LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Disney’s Animal Kingdom is home to roughly 2,000 animals representing 300 species. And all of them need special care.
For certain birds, that care comes in the size of a grain of rice.
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Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) bands are helping scientists monitor northern carmine bee-eaters breeding behaviors as well as their diets. The tracking device allows the animal care teams to see how often the colorful birds are eating the bugs given to them by dietitians versus the wild bugs. Choosing wild bugs too frequently can create an unbalanced diet.
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The technology has given Disney animal care teams yet another tool to understand bird activity, location, behavior, and responses to training cues. Disney hopes to eventually include other bird species in the research and continue to learn more about all our unique animals.
“This project has been really exciting to work on because we get to implement cutting-edge technology to take the best possible care of our birds,” said Andrew, a research programs specialist on the Animals, Science and Environment team.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom monitors the breeding and feeding habitats of over 100 birds. The park is home to the largest population of the carmine bee-eater in any Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited institution.
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