“Magic Of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” on Disney+ Shows Importance Of Animal Training
If you’ve yet to check out “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” a unique docu-series that teaches your more about the incredible animal inhabitants that call Disney home then add it to your weekend must-do list! One of the things that becomes abundantly clear from watching the series is the importance of training and the impact that it has on the overall welfare of the animals at Walt Disney World.
For example, the new episode of “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” out now highlights the ways in which Disney’s Animal Care teams encourage the animals to participate in their own care. You’ll see examples of training for both aquatic and land animals, celebrating these milestones and “grit and glory” that goes with it!
At the Seas With Nemo & Friends at EPCOT, acquarist Aaron has spent the past four years working with aquatic animals including sea turtles. Through his wealth of experience Aaron worked with a green sea turtle named Harry who came to Disney as a rescue from the wild after suffering an injury. Because of the extent of his injuries, Harry was not a candidate for re-release. But, Aaron has been by Harry’s side since then to help him thrive in the aquarium.
Feeding time for Harry is a central focus for Aaron, who is teaching the sea turtle how to swim to a target for his very own meals here’s a sneak peek of this technique in action:
As you can see from the image above, during their training sessions Aaron positively reinforces Harry’s behaviour to gain his trust via back scratches and his favorite foods. The experience is not just rewarding for Harry though but for Aaron too. He’s been working hard to ensure that Harry makes progress when it comes to adapting to his new home.
This week’s episode also features another important task – getting African elephant Nadirah to cross a bridge to her habitat on Kilimanjaro Safaris. The Animal Care Team including Erin and Elizabeth need to redefine what success looks like based on Nidirah’s personality and needs!
Over the past 13 years, Erin has been exclusively devoted to working with elephants and both her and Elizabeth have been caring for elephants at Animal Kingdom for the last six years. Both have great insights on herd dynamics and used their knowledge to come up with different techniques to build up Nadirah’s confidence. They knew that fellow elephant Vasha brough encouragement to Nadirah so the team encouraged the two to spend time together. Bathtime also played an important role with them showering Nadirah with extra snacks and positive reinforcement.
Nadirah isn’t quite ready to cross the bridge just yet but gets a little closer each day! Don’t miss the latest of “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” on Disney+ now. You can also find a complimentary downloadable activity guide to learn more about the animals!
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