A look back at the 2020 baby boom at Disney World

There’s nothing like seeing a baby zebra, giraffe, rhino, as we have had the pleasure to see this year with photos from Disney and then in the enclosure at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

But did you know that there were 3,000 animal births and hatchlings that have taken place this year at Walt Disney World?

From tiny snails to the large endangered white rhinoceros about 2,500 of the 3,000 births and hatchings were invertebrates. This includes more than 1,000 Partula Snails,

the tiniest of snails, Scott Terrell, Director of Animal & Science Operations, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, wrote on the Disney Parks Blog.

The snails produce one offspring every 4-6 weeks and can reproduce without a partner. The baby reaches maturity between three and six months and can start producing their own offspring.

Some of the newest editions to Animal Kingdom this year includes:

• A male white rhinoceros, yet to be named, already weighs more than 200 pounds. He is expected to join the rest of the crash (that’s what a group of rhino are called), on the Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park early next year.

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• Two female Masai giraffe born only a month apart this year. Maple got her name after her keepers noticed that one of the spots on her skin is shaped like a maple leaf. Zella’s name means “beautiful girl who knows the path” in Slavic and African languages. Both will soon make their debut on the savanna.

• The baby Babirusa is named Kirana, which translates to “Sunbeam” in Indonesian, and can be seen daily in the Oasis at the park.

• Five zebras were born this year at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

• Banggai cardinalfish – did you know they are fully grown at just 3 inches. 

• Violet a young horse was born at the new Tri-Circle D Ranch at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort.

• Aardvark Karanga, meaning peanut, was born this year as well

• Olive, the baby mandrill, has become more independent from mom, Scarlet, routinely climbing in the trees solo or exploring more and more on her own. She has also found a willing playmate in her grandmother, Snow.