Happy Elephant and Rhino Day!

Earlier this week we celebrated International World Rhino Day, albeit a little belated.  But today is Elephant and Rhino Day at Rafiki's Planet Watch and we are right on time!

Elephants are perhaps the most iconic animal at Disney's Animal Kingdom, and have always played a big part in the park's story. 

But some of the best encounters on Kilimanjaro Safaris come courtesy of the rhinos. I will never forget when this big girl walked inches from the truck. 

And then there is the black rhino, one of the more illusive animals on safari. But stay patient, and try the ride a few times, and you make just get him to pose for a glamour shot.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

A Smile to Warm the Heart

When taking photos of animals, you line up a good angle and take as many shots as quickly as possible and home something good comes out of them. Imagine my joy when I discovered I photographed a baby elephant who was smiling!

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

For Elephant Day

Today is World Elephant Day so what better way to celebrate it Animal Kingdom style then with a blast from the past. This picture was taken in 1998, a few short months after the opening of the park.

As I am sure you know, the stars of the safari, the main attraction of the park, were elephants, Little Red and Big Red, with a story focused on the plight of poaching. While they might not have been real, these two were and so unfortunately, is the plight.

By Safari Mike

A Hungry Elephant

It has been a little while since we posted a photo of an elephant. And that’s not good because, after all, elephants are the traditional star of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This one enjoyed posing for the camera in between bites of lunch.

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

Let's Catch Some Poachers!

It's been a long time since we posted some elephant pictures, and who does't love elephant pictures?? This lone make me think back to the days of Big Red and Little Red.  You wanna help Warden Wilson catch those poachers??

by Dave McBride (@RadioHarambe)

Jungle Jim's Animal Portraits: A Walking Nap?

One of the things you may not know about Jungle Jim is that he doesn't go to Disney's Animal Kingdom all that often.  He is a dedicated full-time tourist who travels the world in search of the perfect Pina Colada or just the right pair of Bermuda shorts.  But when he does get to DAK, he often sends us more than a couple stunning animal portraits, like this beautifully detailed close-up of a bull elephant at Kilimanjaro Safaris.

Notice how his eyes are closed.  When I first picked this photo, I went back into Jim's files to look for another just like it but without what assumed was just blinking eyes.  Like most photographers, Jim takes dozens of images all at once to capture as many photos as possible.  And with this elephant he had about three dozen all from the same angle and all within the same thirty second timeframe as the elephant walked slowly across the field of view.  But what stunned me was that in every single photo, this guy had his eyes closed?  He was walking with his eyes closed?  Was it too bright?  Or was he taking an elephant's version of a midday nap?