New African Painted Dog Joins Kilimanjaro Safaris
The Kilimanjaro Safaris savanna just gained another resident. Disney announced that a new African painted dog has joined the pack at Animal Kingdom.
“Everyone say hi to Prospect! Our newest African painted dog male has joined the pack and is making himself right at home on the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.”
Animal Kingdom’s painted dogs were featured during the second season of Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Disney+. The episode highlighted just how endangered the species is, with fewer than 1,700 adults remaining in the wild.
It also taught us about the hierarchy within a painted dog pack. You might finish the episode feeling a little sad for Hugo, the exact opposite of an alpha dog. But he’s cool.
Painted dogs are often mistaken for hyenas. Ride Kilimanjaro Safaris enough, and you’ll inevitably hear someone say, “Oh, look at the hyenas!” But the two animals are quite different. As the name suggests, painted dogs are canines. Hyenas belong to the Feliformia suborder, which also includes cats and mongooses.
Why am I talking about hyenas and Disney+ shows? Because Disney gave us a one-sentence social media post. I had to vamp a little.
Anyway, go watch the episode.
Read more: Watch Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Before Your Next Disney World Vacation
