-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Pandas @ Animal Kingdom
- Thread starter BigNorm
- Start date
OliveMcFly
Well-Known Member
I would love to see pandas at AK. I think they're really cute.
imagineersrock
New Member
there was a thread on this same subject just a few weeks ago, but i believe it was nothing more that a "wouldn't it be neat if..." kind of thing.
anyway, I'd beleive it.. think about it, AK is one of the most unique animal parks on earth.. it would be a perfect home for such a special animal, and i'm sure disney knows that.
so in that sense, I'd keep an eye out for a panada exhibit coming to AK sometime in the future.. possibly as part of the EE expansion...?
anyway, I'd beleive it.. think about it, AK is one of the most unique animal parks on earth.. it would be a perfect home for such a special animal, and i'm sure disney knows that.
so in that sense, I'd keep an eye out for a panada exhibit coming to AK sometime in the future.. possibly as part of the EE expansion...?
xfkirsten
New Member
I think it would be wonderful if DAK got a panda facility nice enough to facilitate breeding. They would fit in well with the theme, and breeding Giant Pandas is a wonderful way to spread a conservation message. Besides which, pandas (especially babies) are a HUGE crowd draw - take it from someone who lives by a zoo that has FOUR+ HOUR WAITS to see its baby panda. 
-Kirsten
-Kirsten
Maria
New Member
Don´t quote me on this one, but I think the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City was the first to breed pandas in captivity in the world. "Tohuí" ('friend' in Nahuátl) is the name of the panda born there like 20 years ago. He has already had one or two more baby pandas, though his dad died already.
speck76
Well-Known Member
Pandas would be great.
Check this thread out.
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showpost.php?p=616821&postcount=1
Check this thread out.
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showpost.php?p=616821&postcount=1
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
Yes, Disney is in talks with the AZA to get pandas for the Expedition: EVEREST area starting fall of 2005--it takes a long time for the AZA to approve such placements, especially when the zoological facility in question would like breeding pairs. I hope they get them...they could make them visible both to guests walking around Asia and guests in line for Everest 
KevinPage
Well-Known Member
ISTCNavigator57 said:Yes, Disney is in talks with the AZA to get pandas for the Expedition: EVEREST area starting fall of 2005--it takes a long time for the AZA to approve such placements, especially when the zoological facility in question would like breeding pairs. I hope they get them...they could make them visible both to guests walking around Asia and guests in line for Everest
Worst case scenario they can make a few AA panda's and "everything will be as right as rain"
speck76
Well-Known Member
ISTCNavigator57 said:Yes, Disney is in talks with the AZA to get pandas for the Expedition: EVEREST area starting fall of 2005--it takes a long time for the AZA to approve such placements, especially when the zoological facility in question would like breeding pairs. I hope they get them...they could make them visible both to guests walking around Asia and guests in line for Everest
The good news is that even if the AZA did not approve of this, it really does not matter. They can have them reguardless of what the AZA says. Approval is more of a political move than anything else.
I really hope we one day see Pandas at DAK. I think that by adding more unique animals (i.e. not animals that are at every single zoo in the US already) will help DAK a lot.
ToTBellHop
Well-Known Member
All zoological facilities need special approval from the AZA to get breeding pairs, as they are selected in a way to best promote genetic variation among the endangered species in question. It would also look very bad if Animal Kingdom went against the AZA and lost their accreditation...I could see the animal rights people jumping on something like that...
speck76
Well-Known Member
Sure, but it is not automatic.
Since most zoos are public owned, and do not have the money riding on them like DAK does, I am sure at some point, DAK will have to do what is best for business. Let's say the AZA does not approve a certain animal or exhibit for DAK, but it makes good business sense for DAK to have such an exhibit or animal.....what is going to win out in the long run...money or pleasing the AZA?
Since most zoos are public owned, and do not have the money riding on them like DAK does, I am sure at some point, DAK will have to do what is best for business. Let's say the AZA does not approve a certain animal or exhibit for DAK, but it makes good business sense for DAK to have such an exhibit or animal.....what is going to win out in the long run...money or pleasing the AZA?
xfkirsten
New Member
speck76 said:
Unfortunately, I have to agree with you there. Disney can still make money without the AZA's seal of approval. But IMHO, if the AZA takes accreditation away from a zoo, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with their animal care. I personally would not return to DAK if that were to happen, and would be very vocal about that. Unfortunately, I know all too well how much of the public could care less if there was conditions that bad. The Miami Seaquarium is proof of that.
-Kirsten
speck76
Well-Known Member
xfkirsten said:Unfortunately, I have to agree with you there. Disney can still make money without the AZA's seal of approval. But IMHO, if the AZA takes accreditation away from a zoo, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with their animal care. I personally would not return to DAK if that were to happen, and would be very vocal about that. Unfortunately, I know all too well how much of the public could care less if there was conditions that bad. The Miami Seaquarium is proof of that.
-Kirsten
Oh, I am not talking about losing accreditation because of bad animal care....Disney could never let that happen...PR nightmare. The discussion was about getting AZA's approval for a breeding pair of Pandas. Disney has exhibits that seem to be much larger than most zoos, and from what I have read, AZA's rules for enclosure size are not very good, and out of date.
Disney may need to aquire animals without getting approval from the AZA...that is what I was talking about.
Nicole
Well-Known Member
I actually learned recently (from a Final Jeopardy question of all things) that China determines where pandas get to live. They have final approval of what zoos (or nahtazus) will get to have pandas. Of course Jeopardy could be wrong...but it makes sense. I think until the panda breeding programs outside of China take off, the only real source for pandas will be China itself. Again - consider the source - and that all my info comes from a foggy memory of what Alex Trebek said a few weeks ago
But I agree that having pandas at AK would be great.
But I agree that having pandas at AK would be great.
xfkirsten
New Member
speck76 said:Oh, I am not talking about losing accreditation because of bad animal care....Disney could never let that happen...PR nightmare. The discussion was about getting AZA's approval for a breeding pair of Pandas. Disney has exhibits that seem to be much larger than most zoos, and from what I have read, AZA's rules for enclosure size are not very good, and out of date.
Disney may need to aquire animals without getting approval from the AZA...that is what I was talking about.
Yeah, I figured that's what you meant.
I'm just saying that if the AZA didn't approve it, they probably had a very good reason, and Disney going against that would be sending the message that their actions weren't in the animals' best interests.-Kirsten
xfkirsten
New Member
NSCMC said:I actually learned recently (from a Final Jeopardy question of all things) that China determines where pandas get to live. They have final approval of what zoos (or nahtazus) will get to have pandas. Of course Jeopardy could be wrong...but it makes sense. I think until the panda breeding programs outside of China take off, the only real source for pandas will be China itself. Again - consider the source - and that all my info comes from a foggy memory of what Alex Trebek said a few weeks ago
But I agree that having pandas at AK would be great.
That wouldn't be surprising at all. Just recently, the panda born here in San Diego in 1999 was sent to China as per agreement.
The reserves there work VERY closely with zoos all over the world in their panda breeding efforts.-Kirsten
NSCMC said:I actually learned recently (from a Final Jeopardy question of all things) that China determines where pandas get to live. They have final approval of what zoos (or nahtazus) will get to have pandas. Of course Jeopardy could be wrong...but it makes sense. I think until the panda breeding programs outside of China take off, the only real source for pandas will be China itself. Again - consider the source - and that all my info comes from a foggy memory of what Alex Trebek said a few weeks ago
But I agree that having pandas at AK would be great.
I've heard this too and I believe it to be a fact...the Chinese are very protective of pandas and have control over where they are allowed to be displayed.