Baby Ankole Calf Born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, First in 20 Years

Written by Joshua Posted March 10th, 2026

You know we have a soft spot for animal babies around here. So yes, we’re a little too excited to report that Walt Disney World’s animal family has grown by one. An Ankole cattle recently gave birth to a female calf named Winnie at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

This is the first Ankole cattle birth at Walt Disney World in more than 20 years, which means this little one is already kind of a big deal. For now, she and her mom will be hanging backstage before making their way out to the Lodge’s savanna.

An Ankole cattle calf standing in her backstage home at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge — Copyright Disney

Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President of Disney’s Animals, Science & Environment, shared the news on Instagram this morning:

“Exciting herd update! 🐮 Winnie, one of our Ankole cattle, welcomed the first Ankole calf born at Walt Disney World in over 20 years. The female calf and her mother are in good health and will spend some time bonding behind the scenes before heading onto the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.”

Guests will have to wait a bit to spot the calf out on the savanna. But when she does make her debut, I’m sure she’ll be hearing plenty of, “Aww! Look at the baby cow!”