Licking the Chops

The tigers on the Maharajah Jungle Trek are amazing, but often times look like nothing more than a tiger print lump in the grass. But sometimes you can be lucky enough to see them during feeding times. This photo was snapped just before the chow came...

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

A Familiar Sight

Just about everyone I ever met who goes on safari is most excited about the prospect of seeing one of the great cats. And those who travel the Kilimanjaro Safaris often feel the same. The problem is, what those folks usually find, either in the wild or in a zoo, is something like this...

While I understand that disappointment, it is hard not to get edited to see one of these stunning animals, even a snoring one. Honestly, even asleep this guy makes the crowds ooh and ah.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

Finding the Right Perch

Everyone who has been to the Asia section of Disney's Animal Kingdom will recognize this species. It is the white-cheecked gibbon. Their habitat, and especially their antics, can often dominate a guest's attention in this area. This female, and you can tell it's a female from her white fur, found as high perch as she could to do some tourist watching.

The white-cheeked gibbon is listed as critically endangered as habitat loss and poaching his decreased their population be almost 80% over the last few decades.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

A Mini Tumble Monkey

Monkeys are fun to watch. And the Cotton-top Tamarins on Discovery Island can be really fun to watch. They are amazingly acrobatic and ridiculously cute! And this guy looks a lot like on the "tumble monkeys", don't you think?

While we love to watch these guys, and they are a great addition to the cast at DAK, it is important to also remember they are critically endangered in the wild. Only a few thousand are left.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

A Really Big, and Really Cute, Rodent

The photo below is of an animal called a Patagonian Cavy, or also referred to as the Patagonian Mara. This incredibly cute little guy is indigenous to Argentinian. And while he looks a lot like a rabbit, he really is a big rodent.

Some visitors to Disney's Animal Kingdom, especially the "half-day parkers", won't know that the Cavy is one of the very first animals on display at the park. So instead of rushing though the Oasis to your e-ticket of choice, stop and look around. There are some amazing, rare, and really cute animals all around you.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

An Imperial Call to Action

We here at JamboEveryone.com were totally thrilled when we found out Disney's Animal Kingdom would be bringing a couple of Grevy's Zebra to the Pangani Forest Exploration trail. Also known as the Imperial Zebra, these guys are the largest and most endangered species of zebra. The population has experienced a 50% decline in the last twenty years and now there is only a couple of thousand left. Thanks to places like DAK, we can raise awareness of the need to act now.

They are amazing animals and we must do what we can to not lose them forever. The Grevy's Zebra Trust needs out help. You can donate here and help them save these animals.

Quiet and Cranky is a Bad Combo

Despite being related to docile whales, the hippopotamus is one of Africa's most dangerous animals for humans. By the time they reach adulthood, the average hippo is at the top of the local food chain, and have even been known to aggressively displace and even kill rather scary looking crocodiles.

So why is this mostly vegetarian animal so dangerous? Well, besides its impressive size, surprising speed and a famously cranky temper, the secret can be found in this photo. Even though a hippo can be over 7,000 pounds, your boat could float right over a hippo having a bad day and you wouldn't know it until it's too late.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

Common Can Mean Beautiful

Not every animal at Disney's Animal Kingdom is endangered or from some exotic local. Some of them, like this beautiful common barn owl, are not under an existential threat. In fact, this type of owl is so incredibly widespread there are only a few parts of the earth where you won't find them.

But perhaps the secret to the barn owl's success is its ability to be so common yet still largely unseen by humans. So to get the chance to see this bird during the Flights of Wonder show is still a great thrill for those of us in the theater.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

It's Good To Be The Biggest!

A hidden gem of Disney's Animal Kingdom is the collection of wildlife trails hidden on Discovery Island and the Oasis. If you take the Tree of Life Trails you will come across this incredible Galapagos Tortoise.

The Galapagos Tortoise is the largest tortoise on the planet. They can weigh up to 500 pounds and live four well over a hundred years. This species also played a huge role in Charles Darwin's work, so the Galapagos Tortoise is not just impressively large it is also played a part in human history.

by Dave McBride

A Soothing Mud Bath

Some people pay a lot of money for a mud bath. But this black rhino has no need for a fancy spa or even some candles or mood music to go with his bath. He has a nice big puddle of cooling and soothing mud right there whenever he wants.

Even though the world population of black rhinos has recovered a bit in the last decade, this incredible species is still critically endangered. But we can help by assisting organizations like Save the Rhino with the money they need to continue the positive trends.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)