Treatment of animals at AK, need info?

[PrettyFlower2]

I refuse to go to Seaworld but I have no prob going to animal kingdom.

 

[Huff]

I refuse to go to Seaworld but I have no prob going to animal kingdom.

Why? During AK's 1st year, 29 animals died. Many before the park even opened. Disney makes mistakes just like SeaWorld. Blackfish distorted the truth and showed an exaggerated version of one side only without showing the other. This isn't the right forum for a debate on the matter though! I'm just saying that a movie like Blackfish could be made about Disney or any zoo or park in the world. PETA protested AK when it was built and has been against its existence since. I love SW, great place and I will return! AK's awesome as well!

 

[ZoZo]

I'm currently in vet school, and have worked at both a major zoo and aquarium, as well as many other animal facilities. I'm naturally concerned about animal welfare. While I agree that some animal care facilities leave a lot to be desired, I've found that these are few and far between (and the diminishing care more often has more to do with lack of funds and executive politics than the lack of concern for the animals). Zoos routinely provide enrichment, exceptional veterinary care, and whatever space they can allot to each animal. I agree that captivity is not the greatest thing for some animals, but zoos generally do the best they can. They also provide great conservation initiatives and educate the public about plights of animals they normally would never get to see.

That being said, AK is one of the best (if not the best) places animals in captivity can be found in the country. The veterinary hospital, nutrition center, and wildlife tracking center are amazing facilities. The animals have an astounding amount of space to roam, and their nighttime facilities are among the largest and most state-of-the-art in the industry. All of the animals are provided with the most beneficial, nutritious diets, and they are allowed to express normal "wild" behaviors. The sheer amount of funds that Disney pours into wildlife conservation is also staggering.

Someone asked about seeing an elephant in the night housing during the day. Often these animals are not put on exhibit for the day if they are undergoing some medical procedure/check-up, if they rotate being on exhibit with other animals of the same species, or if keepers see that they just need a little "rest" from the public eye.

Still, I can completely understand when people don't like visiting zoos and/or AK. Just adding my opinion from working on the inside.

Thank you so much for an insider's view. I have a unique perspective, too. I myself have volunteered at my local zoo for almost 16 years. I believe that AK is an excellent facility, and is run by very caring zookeepers. I was lucky enough to get a personal backstage tour of Flights of Wonder, and also went on the Backstage Safari tour at AK. The folks who care for the animals at AK tke their jobs very seriously, just as the zookeepers I work with at the zoo where I volunteer.

As others have said, AK is an accredited zoo, and is held to the very highest standards of animal care. These accredited zoos are inspected rigorously by the AZA. Unfortunately, as others have noted, not all animal facilities in the US are even real "zoos," and some are not subject to this type of intense inspection. But AK definitely is.

Regarding the OP's friend, I'm not sure what to say. Some people are philosophically opposed to zoos, and I definitely respect their beliefs. I don't think it's likely that anyone would be able to change the OP's friend's feelings about the matter, even if she was told that the animals at AK receive the best of care. Obviously, I myself believe in zoos and their mission to educate people about animals and conservation. But I would recommend that the OP's friend avoid AK altogether since she will likely be bothered by what she sees.

 

[disnut8]

Me too. I'm literally sickened by this.

I don't want to be snarky but this post implies you actually threw up or felt so badly you had a difficult time functioning. Putting "literally" into a message means you actually felt that way and were sickened. Maybe we all could gauge your reaction from your definition of "sickened" because it differs for everyone.

 

[ftballfan7]

I think she should have a nice juicy rare steak, a cold beer and chill out.

 

[ammag]

Op here. So I go away for a bit no this thread got long and controversial! Didn't mean to stir things up. I probably should have used a different word than nutty..that stems more from me knowing her and she is nutty I still like her but she's different. I think I was trying to convey to the majority of people who I assumed would think her ideas are strange that while it's a bit unusual I stillw ant to rely info to her. She has a bi g. heart but does not do a lot of research and sometimes makes opinions out of fear not info. I am also helping her plan her trip so she asked me for help. I want everyone to experience AK and hopefully love it as much as I do
We live near the Bronx zoo and she goes there but with a lot of anxiety. Her child and husband want to see animal kingdom. I personally feel (good) zoos are vital to keeping the preservation of wildlife and that education and experiencing them makes people want to care for them. My friend is just super neurotic (her words) but her heart is in the right place IMO.

All that being said you have given me some really good info and constructive opinions so thank you all! I will pass along the info and search for more on my own as well, I came here first because I know people here are experts on disney!

 

[dnkmmw]

Why? During AK's 1st year, 29 animals died. Many before the park even opened. Disney makes mistakes just like SeaWorld. Blackfish distorted the truth and showed an exaggerated version of one side only without showing the other. This isn't the right forum for a debate on the matter though! I'm just saying that a movie like Blackfish could be made about Disney or any zoo or park in the world. PETA protested AK when it was built and has been against its existence since. I love SW, great place and I will return! AK's awesome as well!

You're right, this isn't the place to debate Blackfish, which is why I never mentioned it by name or the park. However, I do think it's important to note that, at least to my knowledge, Seaworld has never denied the accuracy of Blackfish - the typical response is only that Seaworld's conservation efforts are ignored by the documentary. A mistake is one thing, knowingly mistreating orcas is another.

Dawn

 

[LilyWDW]

We live near the Bronx zoo and she goes there but with a lot of anxiety. Her child and husband want to see animal kingdom. I personally feel (good) zoos are vital to keeping the preservation of wildlife and that education and experiencing them makes people want to care for them. My friend is just super neurotic (her words) but her heart is in the right place IMO.

It is very true that good zoos are essential at saving some species from extinction. Without some of the programs these facilities have started, there are animals that would now be extinct or even closer to it because of what humans are doing to them in the wild. So, while animal welfare as a whole is very important to think about, too many people just go "OMG zoos are bad because animals are in captivity and should be in the wild!". They don't think of the fact that being is the wild might actually be worse for some of these animals due to things like poaching and loss of habitat.

 

[dnkmmw]

It is very true that good zoos are essential at saving some species from extinction. Without some of the programs these facilities have started, there are animals that would now be extinct or even closer to it because of what humans are doing to them in the wild. So, while animal welfare as a whole is very important to think about, too many people just go "OMG zoos are bad because animals are in captivity and should be in the wild!". They don't think of the fact that being is the wild might actually be worse for some of these animals due to things like poaching and loss of habitat.

What about when these sea life parks are actually causing extinction in the wild and when they are the ones poaching?

Dawn

 

[LilyWDW]

What about when these sea life parks are actually causing extinction in the wild and when they are the ones poaching?

Dawn

My post was not about those and neither is this thread...

 

[dburg30]

I know at DiveQuest at epcot, they warn you that the animals have the right of way.. get out of their way. and dont even THINK about reaching out to 'pet' the rays, sharks, etc etc.. And I think they said the turtles are federally protected and it is against the law to make an effort to interact / touch them. If they see you trying to on purpose touch any of the animals, they will make you get out of the tank and possibly be 86'd from the park.

 

[dnkmmw]

My post was not about those and neither is this thread...

Actually, this thread isn't about Zoos either...

Dawn

 

[julieannboo]

So a friend of mine has been to MK and Epcot once and is planning another trip for May. I am helping her plan it and she is concerned about the welfare of the animals at AK. She barely tolerates zoos in general because she doesn't like that the animals are kept in "jails" at night or when it is cold. I want to reassure her that Disney takes good care of the animals. Does anyone have info that can help me?

She is particularly concerned with cold weather (for Florida lol) and the African animals. I know she's a bit nutty, but I understand wanting to make sure the animals are humanly cared for.

So...anyone seen the areas the animals go when inside, do you know what happens when weather is cold,etc?

I really want to set her mind at ease so her family can enjoy AK! Thanks

it is captivity - google the definition of captivity then you will get your answer.

I like your friend ;-)

 

[PoohsFan1]

It's also important to note Disney's care of a large and active feral cat population. There are hundreds of cats that live on Disney property -- all vaccinated, spayed / neutered, cared for, and controlled. They help control the rodent, snake and pest population. In return, they are managed and monitored and protected.

They have them in WDW too? I know Disneyland has the feral cats (we saw a couple of them on our trip this past June), but I never knew they had them in WDW. Boy, I learn something new each day .

 

[karmutt]

They have them in WDW too? I know Disneyland has the feral cats (we saw a couple of them on our trip this past June), but I never knew they had them in WDW. Boy, I learn something new each day .

I saw one a few weeks ago just outside of Captain Hook's at the Poly. It looked like it was only about six months old (or very malnourished). I thought it might be a cat someone had snuck in that had escaped. A few weeks before, I saw a cat that someone had left a cat in a car at HS, so it doesn't seem unlikely to me that someone else would do something similarly idiotic (as I was about to go and find a parking attendant one showed up, followed a few moments later by a manager. They ended up calling the police. I still worry about what happened to it after that... and before that).

Coming from SoCal and being a DLR regular, I knew about the ones there, but I didn't think they had any here. My friend reported it to the front desk while I tried to keep track of it and she was told they knew about it, but they didn't seem to give the impression that it was part of a colony or that it was taken care of. It was scrounging for food, which the ones at DL and DCA never did. There were several that live next to White Water Snacks and some of the restaurants over at Disneyland, but I never saw them in that low, scared-cat, stealth mode, sneaking in and out of the bushes, searching under tables, looking for something to eat the way this one was. The ones at DLR are in a a much more contained environment, just a few square blocks. WDW is 42 square miles, mostly forest. And I've never heard about any from friends who work there.

 

[TDC Nala]

If she's philosophically against animal captivity in any form, then nothing you can do or show her will convince her that the animals are being cared for to her standards. They do stay in "barns" at nights which she might not like the look of if she were to see them. They're well taken care of, but it's going to depend on her level of objection to their staying in buildings, even part time.

 

[buzz2400]

I have taken a few backstage tours at ak. I also care very much for animals. I feel that the animals are taken care of very well at ak. The "kitchen" for the animals was top notch. You were able to see what and how they prepared the food for the animals. The animals were also kept in their "stalls" if they were under quarantine, about to give birth, going to be getting a physical, etc. I was also allowed to see some of these stalls and they were very clean. You were also able to see the humans behind the scenes taking care of the areas and the animals. I don't really like the idea that animals are put on display or kept in cages. but unfortunately it has to be done. With people poaching rhinos, elephants and other animals, these animals are becoming extinct. We need to be able to somehow push up the population of these animals to ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy these beautiful animals. Also don't forget the people who illegally buy exotic animals for pets and then find out they can't take care of them. Someone has to take them in. (Not sure if disney takes in these animals but just wanted to point this out). Conservation is a very big part about AK and when people do see animals in an almost natural habitat and also learn to love these animals, then people will care about saving these animals.