Bonsu the Giraffe Highlights Disney's Conservation Efforts

Bonsu the giraffe is a year old this week. As the 11th giraffe ever to be born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the cute “toddler” marks another success in Disney’s animal conversation efforts. Bonsu was the fourth male giraffe to be born at the Animal Kingdom. He weighed in at 155 pounds and was 6 feet tall at birth. 2008, the year he was born, saw the arrival of three other giraffes to the Animal Kingdom family. Bonsu isn’t the only big name in the Animal Kingdom playground.

Back in 2006, Nande and Hasani, two African white rhinos, were born at the Animal Kingdom and sent to Africa to help reestablish the population of African white rhinos. Disney helped raise over $800,000 toward helping the rhinos in Africa. They’ve also had three African elephants born in captivity. All of these cute additions to the family highlight Disney’s efforts to help save animals and the environment.

Animal Kingdom’s 500 acres holds 1,700 animals of 250 different species, 33 of them endangered and threatened. But that’s not the only park in the Disney family taking part in the conservation effort. Epcot is also a big player when it comes to helping save the animals. If you’ve ever been to “The Seas,” Epcot’s ocean-themed area, you will get to see beautiful sea creatures including plenty of sea turtles. Epcot has rescued and nursed 200 sick sea turtles and often takes place in animal rescue efforts after hurricanes that affect the Florida area.

Both Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Epcot are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Not only do cast members guide guests around these exhibits, Disney also employs veterinary teams, scientists and animal care teams that help take care of these animals. These teams are also the people you see telling you about the very creatures you’re taking pictures of when you visit Animal Kingdom and Epcot. If it weren’t for this great team, Bonsu, Nande and Hasani wouldn’t be where they are today and there would be plenty more animals still in danger. But thanks to the conservation efforts of the Walt Disney Company, we can worry a little less about baby Bonsu and other members of the animal world.

FETCH! Comes to Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Fans of the PBS Kids Go! show FETCH! should keep an eye out for a very special episode filmed right here in Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom. This educational game show has been a hit with kids and families who love to learn and watch kids compete in a variety of game settings lead by their mascot, Ruff Ruffman.

The animated dog sends the tween contestants off on an unknown mission—the kids don’t know what situation they will get into until they arrive at their destination. Then, with various clues and challenges, the contestants participate in a game to accumulate a series of points. The team with the highest points goes on until a winner is determined at the end of the season. FETCH! teaches leadership and teamwork skills to contestants during their scientific adventures. Considering Animal Kingdom is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (which means they’ve exceeded standards in education, conservation and research) it’s the perfect place for the show, which is partially founded by the National Science Foundation, to film its latest episode.

Two Bostonian tweens got the chance to go behind the scenes of this popular animal park during their mission from Ruff Ruffman. Marco and Shreya were able to participate in a number of special events park guests could only watch from the outside. Along with their parents (to keep watch) and a video crew, Marco and Shreya were able to shadow one of Animal Kingdom’s veterinary teams as they gave a 30-year-old Siamang ape its annual health exam. Over at the Kilimanjaro Safari, a ride that simulates an expedition across Africa in an open truck, the kids were able to feed crocodiles.

Other activities included feeding the tigers at the Maharaja Jungle Trek and trying to figure out which piles of feces belonged to which animals. The scientific show was a hit and a great episode for both FETCH! and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You don’t have to be on a game show to get up close and personal with the animals of this Disney theme park. Check out the Affection Section for a petting zoo all kids can enjoy, or the Conservation Station for an in-depth educational look at certain animal exhibits, interviews with animal handlers and a look at the Animal Kingdom’s conservation efforts. Kids Discovery Clubs also offers activity stations throughout the park where kids can look at dinosaur bones, learn about bugs and become a wildlife detective. Animal lovers will love both FETCH! and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, so keep an eye out for that episode!

Shamu Joins the Twitter Community

It is the latest craze that has swallowed up your favorite actors, politicians, and John Mayer. And now, even a star of SeaWorld Orlando has jumped on the bandwagon known as Twitter. Shamu, the black and white orca making a daily splash at the Orlando theme park, began posting to the free social network/micro-blogging community last week, and he’s already attracted close to 1,000 followers. In addition to clicks, squeaks, whistles, and trills, it would seem that the killer whale can also communicate via tweets, and he’s done plenty of that on a variety of topics.

“It turns out Shamu has a lot to say,” said Joe Couceiro, Chief Marketing Officer for SeaWorld’s parent company, Busch Entertainment Corp. “We knew he was a very popular whale, but I’m not sure anyone knew just how many subjects he held opinions on.”

Writing under the handle “RealShamu,” Shamu has twittered on topics such as Moroccan tree goats, Brazilian soccer teams, pubs in the English countryside, and the paint scheme on Southwest Airlines planes. The killer whale also disseminates a healthy dose of information about whale life, in addition to geography, anatomy, architecture, current events, history, and even punctuation. Who knew Shamu was so smart?

The killer whale has also shown himself to have a quick wit, too, commenting frequently on the overratedness of dolphins – a species he characterizes as “all hat and no cattle.”

And how, you might wonder, can a massive 8,000-pound whale with no discernible fingers to speak of type and make posts on Twitter?

“I have assistants, as you would expect of a whale of my stature,” Shamu has said to the often-posed question. Shamu also added that saltwater was detrimental to computers and cellphones, making human assistants particularly necessary.

Since signing on to Twitter, the killer whale has received a variety of questions from SeaWorld fans. For example, when recently asked if he likes to eat lobsters, Shamu declined via Twitter and explained, “They’re pinchy.”

In addition to being a way for the voice of SeaWorld to communicate with fans, Twitter is an interactive and unique new form of marketing for the park. Couceiro states that the online network is even allowing SeaWorld to enhance guests’ experiences in the park. “We’ve had visitors tweet with suggestions, problems, questions, photos, video, even jokes for Shamu – while they’re inside SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, or Busch Gardens."

Still, Shamu doesn’t spend all his time on Twitter. When he’s not communicating with his online friends, Shamu can be seen daily in SeaWorld’s revolutionary production, “Believe.” Taking place on an elaborate 3-story set, “Believe” features Shamu and the entire SeaWorld family of majestic killer whales performing awe-inspiring choreography with an original musical score by the Prague National Symphony Orchestra.

Guests can also get up close and personal with Shamu during Dine With Shamu, a VIP experience where they can eat alongside killer whales, dine with Shamu trainers, ask questions, and observe training sessions in an exclusive themed area.

To read Shamu’s latest nugget of whale wisdom, check out Twitter.com/RealShamu. And don’t forget to purchase discount SeaWorld tickets from DWTickets.com to meet your favorite orca in person and witness his amazing talents. Just be careful not to mention dolphins to him.

SeaWorld Announces Major Expansion

SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove and even Aquatica are in for a major expansion, according to officials from Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of all four parks. Where are they traveling to next? Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, that’s where. Luckily, you can visit those same parks right here in Central Florida, and you can get all of the SeaWorld tickets you need at DWTickets.com! We also have the best discounts on Busch Gardens tickets, Discovery Cove tickets and Aquatica tickets!

Much ado is being made of late about the City of Dubai, which rests along the coast of the Persian Gulf. It is being touted as the new Orlando with one big difference…you have to travel halfway across the world to get there. Oh, and you need a passport too.

The only thing you need to visit the “World of Discovery” parks in Florida is admission, and here at DWTickets we have your Sea World tickets, Busch Gardens tickets. Discovery Cove tickets and Aquatica tickets with the best discounts in town!

All Anheuser-Busch theme parks offer unique animal interactions and they each have their own area of expertise:

SeaWorld Orlando has a great combination of marine mammals, exotic and interesting birds, superb live shows, and awesome rides. Most widely know as home to Shamu, the killer whale, SeaWorld also has one of the world’s craziest roller coasters, Kraken.

Busch Gardens Africa in Tampa Bay also combines animal interaction with amazing ride and show experiences. Here you can explore an African savannah, ride the rapids, and challenge five different roller coasters – a few of them rides you won’t experience anyplace else. And don’t forget Jungala will be opening soon!

Discovery Cove offers animal interactions that are rarely available anywhere in the world. If dolphins are on your favorite mammals list, this is an absolute must for your Orlando vacation. Reservations are required, but you can get your Discovery Cove tickets right here!

Aquatica is the newest addition to the Orlando theme park horizon, and it is an animal park and water park all rolled into one. They just opened on March 1, so get your Aquatica tickets now and be one of the first to start enjoying the splashing good fun!

It’s great that Anheuser-Busch is expanding their entertainment empire to distant shores. What’s better is that all of those parks are already right here in Florida!