Zebra in the grass

This photo is from Kilimanjaro Safari. As we were driving along heading towards the lions, we happened upon a couple of the Plains zebra that are typically in the exhibit with the white rhinos. They came very near the vehicle. 

This photo proves that you must look all around when enjoying the safaris. You never know what might be hiding in the grass. 

Relaxing

People watching gorillas. It's why Gorilla Falls is such a popular exhibit. And I think it's because they are so human like.

This male silverback is just relaxing and people watching. If that was a bucket of beer you could easily believe he was just watching a ball game. 

By Safari Mike 

Mountain zebra at AKL

One of the prettiest animals at the savannas of Kidani are the Mountain zebra.

These guys are endangered in the natural habitat but thankfully Disney has had some success in breeding. You will often see little zebra out there in the exhibit. 

By Safari Mike 

Eld's deer

These guys are quite regal. The male Eld's deer can be a difficult opponent for a Bengal tiger to take on. A healthy buck like this one will stand and fight, and with those antlers can be very dangerous. 

In the wild, it is typically only the weak, young and old that are preyed upon by tigers. 

By Safari Mike 

Blackbuck herd mural

The decor of the Maharajah Jungle Trek is absolutely stunning. In particular, the murals are beautiful.

This one is located in the prey exhibit and rightfully so. It shows a herd of blackbuck antelope on the move.

Say hello to my little friend

We have spent some time talking about cotton top tamarins on Radio Harambe. We even had the pleasure of talking to Dr. Ann Savage, Conservation Director at Disney's Animal Kingdom and founder of Proyecto Titi, a group dedicated to protecting this species. 

The Cotton Top is found only in the forests of northern Colombia and has suffered from deforestation, the illegal pet trade and other difficult issues. Today it's one of the 25 most critically endangered primates. 

The park has always had the animal and recently built a nice new exhibit where the animal above currently resides. And Disney has recently announced they will be concentrating conservation efforts on 10 different animal groups including the tamarin. 

Food time for a crane

The sarus crane is a beautiful bird found on the Maharajah Jungle trek. Initially, it was housed in the exhibit with blackbuck and Eld's deer, but now is found just after the Komodo dragon exhibit. It was almost declared the national bird of India (eventually the Indian peafowl got that honor).

These birds are found throughout Southern Asia, including India, China, and Vietnam but are a vulnerable species. There are somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 in the wild with more than half in India. In other parts of its range it is rarer thanks to war and habitat destruction.