Animal Kingdom Youngsters – Part 1

Hello. I am Sharon Sipple and have been doing photography for over 20 years. My specialties are entertainment and animals.

I am an avid Disney fan and travel to the World about 4 times each year. During each trip, I end up spending a majority of my time in Animal Kingdom. It is a fascinating place, being that every visit is different. On my most recent trip, I worked with Deb to cover the D23 Flowers and Fireworks event and the Polynesian Luau.

Sharon Sipple

Deb asked if I would be willing to share some of my animal pictures with everyone. We thought it would be fun to share pictures of some of the younger members of the Animal Kingdom family. Over the last 2 years, there have been at least 7 babies born at Animal Kingdom. So let’s get started….

Black and White Colobus Monkeys

This group of monkeys are found just inside the entrance to Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. Their diet consists of leaves, buds, seeds and fruit and in the wild (Kenya) are found mostly in trees. They are hunted for their fur, but today, their existence is more threatened by the destruction of forests. Unlike other monkeys, Colobus monkeys have no thumb. (You can read more in the Press Release issued when the baby was born.)

At birth, the Colobus monkey is all white and they get their black color later on. The two photographs below are the same infant, one taken March 2009, the other in August 2009.

The first photo was taken March 2009.

Black and White Colobus Monkey
Canon50D, ISO 200, 1/80 sec, F9, 300mm, +.3EV

The next photo was taken in August 2009.

Black and White Colobus Monkey
Canon 50D, ISO 1000, 1/160 sec, F5.6, 375mm, +1.7EV

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White Rhinoceros

The white rhinos can be found on the Kilimanjaro Safari ride.

These photographs are of the now, 6 month old, baby white rhino who was born Sunday, Jan. 17. The mother, Kendi, is an 11-year-old white rhino, who gave birth to her third baby after a 16-month gestation period.

The baby is the eighth white rhino born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom; her mother, Kendi, was the first. (Read more in the Press Release issued when the baby was born.)

A few interesting facts (Field Guide to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park):
The white rhinoceros is not white at all but slate gray to yellow brown.
They can weigh between 4,000 and 4,500 pounds!
The white rhino can ward off any predator, except for humans.
They feed mainly on grasses.

These photographs are from May 2010.

white rhino
Canon 7D ISO 800, 1/400 sec, F7.1, 115mm

white rhino
Canon 7D ISO 800, 1/400 sec, F7.1, 210mm

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White-cheeked Gibbon

The white-cheeked gibbons are located in Asia, just outside the Kali River Rapids.

This endangered white-cheeked gibbon was born Feb. 2. The male and his mother, Melaka, are bonding well according to the animal experts who oversee the daily care of primates. You can see him and his baby’s two sisters, Suki and Tuyen, in their habitat.

One fascinating fact about these animals are the way they change color. Adult males are black with white cheeks and adult females are a light tan/gold color with a patch of black on the top of their head. However, when both male and females are infants, they are the light tan color of the mother. Around six months, they both turn black, like the males. Then, when the female reaches maturity, she turns back to the light tan/gold color. (Read more in the Press Release issued when the baby was born.)

The first three photographs were taken March 2010.

White-cheeked Gibbon
Canon 50D, ISO 400, 1/320 sec, F7.1, 310mm, +.3EV

White-cheeked Gibbon
Canon 50D, ISO 400, 1/320 sec, F5.6, 400mm, +.7EV

White-cheeked Gibbon
Canon 50D, ISO 400, 1/320 sec, F7.1, 400mm, +.3EV

The following photos were taken in May 2010.

White-cheeked Gibbon
Canon 7D ISO 1000, 1/250 sec, F10, 400mm

White-cheeked Gibbon
Canon 7D ISO 1000, 1/250 sec, F9, 330mm

White-cheeked Gibbon
Canon 7D ISO 640, 1/200 sec, f8, 310mm

White-cheeked Gibbon
Canon 7D ISO 640, 1/200 sec, F6.3, 400mm

I hope you enjoyed this blog on Animal Kingdom Youngsters. Feel free to leave your comments below! Be sure and check back tomorrow for Part 2 of my blog, Animal Kingdom Youngsters!

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9 Replies to “Animal Kingdom Youngsters – Part 1”

  1. I think you are a professional photographer and you take pictures in a very good way. Only a specialize person can do that where you got education for photography.

  2. Thank you Lisa. I too love the animals and hope that my pictures will inspire others to realize what a treasure they are!

  3. These are such great shots! I too love to travel to Animal Kingdom, we find it most enjoyable every time we go. Love seeing your photos though it adds such a different perspective, some of those newest members are just precious!

  4. Hi Sharon,

    Just wanted to let you know I really enjoyed your blog and all of your photos. I’ve vacationed to Disney at least once a year since I was four, so it was no wonder that now that I’m 20, I’ve moved down here and am currently a safari driver at the Animal Kingdom. My passion is these animals and helping to save them. Disney is playing a huge role in this- from transporting two white rhinos to the Ziwa Sanctuary in Uganda where one gave birth to the first baby rhino on the reserve in 28 years, to raising funds through Disney’s World Wildlife Fund helping to protect animals around the world. Keep up your blog, I’ll be back to read it again and again 🙂

    From another super Disney fan,
    Lisa Murray

  5. You will love the Wildlife Discovery Tour. I have done it many times and gotten some wonderful pictures on it. It’s a great way to get to see the animals really close and for a little longer than on the regular safari!
    Sharon

  6. Love your photos, Sharon. Your blog is great and I love the composition of your shots – especially the one of Mother & Baby Gibbon traversing the rope. Looking forward to more!
    Jeff

  7. great pictures! I too, love the AK, it is my favorite park. I love to go and watch the gorillas. This August I am taking my two grandchildren on the Wildlife Discovery Tour! It is a surprise and I can’t wait to see how much they enjoy it.

  8. Loved your blog and I can’t wait to read on tomorrow! Thx for the details in the writing and in the pictures. Amazing.