(If True) Good News for AK Fans/Animal Lovers in General

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Dale85

New Member
I was just at AK and heard that new tigers may be coming by next year. In the meantime, there is only one Meerkat left on the Pangani Trail (the last of the original group that opened the park). A new group is already in quarantine and could be out in the next few weeks. Once they are use to their new home (hopefully in a month or two) there's talk about finally adding some animals to the unused area behind the meerkats. (maybe zebra or some antelope).
 
LAKid53

LAKid53

Official Member of the Girly Girl Fan Club
Premium Member
fillerup said:
Ride the Safari somewhat close to closing and you're likely to see the cheetahs a little more active.
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Thanks for the suggestion. We've always been told to go in the AM. If Disney implements the evening KS, that would be the perfect time to see large nocturnal predators.
 
fillerup

fillerup

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Dale85 said:
I was just at AK and heard that new tigers may be coming by next year. In the meantime, there is only one Meerkat left on the Pangani Trail (the last of the original group that opened the park). A new group is already in quarantine and could be out in the next few weeks. Once they are use to their new home (hopefully in a month or two) there's talk about finally adding some animals to the unused area behind the meerkats. (maybe zebra or some antelope).
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I hope what you heard is true.
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
Dale85 said:
I was just at AK and heard that new tigers may be coming by next year. In the meantime, there is only one Meerkat left on the Pangani Trail (the last of the original group that opened the park). A new group is already in quarantine and could be out in the next few weeks. Once they are use to their new home (hopefully in a month or two) there's talk about finally adding some animals to the unused area behind the meerkats. (maybe zebra or some antelope).
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There was a rumor a while back about Grevy's Zebra's going back there.
 
Magenta Panther

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
fillerup said:
This info belongs mostly in the rumor category but I'm posting it because I'm giving it some credibility as I'll explain.

First - what I know to be true. There's a big ugly dude back in the Komodo dragon habitat but he's on loan from somewhere in Miami so he's a short timer. Disney has, however, acquired three more and once they've cleared quarantine, an adult female will be going in. The other two are juveniles and of a size that they could conceivably climb a tree and escape and then take up residence at Blizzard Beach or on 192 somewhere so they will go into a habitat at Rafiki's for some period of time. Presumably they won't be part of the petting zoo.

This following is strictly rumor from a CM but I'm willing to give some props to her credibility because while she's newish somewhat, she had gone well above and beyond learning as much as she could about the animals of Asia, their habitats, and what their treatment and routines are at Disney. Also, she made it very clear during our long conversation when she was saying something she knew to be fact and when it was just something she had heard.

As most people know, two of the original six tigers have died in the last couple of years and the remaining four are 16 years old and older so their time remaining probably won't be more than four to six years. They were all mixed breeds rescued from a Texas ranch and were going to be put down until WDW got permission from the AZA to take them in with the provision that they never be bred.

AK is in the process of acquiring three new tigers - two males and one female - who are purebreds. The CM had heard that they are Bengals but she didn't know for sure. She had also been told the female is on property but again not sure. Once they finish a several months get acquainted period, these newcomers will take over one of the habitats, never to mingle with the existing cats.

And if she's correct, AK aims to begin a robust breeding program, so in a year or two, we might be treated to seeing tiger cubs on the Trek. Also, we might be treated to a lively brand new tiger "behavior" that we haven't heretofore seen.

Take it all for what it is at this point, a rumor. But my fingers are crossed.
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Oh, yay. AK is breeding tigers. Just like other zoos. Whoopee!

Where I live, we have one of the most celebrated zoos on the planet. If I wanted to see tigers, lions and bears (oh my!) I could just stay home and see them for free. And for the record, I don't spend thousands of dollars to visit WDW to see things I can see at home. In conclusion, I am unimpressed with this rumor, and will continue to ignore AK in the future.
 
JimboJones123

JimboJones123

Well-Known Member
Magenta Panther said:
Oh, yay. AK is breeding tigers. Just like other zoos. Whoopee!

Where I live, we have one of the most celebrated zoos on the planet. If I wanted to see tigers, lions and bears (oh my!) I could just stay home and see them for free. And for the record, I don't spend thousands of dollars to visit WDW to see things I can see at home. In conclusion, I am unimpressed with this rumor, and will continue to ignore AK in the future.
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I agree 100%.

I would be perfectly happy to see the Tigers quietly die off and no longer be a part of AK.

This is yet another animal that simply is not getting quality space at most zoos as it is.

Let the lions go as well. It is Shamu all over again.

Some animals simply don't need to be on display in such entrapped conditions.

Don't get me wrong. I love the Savanna part of the Safari, but could easily do without the rest.

Here to your right is a small patch were we let a few Okapi hang out. To your left, 25 crocodiles in a pool smaller than the one in my backyard. Did I mention that I only make a CM's income? My backyard pool isn't big.
 
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
disneypearl said:
I would love to see Snow Leopards in AK someday.
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Love those! One of the zoos I visit regularly has them though, so I'm good. :)


Yaks and snow leopards near Everest are awesome, but all that thick fur is made for the bitter cold of the Himalayan highlands. Florida is the hot, humid subtropics. I like Disney to bear that in mind (as DAK does!). DAK should not be Sea World, where they display artic and antarctic animals, which have to be kept permanently indoors.
 
The Empress Lilly

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
Magenta Panther said:
Oh, yay. AK is breeding tigers. Just like other zoos. Whoopee!

Where I live, we have one of the most celebrated zoos on the planet. If I wanted to see tigers, lions and bears (oh my!) I could just stay home and see them for free. And for the record, I don't spend thousands of dollars to visit WDW to see things I can see at home. In conclusion, I am unimpressed with this rumor, and will continue to ignore AK in the future.
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Sure. But my local amusemenn park has coasters and spinners and still I visit WDW too.

DAK is, ahem, nahtazu. DAK is a different beast (ahem 2). DAK should offer a natural experience that is diferent from zoos, the way Everest differs from an ordinary coaster.
I do think DAK fails largely in that, though, sadly. Modern zoos all have beautiful, lush environments and well designed naturalistic habitats. DAK doesn't distinguish itself in this aspect as much as it should. Nor in the other ways it tries. Adding on backstories is tacky, rides mix poorly with live animals, movie IP's only detract, and the budget for DAK was set too low to deliver a park that distingished itself by designs well beyond the modest means of ordinary zoos.
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
BigThunderMatt said:
Forget Avatarland. There's only 4 zoos in the country that house giant pandas. Can you imagine the kind of draw Disney would get if they could get a few and successfully breed them?
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All 4 of them are non-profit zoos. I asked Joe Rohde about this at D23 and he pointedly said that it becomes difficult because they are a for profit facility. I would absolutely love it if they added Pandas, but there are more hurdles to cross.
 
M

Mouse_Trap

Well-Known Member
BigThunderMatt said:
Forget Avatarland. There's only 4 zoos in the country that house giant pandas. Can you imagine the kind of draw Disney would get if they could get a few and successfully breed them?
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It would be an amazing draw....just not sure I see Disney agreeing to all the hoops the chineese autocracy puts out over their loan.
 
F

fosse76

Well-Known Member
Mouse_Trap said:
It would be an amazing draw....just not sure I see Disney agreeing to all the hoops the chineese autocracy puts out over their loan.
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All costs considered, it could cost Disney upwards of $80 million for a ten year loan (China only leases Pandas, Disney would not own them). And we all know how much TDO likes to spend money on attractions.
 

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