September 22 marks Elephant Appreciation Day, a day just for appreciating some of the biggest creatures in the animal kingdom. The day is separate from World Elephant Day, which falls on August 12 and is dedicated to the protection of elephants. But it’s never a bad day to celebrate elephants.
Elephant Appreciation Day at Walt Disney World
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, guests can see and appreciate African elephants on Kilimanjaro Safaris and during the Caring for Giants backstage tour. As Disney describes, African elephants are native to Sub-Saharan Africa and live in close-knit family groups of 2 to 40 related females and their calves. The herd is led by a matriarch who has the experience to lead them to watering holes and feeding grounds she may not have seen in decades.
Elephant residents of Kilimanjaro Safaris include Kianga, who celebrated her 22nd birthday in July, and her best friend Luna, who had her sweet 16 in spring.
Both elephants appear in The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom, a series about the park available to watch on Disney+. Also streaming is Disney Elephant, a documentary following African elephant Shani and her herd as they cross the Kalahari Desert.
We recently participated in a special Kilimanjaro Safaris ride with an animal care manager.
During the 60-minute Caring for Giants tour, which is $39/person, guests get to observe elephants from approximately 80 to 100 feet away as a guide provides insights into the herd.
Little Red, the baby elephant animatronic from Kilimanjaro Safaris, returned to a guest-facing location this year. Guests can encounter the animatronic up close on the Caring for Giants tour.
Disney animal care experts create an enriching environment for elephants in a variety of ways. The park grows its own willow, banana plants, and elephant grass for the animals to eat. Melons and coconuts are placed in the pools of the elephant habitat and special veggie treats are hidden on the grounds to keep the elephants fed, active, and mentally stimulated.
The care team trains them to participate in their own healthcare. For example, they can lift their feet onto a stand for exams and follow sound cues to move from their exhibit spaces to their night houses.
African elephants face threats from habitat loss, poaching, and conflicts with humans. The Disney Conservation Fund has supported organizations Save the Elephants to help protect elephants in the wild.
With support from Disney Conservation Fund earlier this year, Save the Elephants partnered with a community bordering Tsavo East National Park, Kenya, and organizations across Africa to establish a Community Conservancy protecting a critical 12.5 square-mile corridor to enable elephants to move safely between protected areas, including through a critical railway underpass, within the rapidly developing Tsavo Landscape. The initiative covers sustainable long-term human-elephant management strategies.
If you’re at Magic Kingdom, you can always visit Dumbo the Flying Elephant and participate in the Smellephants on Parade activity.
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