Random Thread & The Interchangeable Inside Joke

[AmandaSparks730]

Next is the Indonesian Babirusa, which means "pig deer." Babirusa have antler-like tusks that remind me of Pumbaa (the Lion King's warthog). They also sport very large canine teeth. In fact, the canines can grow up to 12 inches long. This quick runner and swimmer prefers to eat in the morning. Not surprisingly, given their name's translation, they also love to wallow in the mud. They eat fruits and vegetables, as well as birds and small animals and tend to be shy, living either alone or in a small family group. Some believe the babirusa are related to the hippopotamus. The Babirusa's lifespan is approximately 24 years, but their existence is threatened, mainly due to poaching. Males may fight each other standing on their back legs in a "boxing" stance. A male and a female Babirusa can be found in the Oasis.

Photo Tip: The best time to photograph the Babirusa seems to be in the morning; otherwise, you will often find them sleeping.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

In part I of this series, I talked about the Military Macaw. But did you know that macaws are really just the largest type of parrot? Although we think of parrots as mimicking our voices, macaws actually do very little of that. Instead, their sounds tend to be loud shrieks and squawks. Along with the Military Macaw found in the Oasis, you will also find a pair of brightly colored Hyacinth Macaws, the largest of all the macaws. Both macaws are on the endangered species list. Their home is the tropical rainforests of Brazil. They dine on seeds, palm fruits and nuts. An interesting fact is that although they appear blue, there is no blue pigment in the feathers! According to the Animal Kingdom field guide, it is the structure of the feather that produces the blue cast.

Photo Tip: The trick here is to get both of the macaws "still" at the same time when you snap your photo of them!

 

[AmandaSparks730]

The Yellow-bellied Sliders can often be found sunning themselves on a log in the water. You might miss them if you don't look carefully, as they can blend into the landscape. The Sliders are native to the wetlands of the southeastern United States. They are about 10 inches long when fully grown.

Photo Tip: The Sliders are often stationary as they rest on the logs, making photographs relatively easy.

A Black Neck Swan can be found swimming in the Oasis or Discovery Island Trails. One spring, the Swan was partially obscured by heavy foliage, as she was nesting and awaiting the birth of her young. She hissed as I stood there (quietly, I thought) watching her. The Black Neck Swan is very striking with her white body, black neck and head, and large red knob at the base of her bill. This is one of the smallest swans. Native along the coastline of South America, the Black Neck Swan feeds on algae, aquatic insects and pondweeds. There is no distinction in color between the male and female, but the female is smaller. The young cygnets have no knob on their bill.

Photo Tip: I have only seen the swan the one time when she was nesting in May.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Bahama Pintail, Hooded Merganser, Ringed Teal, Indian Spotbill -- these ducks are fun to watch as they move quickly, bobbing in and out of the water, cleaning and preening themselves. The Bahama Pintail is brown in color with white cheeks. They are native to the West Indies, the Galapagos and central South America. The Bahama Pintail nests on the ground, hiding amidst the thick vegetation and tree roots. The Hooded Merganser is a striking duck that likes quiet shallow water. The males have black heads and the female's head is almost cinnamon in color. The Merganser is a premier diver and they can see fairly well underwater as they forage for food. The Hooded Merganser is unique in that it stays in North America year-round. Its diet consists of small fish, tadpoles and other aquatic life.

The Ringed Teal is from South America. They love to fly and can be found perched on trees just as easily as in the water. They, too, spend their time diving into the water for their food. Their head and neck go underwater and their tail is in the air. They paddle their feet to keep themselves in this position. The Indian Spotbill has a bright-colored orange patch at the base of the bill that becomes larger and more vibrant during mating season. They feed on worms, water snails and aquatic insects.

Photo Tip: These ducks move about quickly as they dive in and out of the water, so be sure to have a quick shutter speed (or high speed film) to capture them.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Say the word "wallaby" and immediately thoughts go to kangaroos and Australia, the Land Down Under. A wallaby is actually a small-sized kangaroo and there are 50 species. The Oasis is home to a Swamp Wallaby. Males weigh about 13 pounds and the females about 10. They have extremely strong hind legs and a tail that provides great muscles for jumping. The tail sometimes acts as a third leg, sometimes used for balancing. The wallaby is nocturnal and very solitary. You may only find wallabies in groups when they are feeding on the grasses and herbs in their habitat. As it moves about, the wallaby keeps its arms tucked close to its body to protect them. The numbers of wallabies are dwindling as the wetlands disappear.

Photo Tip: The wallaby is difficult to photograph since it tends to hide in the brush. My optical zoom just wouldn't get a close enough photo, and using the digital zoom blurred the picture some. Lots of patience is needed for a photo of the wallaby.

As I said before when talking about the Oasis, you need to be mindful of the fact that animal- and bird-watching require patience and quiet. If you're looking for a place to "stop and smell the roses" -- or even if you're not -- take the time to slow down and soak in the peaceful atmosphere and the beauty of the flora and fauna that make up Animal Kingdom's Oasis.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

INTRODUCTION

Emerge from the heavy foliage of the Oasis -- Before you stands the 145-foot tall Tree of Life. The first time I saw the Tree of Life, I just stood and gaped with my mouth open. It is awesome.

The branches span 165 feet across. There are over 100,000 leaves on the tree and the trunk is 50 feet wide. 20 artists carved into the trunk, branches and roots over 320 animals. Thousands worked on the construction of the Tree of Life which took 18 months to build.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

ATTRACTION
Fish, snakes, animals -- seahorse, deer, eagle, rhino, monkey, pelican, and much much more....

"The Tree of Life is a technological marvel, but it's also a symbol of the beauty and diversity and the grandeur of our animal life on Earth," says Joe Rohde, Walt Disney Imagineering vice president and executive designer for the park. "It's a celebration of our emotions about animals and their habitats."

The Tree of Life roots find their way into the paths surrounding this magnificent Animal Kingdom icon. Surrounding the Tree of Life are the Discovery Island Trails - a quiet area of pools, meadows and trees that are home to flamingoes, otters, lemurs, axis deer, cranes, storks, tortoises and red kangaroos.

As you wind your way through the tree roots, you find yourself at the base of the Tree of Life and the entrance to It's Tough to be a Bug theatre. The 430 seat theatre is home to Flik and Hopper where you will be entertained with a 3-D film and Audio-Animatronics figures.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

INTERESTING FACTS

Today, the Tree of Life is made up of 45 secondary branches leading to 756 tertiary branches leading to 7,891 end branches with 102,583 green leaves (each more than one foot long).

The story goes that Jane Goodall visited Animal Kingdom during the construction and wondered if there was a chimp on the Tree of Life. In short order, one of her most famous subjects, David Graybeard was carved and now resides in the roots near the Tough to Be a Bug entrance.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

The Discovery Island Trails are the best kept secret that you'll find on the Animal Kingdom Guide map.

These are beautifully vegetated paths and trails around the base of the Tree of Life that contain small animal viewing areas. Here you will find small animal viewing areas for lemurs, kangaroos, capybaras and other wildlife.

When the park opens in the morning, take time to explore the area and watch the animals. While everyone else is rushing off to get FastPasses or heading towards the Safari....you'll have a wonderful quiet time all to yourself!

 

[AmandaSparks730]

"We decided to explore the Tree of Life Gardens, oh wait, they are now called the Discovery Island Gardens (this change occurred in the last few months). What an incredible time we had. Staying at DAKL gave us a better appreciation of just sitting and watching the animals and so we did that on this particular morning.

The Giant Galapagos Tortoise gave us an incredible show for about 20 minutes. It was his feeding time and we watched as he slowly (and I mean slowly) climbed out of the small pond and lumbered over to a bed of fresh lettuce greens, carrots, sweet potatoes and apples (we are guessing what the food was).

We took over 100 photos of him with the digital camera. The more I use and learn about my Cannon G-1, the happier I am with the purchase. We tried different shots, using both regular zoom and the digital 2x and 4x Zoom.

I actually had tears in my eyes at one point, I can't explain why...except that we felt so fortunate to have this long audience with the Tortoise all to ourselves. This is one of the big reasons why Animal Kingdom is so special to me!

This is just one of the many discoveries awaiting you along the Discovery Island Trails. There are others just waiting for you........

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Here is a listing of the animals and birds you may see in the Discovery Island Trails.....
Abdim's Stork
Asian Small-clawed Otter
Axis Deer
Blue & Yellow Macaw
Cape Teal
Comb Duck
Eyton's Tree Duck
Galapagos Tortoise
Greater Flamingo
Grey Kangaroo
Green-winged Macaw
Red Kangaroo
Ring-tailed Lemur
Roseate Spoonbill
Saddle-billed Stork
Salmon-crested Cockatoo
Silver Teal
West African Crowned Crane
White Stork
White Faced Whistling Duck
Woolynecked Stork


Other Information

The Discovery Island Trails were originally called the Tree of Life Gardens and then the Discovery Island Gardens.

Archives (no longer part of Animal Kingdom)

Capybara - the largest living rodent in existence. One was laying out in the sun, sleeping. The other was enjoying the shade back in a sheltered area. The digital camera really showed its stuff here and you can see the regular, 2x and 4x zoom of the same photo.

Capybara are semi-aquatic and native to South America. They are most active in the early morning and evening; although some can be quite nocturnal. They live 8 - 10 years in the wild and are herbivores. The capybara will dive into the water to escape the Jaguar, its predator!

 

[AmandaSparks730]

INTRODUCTION


It's Tough To Be a Bug brings you face to face, smell to...well, you'll see.... with the next generation of 3D movie technology! Located inside the base of the Tree of Life, the story of FLIK, Princess Atta and Hopper (Bug's Life) comes alive by Disney Audio-Animatronics.

The attention to detail is vintage Disney as an announcer even reminds you "to refrain from buzzing, chirping and stinging throughout the presentation. Oh, and by the way, no pollinating, either! "



ATTRACTION


In the dark caverns of the roots of the Tree of Life is a 430 seat theatre designed to of special effects.

You will receive a special pair of 3D "bug" glasses to wear while you view the show. (see photo on right)

Without going into detail, a variety of bugs, spiders and other insects will entertain you...scare you...and get your attention!

There are scenes that may frighten children.

Seating is wooden bench seats with backs. Seats have bumps in them.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

A Broadway class, not to be missed production based on the original story of Disney's animated classic, The Lion King.

The pageantry, costumes and sheer energy of the performers will make you forget you are sitting on benches for 28 minutes. Each number is more colorful than the next as you listen to some favorite, and some new, Lion King songs.

Festival of the Lion King is a favorite with fans of all ages.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

ATTRACTION

The show is staged in an enclosed (air conditioned) hexagonal timber theatre so you feel as though you are in the Adirondacks on summer vacation. The theatre is separated into 4 parts (all have wonderful views) and your section becomes labeled as either elephant, giraffe, warthog or lion.

As the performers fill the theatre, 4 huge moving floats (really stages) are brought out. Simba is a 12 foot high animated character sitting on Pride Rock. There is an elephant, a swaying giraffe and then one with Pumba and Timon.

Without giving too much away, a group of acrobatic monkeys entertain you to the tune of Hakuna Matata. Can You Feel the Love Tonight is performed as a beautiful aerial ballet and over 50 performers in brightly colored costumes all come together in the finale.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Amidst a Northeastern forest of cedar and birch trees you will find Camp Minnie-Mickey and the Character Greeting Trails.

During the month of December, the characters were dressed in holiday wear; Santa Goofy; Casual Winterwear for Minnie, etc.



Mickey and Minnie, Pluto and Goofy, Pooh and Tigger, Terk and Rafiki are usually out and about for photos and autographs. Each of the trails is marked with the characters that are appearing.

If you are not planning to see the first showing of Festival of the Lion King, this is a good time to see the characters with short waits.

"We also found that if you wait until the Festival of the Lion King is going that you can have a private audience with the characters in Camp Minnie-Mickey."

 

[AmandaSparks730]

INTRODUCTION

Pangani Forest Exploration Trail takes you into a lush, tropical forest found in the heart of Africa where you can explore a variety of old and new animal friends.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

ATTRACTION

As you enter the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, look to the right. The first animal exhibit is that of the Black and White Colobus Monkeys. Their diet consists of leaves, buds, seeds and fruit and in the wild (Kenya) are found mostly in trees. They are hunted for their fur, but today, their existence is more threatened by the destruction of forests. Unlike other monkeys, Colobus monkeys have no thumb.

As the overhead vegetation gives way to the sky, you enter the first observation post. Here you may find Okapi, and the Yellow-backed Duiker. The Yellow-backed Duiker Cephalophus silvicultor is a member of the antelope family and the largest of the Duiker species. They are native to the forests of west central Africa and grow to 100-175 pounds. The name Duiker is African for diver -- the Duikers will hide in the undergrowth of the forest when alarmed. Duikers are nocturnal.

The Okapi, Okapia johnstoni , is the only known living relative of the giraffe. They are dark chestnut brown with distinctive stripes on their legs, similar to Zebras.The most giraffe-like feature of the okapi is their very long black tongue. The Okapi have always been rare and is very shy. They are native to the tropical forests of northeastern Zaire.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

The Stanley Crane ( Anthropoides paradisea ), sometimes known as the Paradise Crane or Blue Crane, is the National bird of South Africa. Stanley Cranes can sometimes be found standing asleep in water with flamingos and other cranes. In the wild their diet can consist of insects, worms, small reptiles and amphibians, small mammals and seeds and bulbs. NOTE: Stanley Cranes were originally found in this area, but I have not seen any in a long time. (Please let me know if they are still at the park)

As you leave the first observation post, your path takes you into a research building.The research building has a few small exhibits, but the highlight of your visit will be the Naked Mole Rats. (Wheelchair/Stroller note: the doors in and out of the research building are awkward and heavy!)

The Naked Mole Rats are very curious animals. You'll have to try and get close to the glass so you can see them burrowing about in their entirely underground habitat. They are the only hairless rodents. They live in colonies with a structure resembling that of insect colonies. Each colony has a queen, a breeding male, soldiers, and workers.

Soon the sound of birds fill your ears as you enter the aviary area. Carmine bee-eaters, red-bearded barbets, Brimstone canaries and other rare African birds can be found here. Don't spend all your time looking up -- you'll find birds on ground level too!

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Hippos!! Leaving the aviary through a screen door, you pass into another open air shelter with a dam on the far wall with a large panel of inch-thick glass, holding the pond. The pool is home to a trio of giant hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius).

This is a great underwater viewing area. The Hippo is a river dwelling mammal from tropical Africa and is related to the pig. Males are approximately 5 feet tall and can weigh five TONS! The hippos will spend most of their time in the water but can relax on nearby boulders, particularly in cooler weather.

Back on the trail you will come to a thatched roof structure and a large Savannah overlook into the grasslands. Tiny dik-diks, Gerenuks, and others are seen grazing in knee-high grass. The Gerenuk (Litocranius walleri walleri ) is sometimes called a gazelle-giraffe because their long neck is similar to the giraffe and they have a gazelle-like body shape. An interesting fact I discovered - Gerenuk's have a special muscle on their lips which is puncture proof.

 

[DisGirlAllie]

The Great Artichoke War of 2010