KISSIMMEE, Fla. — You might think the only way to see elephants at Animal Kingdom is by riding on the park's Kilimanjaro Safari ride, but it’s not.
People can sign up online for their Care for Giants ($39 per person) experience that allows them to go behind the scenes and watch and learn about elephants.
Corra, a 2-month-old African elephant, was born at the park and is the first second-generation elephant in Animal Kingdom history, and who is now visible to people.
Animal Care Manager Elizabeth Warncke was on hand a few weeks ago as experts released Corra into the more public area of the park.
“It’s a very new area for her. So, you saw her exploring her habitat, and it was great to watch,” said Warncke.
During the Care for Giants experience, visitors can take time to watch, photograph, study and learn their behaviors, much like the park’s animal experts.
“So, with elephant Nadirah, (mother to Corra) we were monitoring her reproductive levels from the day she conceived all the way to the day she gave birth. It was over a 639 days gestation,” said endocrinologist Samantha Shablin.
Shablin has been monitoring mother Nadirah since her pregnancy began two years ago.
“I think my favorite part about this job specifically to be one of the first people to know when an animal is pregnant,” said Shablin.
Shablin does her work at Rafiki's Planet Watch and Conservation Station, another location within Animal Kingdom.
The station is (separate from Care for Giants) where people can observe veterinarians providing animal care through a glass window.
“They are able to get up close and personal with the animals and learn from a very experienced members from one of our teams and learn about their day to day lives,” said Shablin.
The Care for Giants program is a 60-minute experience and is separate from a normal park entrance fee.
The cost is $39 per person plus tax.
Reservations are made online at the Walt Disney World website.