The Walt Disney Company has announced new residents of Animal Kingdom just in time for the release of the new Lion King prequel, Mufasa. According to a press release from Disney Connect, three new lions are now part of the experience guests can find at the half-zoo, half-theme park in Orlando, Florida!
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There’s a new pride on the savanna, sitting atop the highest point, overlooking the lush sun-kissed Harambe Wildlife Reserve at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Meet siblings Mshango, Zahara and Neema, three lions bringing their vibrant energy as they join the savanna this week. These young and regal lions are already making their roars heard and showing guests their playful and cub-like spirit on the Kilimanjaro Safaris.
These majestic and curious cats are exploring their new habitat just weeks before The Walt Disney Studios’ newest live action film, Mufasa: The Lion King, will debut on the big screen, sharing the power of nature with millions of viewers around the world. This inspiration will extend beyond the theater, reaching the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and energizing a deeper connection to the wild. The film highlights the importance of preserving the natural habitats that lions, like Mufasa, call home.
As part of Disney’s ongoing conservation efforts and in celebration of Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King opening exclusively in theaters on December 20, we’re proud to relaunch the global “Protect the Pride” conservation campaign to support the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) and LRF’s partners working across Africa to double the number of lions in the wild by 2050.
Learn more about Disney’s commitment to “Protect the Pride” at Disney.com/MufasaProtectThePride because when we protect lions, we protect the circle of life.
Mshango, Zahara, and Neema represent an important part of the future of the lion population. In time, they could breed with members of another pride as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is designed to ensure the responsible breeding and genetic diversity of animal populations, many of which are threatened or endangered in the wild.
As they make their new home around the kopjes rocks on Kilimanjaro Safaris, we look forward to sharing more of their adventures and their lives on the savanna.
For the latest updates on the new arrivals and all the animals at Walt Disney World Resort, follow Dr. Mark on Instagram and Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Facebook page.
And in true Disney Live-Action Remake fashion, I’m sure there’ll be a line in the Mufasa movie credits that thanks the local African poachers for donating these lions to their theme park.
Because actual wild animals just sitting out in the wild make for far more interesting storytelling than modern-day remakes
Some dumb predator licking itself for an hour is far more entertaining at this point.
What a lame, derivative scene of that dumb lion basically ‘falling’ not jumping. When did dummy disney think it wise to parrot their famous cartoons into lame live adaptations with people that despise the source? What a horribly, inept run Congolese by that weak iger dude.
Conglomerate.