Probe Won't Slow Park Opening

A government investigation of animal deaths at Walt Disney World's newest theme park should not delay the Animal Kingdom's scheduled opening in two weeks, a company official said Wednesday.

The Department of Agriculture launched an investigation Tuesday into a string of animal deaths, including four poisoned cheetah cubs and two exotic cranes run over by safari vehicles.

"We're still planning to open April 22," Disney spokeswoman Diane Ledder told Reuters. "We welcome the USDA and plan to cooperate fully. We have very high standards and maintain a superior habitat."

A USDA spokesman said the investigation was prompted by complaints from both anonymous and named sources, but would not discuss what the investigation will entail or how long investigators will be at the park.

"We want to ensure all animals are receiving the proper care," USDA spokesman Jim Rogers said. His agency has the primary authority for regulating zoos, and its inspectors have visited the $800 million park five times since mid-February.

"We've always found the park to be in compliance, but we want to go a little deeper than an inspection would go," Rogers said.

If Disney is found to be in violation of federal strictures, the park could be fined or lose its license to display animals.

The four cheetah cubs died last Christmas from a type of kidney failure associated with poisoning from ethylene glycol, a component in various solvents and antifreeze.

Also in recent months a white rhinoceros died under anesthetic for a routine medical exam, a hippopotamus died from infection, two Asian small-clawed otters died after eating a nonindiginous fruit, and two West African crowned cranes were killed by a 32-passenger safari vehicle in separate accidents in February and March.

Animal rights groups, led by the Animal Rights Foundation of Florida, plan to picket the park on opening day.

"Disney's record with live animals is atrocious," said foundation managing director Joe Taksel.

But Disney has support from such groups as the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Wildlife Conservation Society.