Discover the Animal “Baby Boom” Happening at Disney World This Year

Disney World is a place where kids and adults can immerse themselves in the worlds of some of their favorite animated characters. With rides, attractions, unique food, and more, there’s no shortage of entertainment here. 

In 2023, Disney World has welcomed more than 300 baby animals to the park. The variety of births is incredibly broad, ranging from terrestrial creatures like an aardvark and to over 150 birds. Aquatic species like cuttlefish at The Seas with Nemo & Friends have also been born this year. 

The additions promote the survival and well-being of these animal groups. Celebrating the births of these threatened species via the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan and fostering the animals’ effective on-stage debuts, the performers and conservation specialists of Disney’s Animals, Science, and Environment go on to connect humans and the environment in tandem through happy moments on a daily basis.

Newborn Zebras at Kilimanjaro Safaris 

At Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park’s Kilimanjaro Safaris, a pair of Hartmann’s mountain zebra foals just made their public debut. Cricket and Dot, who were born only six days apart, can be seen playing in the grassland with their dad and mom. 

Discovery Island Tamarins

Twin cotton-top tamarins came into this world in June in Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  These little twins are starting to independently roam their habitat on Discovery Island. This joyful and wonderful acrobatic couple enjoys chasing one another around the trees.

Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail Debut

At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Pearl, the mother of a yellow-backed duiker, helped her daughter get ready for a significant milestone. Baby yellow-backed duiker Penny, who was born in the springtime, just made her live debut after spending a few months getting to know her mother behind the scenes. 

Visitors to the park may catch a glimpse of Penny and Pearl if they look carefully. The yellow-backed duikers are a very timid and solitary species of antelope that live in the forest.

Ponies at Tri-Circle-D Ranch 

At Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground Tri-Circle-D Ranch, a Shetland pony foal named Pixie came into the world in July. Pixie joined other newborn ponies who were born at the beginning of the year. 

She is considered a Cinderella pony because she is entirely white! The dazzling horse has already made her initial moves in preparation to eventually accompany her mother as part of Cinderella’s carriage horses. 

Although there are hundreds more animals born at this popular park in 2023, these are just a few of our favorites. We can’t wait to see what other critters call the magical location home in the future! 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Rstoplabe14 Carlos Cruz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons – License / Original