Gardens of Life!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gardens of Life
The Gardens of Life follows directly after the Ranger's Outpost, with the exhibits from the former blending almost seamlessly into the new jungle setting. The gardens are very reminiscent of the Oasis at Disney's Animal Kingdom, but with a grander scale and far more pathways to get lost along.
The Gardens of Life take inspiration from the Garden of Eden, much like Genesis Gardens at Animal Kingdom would have, in that it features tons of species from all across the globe in one singular setting in a lush paradise. There is, however, no religious context beyond the basic idea of the concept. Instead, everything is kept entirely objective, featuring outlets full of education about the natural world around us.
As you weave past the exhibits for the iguana and the saddle-billed storks, you come into an overlook, leading almost downhill into a valley filled with tons of exhibits. This overlook is fenced off and often has a PhotoPass photographer there to take a picture as you overlook the beautiful scenery. You can see waterfalls featured in many of the exhibits as well as tons of tropical foliage that spreads throughout the area, tangling through itself, blocking off any view of the paths that you have. It looks like you are overlooking a real-life jungle!
You are given the option to go left or right down into the valley, but whichever way you take, you'll end up below the overlook at the mouth of the gardens. At the mouth of the gardens is a large map of the area, showcasing the pathways to take to see each animal, or the pathways to take to cut through the gardens as quickly as possible. The duration of the trail features a remarkable 22 unique exhibits featuring animals from six different continents.
Once entering the mouth of the gardens, guests are given the opportunity to go to their left or to their right. For purposes of being able to include reference images, I'll be splitting the gardens into two posts. In this post, we'll take the left-branching path which covers nine different exhibits.
Almost immediately once turning down the left-hand path, guests come across two exhibits across the path from each other. One abuts the courtyard featuring the map while the other sits closer to the middle of the gardens. The exhibit that abuts the courtyard features the rarely-kept animal the Tasmanian Pademelon (Thylogale billardierii), a macropod species related to kangaroos, wallabies, and quokka. However, these are the smallest of the macropod family, males weighing in at around 15lbs and females at 8lbs.
As their name implies, the Tasmanian pademelon is found on the island of Tasmania where they are considered least concerned to extinction. This large exhibit features two individual pademelons as the species is solitary in the wild. These two are sisters Willow and Ruby, born at the Taronga Zoo in Australia and imported to Disney's Wild Kingdom to be a part of the exhibit. The species lives around 10 years in captivity, so we are looking forward to a long time with our two sisters.
Directly across from the pademelon exhibit is a habitat featuring a small waterfall into a pool hidden amongst a large bit of tropical foliage. Found within this exhibit is a single individual of a rare feline species: the critically endangered Javan leopard (Panthera pardus melas). While this species is incredibly endangered in the wild, the male featured at Disney's Wild Kingdom, named Melestarikan (meaning Conserve in Indonesian), is a part of a worldwide breeding program for the animals. However, where the animals are so uncommon in captivity, breeding two in person is far more difficult than with other more populous animals, and thus, Melestarikan is among the very few captive cats that participate in artificial insemination, where he can then breed with females from all over the world without any of the animals having to move. He lives quite happily within his home here and serves as the only large carnivore found in the Gardens of Life. Melestarikan is also among the rarer of his subspecies as he is a melanistic leopard, meaning that most of his body has increased levels of melanin, giving him a darker coloration, almost black.
Once past these two exhibits, guests come to another fork in the road, where they can go either to the north closer to the exit, or continue along the outside of the pathway and make their way along the other exhibits. Continuing down, we get to the next encloures which is another forested habitat that houses a small group of sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) an antelope found in Africa. This exhibit houses four individuals, housing one male and three females. The male, named Sabra and his harem of females named Adah, Adana, and Asha. These antelope actually rotate their exhibits with their next-door neighbors, meaning any particular day you may see the next residents in this habitat and the sitatunga in the next. This habitat has swampy water throughout it so that the sitatunga may submerge in the water as they are known to do, allowing them to soak, though they may appear difficult to find.
The next habitat (and the alternate habitat for the sitatunga) right now house drill monkeys (Mandrillus leucophaeus). Another African native, these monkeys are related to the more popular mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx) but are considerably more endangered in the wild than their cousins. This habitat houses one male and four females, male Mamadou and females Adhylia, Ninah, Merline, and Aliza. These monkeys alternate habitats with the sitatunga as the two share an (albeit separated) off-stage barn, allowing the animals to move about the two exhibits as keepers want them to. This provides a unique habitat to explore each day as the two animal species manipulate their environments. The drills are the second species in the Gardens of Life that is a part of a conservation breeding program, and although the troop has yet to breed, keepers hope that as they settle into their new habitat, they'll successfully produce offspring.
Directly across the pathway from the drill is a smaller exhibit that is home to an almost fully aquatic exhibit. Featuring a bank towards the back and a little bit of foliage, the main part of this exhibit is the water feature where you may find a large group of critically endangered Cuban crocodiles (Crocodylus rhombifer). Found native to the island of Cuba, this species is among the rarest species of crocodilian throughout the world, but this crew of males doesn't partake in the breeding programs for their species. The reason is that they were all illegal pets that were smuggled out of Cuba. Due to their unknown genetics, rather than breeding, they get to live in a bachelor group here at Disney's Wild Kingdom.
From the crocodiles, guests then have the option to follow a narrow path that passes over a bridge that sits between two large waterfalls. This path lies behind another exhibit, but we'll backtrack to hit that one. The Exhibit behind the waterfalls is one that houses two very birds. It is an aviary that houses a breeding pair of Philippine Eagles (Pithecophaga jefferyi). This species is not housed anywhere else outside of Southeast Asia, but as a part of a potential expansion of the breeding program of this critically endangered raptor. The two birds, Nico and Alyiah, both live within this large flight aviary hidden deep within the gardens of life, protected from a majority of the sounds of people as they are tucked away so secretively. However, for those guests who do pass by the waterfalls, they are in for a very unique treat.
Backtracking past the waterfalls and back to the exhibit in front of them, this exhibit houses a group of medium-sized canids that appear to look like domestic dogs. However, these species are actually closer in relation to the Australian dingo (Canis dingo), a species known as the New Guinea Singing Dog. This is a pack of four individuals, all females, named after the Golden Girls, Blanche, Sophia, Rose, and Dorothy were all illegal pets that were sold as "wolf-dog hybrids" as pets. While some places consider the New Guinea Singing Dog a domestic dog breed, they are still more akin to a feral or wild species and require very special care. This group of four dogs now serve as an example of dangerous animals and the importance of researching animals long before you decide on getting one as a pet.
Heading farther down the path towards the main path into the center of the park. This exhibit is marked with a very large waterfall that leads into a pond. This habitat is home to a unique species of stork known as the black stork (Ciconia nigra) that live alongside another group of waterfowl including a pair of long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis), a small group of northern pintail (Anas acuta), and a pair of Eurasian white-fronted geese (Anser albifrons). This exhibit is along the main pathway and can be seen even for guests just cutting through the area.
Backtracking to the final exhibit on the walkway behind the leopards, the final exhibit is a smaller exhibit that is entirely enclosed. It is also sunk down below the walkway so guests are looking at the treetops. Inside, guests can find a unique outdoor exhibit for an annulated tree boa (Corallus annulatus), a medium-sized boa found in Central and South America. This exhibit was actually supposed to house a troop of some species of marmoset, but those animals would be moved to another exhibit and this exhibit was repurposed for the boa. While this boa isn't very large, it allows him an ample amount of space to move around, making it so guests have to look very hard to find him. Because of this, it is very rewarding when guests do see him and his beautiful coloration.
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And that's where I'll leave it off (with exactly 10 pictures, haha). I hope you guys enjoyed the first half of the Gardens of Life, and I can't wait to finish up the second half!
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Continuing on to the second part of the Gardens of Life, guests head back to the Pademelon enclosure and then cut across to the other side of the garden. As they pass by, they get a glimpse into the largest habitat in the gardens, a large semi-forested yard that houses water buffalo (Bubalus bubalus) and axis deer (Axis axis). These two species are prominently found throughout Southeastern Asia and India and are staples of the region. Water buffalo are a domestic species used for farming, but this group of four females don't have to do anything but lay around and look pretty. The four female buffalo are named Betty, Bubbles, Bailey, and Bianca, are often found lazing around either in the grassy foothills or submerged partially under the water. They live alongside a small group of axis deer (referred to in signs as chital), comprised of a single male and four females. These deer don't have publically available names, but guests have dubbed the spotted antlered male "Bambi," despite the fact that this species retains their spots throughout life, unlike the white-tailed deer Bambi is based on. The species live in relative harmony and can often be seen laying together in a large group.
Continuing across the way, guests come to the next enclosure, another tropical yard that plays home to a small group of Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra). This habitat is home to a group of five tortoises, two males and three females, the males named Jackson and Martin with females Zoey, Zara, and Zuri. The five tortoises are on the smaller size, only being around twenty or so years, but this species can live up to over 150 years, meaning that long after all of our other animal friends are gone, our own great grandchildren will be looking at these same individual animals.
Across the path from the tortoises is a large exhibit where a stream cuts through the center. In this exhibit lives a family of spotted-necked otters (Hydrictis maculicollis), an otter species that hails from central Africa. This threatened species is rare in zoos compared to some of their relatives, and because of this, they are part of their species' breeding program. Our exhibit houses three generations of one family of the otters, comprising of parents, male Nooc (meaning Kind) and female Macaan (meaning Sweet), last year's offspring Kalluunka (Fish), Biyo (Water), and Webiga (River), and their five unnamed pups from this year's litter. Kalluunka, Biyo, and Webiga will leave the facility to be a part of the breeding program in the next year, but at all times, the family unit within this exhibit contains around three to four generations of the family.
The next exhibit is farther down the pathway right before a fork in the path, guests can see an enclosure that features a large dirt area with plenty of tunnels weaving throughout it. In the center of the habitat is a den that is where you can often find a trio of brother African crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata). These animals are the largest porcupine species in the world and the third-largest rodent, behind only the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and American beaver (Castor canadensis). These three brothers were rescued from a roadside zoo that was forcibly closed down and now make their home in the Gardens of Life at Disney's Wild Kingdom.
There is then a fork in the road, but confusingly, only one of the paths heads to another habitat, the other backtracks to the other side of the otter habitat and back to the main pathway. The other path wraps around the outskirts of the gardens, passing by a selection of unique habitats. Following this pathway, guests come across another heavily foliated habitat that features a single solitary aardwolf (Proteles cristata). A relative of hyenas, the aardwolf feeds entirely on insects like termites and ants. This habitat actually houses two individuals, a male named Alex and a female named Darcy, but only one rotates on exhibit at a time. The other gets an off-exhibit yard to themself until they switch off throughout the day. The only time the two are together is during the breeding season, but as of yet, the two have not successfully bred.
Across the way from the aardwolves is a heavily foliated exhibit that, like the tree boa enclosure, is sunk below the path so guests are looking at the top of the trees. Here, eagle-eyed guests may spot the sleepy Matschie's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei) who are often found curled up in a tree branch resting. This exhibit is home to a breeding pair named Kate and Dundie, two of who came together through breeding recommendations and have become staples of the trail. In fact, many guests who visit the Gardens of Life make their way directly for the tree kangaroos, with lots of merchandise found throughout the park for the beloved pair. While not the rarest animal in zoos, the tree kangaroos are adorable and endangered, as well as unique, making them quite popular with zoo guests.
After the tree kangaroos, guests can choose to take a path out along the outskirts towards a roaring waterfall or continue along the same path. For this exercise, we follow the outside path, making our way to another exhibit, one featuring a very large water feature for the animals to swim in. The animal in question is a lesser-known ungulate with a very famous cousin; the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis). This exhibit hosts a female pygmy hippo named Ruby as well as her calf, male Mbuti. The exhibit used to house a male, but after breeding with Ruby, he was sent away to continue breeding at other facilities, as the species is solitary. Ruby and her calf are often seen playing in the water or trotting along the banks of the river.
On the other side of the pond from the hippo is an aviary that has a large water feature that houses a small flock of roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajajaja). The aviary features around seven different individual birds who call the aviary home, often seen either wading in the water or perched on the branches above. They used to share the aviary with scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) but the species has since been phased out of the collection in favor of rarer and more endangered ibis species.
From the ibis, we backtrack to the path where the tree kangaroos are, we get a glimpse at a smaller aviary that houses a species rarely seen in captivity. This species is a gamebird from Southeast Asia known as the maleo (Macrocephalon maleo). The exhibit features a breeding pair of maleo, a species that mates for life, yet, are terrible parents. This bird buries its eggs in the sand and leaves, never to see its chick again. The chicks then survive, much like a reptile, without any parental rearing. This breeding pair, named Fred and Wilma have successfully reproduced nearly seven offspring, which is amazing considering each brood only consists of one egg.
Backtracking once again up to the spoonbill enclosure, guests then follow the path around to find an exhibit for an incredibly rare, almost impossible to keep in captivity, giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus). Because of their rarity and lack of tolerance for captive living, Disney's Wild Kingdom only has a single individual who has not been named. He is mainly on study loan, but is available for guest viewing only two hours out of the day when he roams his main yard. The rest of the day, the exhibit is home to a pair of servals (Leptailurus serval), two individuals that are a part of the facility's education program and serve as ambassadors of their species. However, the exhibit is marked as the giant armadillo exhibit nonetheless in the hopes that the species will become a permanent fixture within the gardens of life and will allow more research to be done on the species.
Moving on from the armadillos, guests come across a smaller exhibit that is home to a single female Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator). The monitor is named "Kipling," both after Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling, as well as the Asian water monitor featured in the Disney Channel show "Jessie." The exhibit features a water feature that the lizard can submerge in, though she mainly spends her time basking on her heated rock. She was a pet at one point that was given to Disney's Wild Kingdom after the owners realized how massive the lizard got.
Moving on from the lizard exhibit, there is another exhibit, sunk like the tree kangaroo exhibit, where guests get an up-close look at the top of the trees of the habitat. Here, a troop of Schmidt's Guenons (Cercopithecus ascanius), made up of one male and seven females and their offspring, bound around with endless energy. This exhibit is one of the most entertaining to watch, featuring a very hyperactive group that bounds and bounces throughout the treetops. The offspring of the group leave the family at three years old once they hit maturity, but the eight adults are part of the male's harem and live there permanently.
Once past the guenons, the guests make their way to the final exhibit, the last piece right before entering Earth Center, the hub of the park, is an aviary that contains a large family group of pied tamarins (Saguinus bicolor). Much like the guenons, this group of tamarins contains a big family group, made up of twelve individuals. However, unlike the guenons where offspring leaves the facility, tamarins have an interesting behavior where females are able to block off the hormones of their offspring to prevent inbreeding. Because of this, the family is allowed to stay in a large group together.
Continuing across the way, guests come to the next enclosure, another tropical yard that plays home to a small group of Galapagos giant tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra). This habitat is home to a group of five tortoises, two males and three females, the males named Jackson and Martin with females Zoey, Zara, and Zuri. The five tortoises are on the smaller size, only being around twenty or so years, but this species can live up to over 150 years, meaning that long after all of our other animal friends are gone, our own great grandchildren will be looking at these same individual animals.
Across the path from the tortoises is a large exhibit where a stream cuts through the center. In this exhibit lives a family of spotted-necked otters (Hydrictis maculicollis), an otter species that hails from central Africa. This threatened species is rare in zoos compared to some of their relatives, and because of this, they are part of their species' breeding program. Our exhibit houses three generations of one family of the otters, comprising of parents, male Nooc (meaning Kind) and female Macaan (meaning Sweet), last year's offspring Kalluunka (Fish), Biyo (Water), and Webiga (River), and their five unnamed pups from this year's litter. Kalluunka, Biyo, and Webiga will leave the facility to be a part of the breeding program in the next year, but at all times, the family unit within this exhibit contains around three to four generations of the family.
The next exhibit is farther down the pathway right before a fork in the path, guests can see an enclosure that features a large dirt area with plenty of tunnels weaving throughout it. In the center of the habitat is a den that is where you can often find a trio of brother African crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata). These animals are the largest porcupine species in the world and the third-largest rodent, behind only the capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) and American beaver (Castor canadensis). These three brothers were rescued from a roadside zoo that was forcibly closed down and now make their home in the Gardens of Life at Disney's Wild Kingdom.
There is then a fork in the road, but confusingly, only one of the paths heads to another habitat, the other backtracks to the other side of the otter habitat and back to the main pathway. The other path wraps around the outskirts of the gardens, passing by a selection of unique habitats. Following this pathway, guests come across another heavily foliated habitat that features a single solitary aardwolf (Proteles cristata). A relative of hyenas, the aardwolf feeds entirely on insects like termites and ants. This habitat actually houses two individuals, a male named Alex and a female named Darcy, but only one rotates on exhibit at a time. The other gets an off-exhibit yard to themself until they switch off throughout the day. The only time the two are together is during the breeding season, but as of yet, the two have not successfully bred.
Across the way from the aardwolves is a heavily foliated exhibit that, like the tree boa enclosure, is sunk below the path so guests are looking at the top of the trees. Here, eagle-eyed guests may spot the sleepy Matschie's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei) who are often found curled up in a tree branch resting. This exhibit is home to a breeding pair named Kate and Dundie, two of who came together through breeding recommendations and have become staples of the trail. In fact, many guests who visit the Gardens of Life make their way directly for the tree kangaroos, with lots of merchandise found throughout the park for the beloved pair. While not the rarest animal in zoos, the tree kangaroos are adorable and endangered, as well as unique, making them quite popular with zoo guests.
After the tree kangaroos, guests can choose to take a path out along the outskirts towards a roaring waterfall or continue along the same path. For this exercise, we follow the outside path, making our way to another exhibit, one featuring a very large water feature for the animals to swim in. The animal in question is a lesser-known ungulate with a very famous cousin; the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis). This exhibit hosts a female pygmy hippo named Ruby as well as her calf, male Mbuti. The exhibit used to house a male, but after breeding with Ruby, he was sent away to continue breeding at other facilities, as the species is solitary. Ruby and her calf are often seen playing in the water or trotting along the banks of the river.
On the other side of the pond from the hippo is an aviary that has a large water feature that houses a small flock of roseate spoonbill (Platalea ajajaja). The aviary features around seven different individual birds who call the aviary home, often seen either wading in the water or perched on the branches above. They used to share the aviary with scarlet ibis (Eudocimus ruber) but the species has since been phased out of the collection in favor of rarer and more endangered ibis species.
From the ibis, we backtrack to the path where the tree kangaroos are, we get a glimpse at a smaller aviary that houses a species rarely seen in captivity. This species is a gamebird from Southeast Asia known as the maleo (Macrocephalon maleo). The exhibit features a breeding pair of maleo, a species that mates for life, yet, are terrible parents. This bird buries its eggs in the sand and leaves, never to see its chick again. The chicks then survive, much like a reptile, without any parental rearing. This breeding pair, named Fred and Wilma have successfully reproduced nearly seven offspring, which is amazing considering each brood only consists of one egg.
Backtracking once again up to the spoonbill enclosure, guests then follow the path around to find an exhibit for an incredibly rare, almost impossible to keep in captivity, giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus). Because of their rarity and lack of tolerance for captive living, Disney's Wild Kingdom only has a single individual who has not been named. He is mainly on study loan, but is available for guest viewing only two hours out of the day when he roams his main yard. The rest of the day, the exhibit is home to a pair of servals (Leptailurus serval), two individuals that are a part of the facility's education program and serve as ambassadors of their species. However, the exhibit is marked as the giant armadillo exhibit nonetheless in the hopes that the species will become a permanent fixture within the gardens of life and will allow more research to be done on the species.
Moving on from the armadillos, guests come across a smaller exhibit that is home to a single female Asian water monitor (Varanus salvator). The monitor is named "Kipling," both after Jungle Book author Rudyard Kipling, as well as the Asian water monitor featured in the Disney Channel show "Jessie." The exhibit features a water feature that the lizard can submerge in, though she mainly spends her time basking on her heated rock. She was a pet at one point that was given to Disney's Wild Kingdom after the owners realized how massive the lizard got.
Moving on from the lizard exhibit, there is another exhibit, sunk like the tree kangaroo exhibit, where guests get an up-close look at the top of the trees of the habitat. Here, a troop of Schmidt's Guenons (Cercopithecus ascanius), made up of one male and seven females and their offspring, bound around with endless energy. This exhibit is one of the most entertaining to watch, featuring a very hyperactive group that bounds and bounces throughout the treetops. The offspring of the group leave the family at three years old once they hit maturity, but the eight adults are part of the male's harem and live there permanently.
Once past the guenons, the guests make their way to the final exhibit, the last piece right before entering Earth Center, the hub of the park, is an aviary that contains a large family group of pied tamarins (Saguinus bicolor). Much like the guenons, this group of tamarins contains a big family group, made up of twelve individuals. However, unlike the guenons where offspring leaves the facility, tamarins have an interesting behavior where females are able to block off the hormones of their offspring to prevent inbreeding. Because of this, the family is allowed to stay in a large group together.
So there we have it. It's all animal exhibits as of now because of the gardens, but moving on it will have a more theme park aspect to it. I hope y'all enjoyed the Gardens of Life and next time we'll be moving on to Earth Center!
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Disney Dad 3000
Well-Known Member
Oasis on steroids! Nice!