Adorable Baby Hedgehogs Born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom

In 1998, Animal Kingdom Park opened at Walt Disney World Resort — which taught Guests all about conservation and how to protect the animals that inhabit the surrounding land. Conservation has always been important at Disney, with Walt Disney himself famously saying, “Conservation isn’t just the business of a few people. It’s a matter that concerns all of us.”

Since its opening, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and its talented team of veterinarians and zoologists have worked with other conservation groups to increase the animal populations, bringing some back from the brink of extinction or endangerment.

Credit: Disney

It is always time to celebrate when new animals are born at Walt Disney World Resort, and the vets at Animal Kingdom have announced the birth of seven Lesser Madagascar Tenrec Hedgehogs. Dr. Mark Penning — Vice President of Disney’s Animal, Science, and Environment — announced the births on Instagram.

Oh, baby! 🍼 Not just one, but SEVEN! 🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔

Mom, Glitter Toaster Strudel, gave birth to seven lesser Madagascar tenrec hedgehogs at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

The babies remain backstage at Rafiki’s Planet Watch spending time with mom and dad!

#DidYouKnow: The sex of tenrec hedgehogs is unknown until they are around two months old? To help identify them, their care team uses a small dab of animal-safe paint on each of their backs.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Dr. Mark Penning (@drmarkatdisney)

The birth of these adorable hedgehogs is only the latest in a number of exciting births in the last year. Disney’s Animal Kingdom has also celebrated the births of several rare white rhinos — Disney is hard at work on increasing white rhino numbers — as well as a hippopotamus, a giraffe calf, as well as a mandrill monkey. 

Credit: Dr. Mark Penning

In addition to working on increasing populations of at-risk species like white rhinos, Disney’s conservation team is also working on protecting butterflies, cranes, elephants, gorillas, sea turtles, and coral reefs. 

You can read more about Disney’s conservation efforts by clicking here.