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Preparing the Animal Kingdom
Miles, a gangly 11-footer, will be moving to Central
Florida soon. But the youngster probably won't turn many
heads when he makes his first public appearance.
He's a giraffe, after all. And he'll be one of many
wild animals at Disney's Animal Kingdom when it opens in
the spring of 1998.
Still, Miles' recent move from the St. Louis
Zoological Park -- he's staying in North Florida until
his new home at Walt Disney World is ready -- was a big
moment for the company.
After years of planning and months of heavy
construction, Disney's Animal Kingdom, which will have
wild-animal exhibits as well as thrill rides and shows,
is quickly taking shape on a 500-acre site west of
Blizzard Beach and Disney-MGM Studios.
 Workers have reshaped the land
and planted many of the bushes, grasses and trees needed
to create an African landscape where animals will roam.
Many of the animal-holding facilities -- bedrooms or
night houses, in zoo-speak -- are under construction.
Some, including the giraffe barn, are almost finished.
And with the recent acquisition of Miles -- a 1
1/2-year-old who had to be moved from St. Louis because
his mother was about to give birth again -- the company
is ready to put the animals in Animal Kingdom.
Rick Barongi, director of Disney's animal programs,
said Miles will be joined by a girlfriend -- this will be
an arranged marriage -- in a couple of weeks. Later this
year, more giraffes will come, followed by antelope and
other animals.
"We need to bring different groups of animals at
different times so we can quarantine them properly and
make sure they're disease-free," Barongi said.
For all the challenges of building an $800 million,
high-tech theme park -- one that Disney Chairman Michael
Eisner has described as the most ambitious in company
history -- the animal arrangements look to be one of the
more daunting projects.
Disney is renting a temporary facility in North
Florida -- officials won't disclose its location, citing
security concerns -- where Miles and others will stay as
work continues on the holding facilities and the
veterinary hospital at Animal Kingdom. Eventually, many
of the animals will be transferred directly to the Animal
Kingdom facilities for quarantine and observation.
 Barongi said the bulk of the
animal acquisitions and transfers will come in the fall
of 1997. "My goal is to have all of the animals
through quarantine and acclimated by January 1998,"
he said.
The park will open with more than 1,000 birds and
mammals. There also will be iguanas, chameleons and other
reptiles, and visitors will be able to see a variety of
fish in an underwater viewing area for hippos.
Disney's Animal Kingdom will showcase some unusual
insects in exhibits at Conservation Station, an
educational area. "Kids love bugs," Barongi
noted.
In the meantime, Disney continues to expand its Animal
Kingdom management team, led by Bob Lamb, vice president
in charge of the new park.
Earlier this year, the company hired three notables
from the zoological community: Bruce Read, formerly with
the St. Louis zoo, is general curator; Peregrine Wolff,
from the Minnesota Zoo, is director of veterinary
services; and Beth Stevens, from Zoo Atlanta, is director
of conservation and science.
About two months ago, Martin Ramirez was lured from
the San Diego Zoo to be zoological manager, with the
immediate task of coordinating the off-site
animal-holding operations.
Later this year, Wolff will hire two more
veterinarians. (In addition to Wolff, Disney already has
two full-time veterinarians on staff for other animal
exhibits, including Discovery Island.) And Stevens will
eventually be hiring a curator of education and a
conservation coordinator.
Barongi said the administrative offices for Animal
Kingdom may be ready by December, at which time managers
will move from the trailer they now occupy near the
Contemporary Resort.
Source:
Date: |
By Christine
Shenot, Orlando Sentinel
July 8, 1996 |
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