A new Disney mobile app helps families discover the wonders of the wild through a whole new lens - the eyes of an animal.

Disneynature Explore offers an augmented reality experience, as animals come to life through mobile devices' live camera view. Players can choose from a variety of activities, such as hunting with a lion, searching for a bear cub with its mother and cracking a nut like a chimpanzee. Kids can also catalog their adventures through an in-app journal and earn virtual pins for completing activities. Downloading Disneynature Explore is free from the Apple App Store. 

   

Disney Researchers Decode Elephant Talk

 

Researchers from Disney's Animal Programs have made a ground-breaking discovery. For the first time, it's clear that elephants can tell human sounds from animal sounds and alert herd members, which may lead to new ways of avoiding dangerous encounters. "By understanding more about how elephants react to threats, we can find ways to help reduce human-elephant conflict and protect both animals and people," said Joseph Soltis, Ph.D., research scientist with Disney's Animal Programs.  

   

This Earth Day, guests at Disney's Animal Kingdom got a global view of Cast Members' conservation efforts - from helping sea turtles in Florida to saving gorillas in Africa. As part of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's annual Party for the Planet, children and families discovered new ways to connect with nature and protect the Earth.

"Creating natural magic is our specialty year-round," said Jackie Ogden, Ph.D. and vice president of Animals, Science and Environment initiatives for Disney Parks. "On Earth Day, we add even more fun and educational nature activities." 

   

The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot was recently re-accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which praised the aquarium and Disney Cast Members for their commitment to conservation. "As a leader in wildlife conservation and animal care, inspiring millions of visitors each year, The Seas is ranked among the best aquariums in the world," said AZA president and CEO Jim Maddy. Specific achievements noted by the AZA team included conservation efforts in Florida and beyond, as well as excellence in animal care, including science and research that fosters animal health and knowledge. The AZA accredits aquariums and zoos that meet the highest standards.

   

VoluntEARS Help Build Local Playground

Earlier this month, Disney VoluntEARS rolled up their sleeves to help build a fun and safe place to play for nearly 6,000 children and families in Oakland, Fla. More than 200 volunteers - including 125 Disney VoluntEARS and representatives of the Town of Oakland and Oakland Nature Preserve - participated in the playground project led by KaBOOM!, a national nonprofit dedicated to ensuring children's access to active play. In less than six hours, the crew placed 48,600 square feet of safety surfacing and assembled a labyrinth of brightly colored playground equipment in the town's Westside Park. "We're so grateful to the volunteers who transformed Westside Park into a haven of community fun for our town," said Oakland Mayor Kathy Stark. 

   

"What I have learned from the animal world, and what anyone will learn who studies it, is a renewed sense of kinship with the earth and all its inhabitants."  

~ Walt Disney 

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Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, U.S. and France, was recently honored with the James B. Greene Award for her leadership and contributions to Central Florida's economic prosperity.

 

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