There’s a new pride on the savanna, sitting atop the highest point, overlooking the lush sun-kissed Harambe Wildlife Reserve at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
Meet siblings Mshango, Zahara, and Neema, three lions bringing their vibrant energy as they join the savanna this week. These young and regal lions are already making their roars heard and showing guests their playful and cub-like spirit on the Kilimanjaro Safaris.
These majestic and curious cats are exploring their new habitat just weeks before The Walt Disney Studios’ newest live-action film, Mufasa: The Lion King, will debut on the big screen, sharing the power of nature with millions of viewers around the world. This inspiration will extend beyond the theater, reaching the savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and energizing a deeper connection to the wild. The film highlights the importance of preserving the natural habitats that lions, like Mufasa, call home.
As part of Disney’s ongoing conservation efforts and in celebration of Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King opening exclusively in theaters on December 20, we’re proud to relaunch the global “Protect the Pride” conservation campaign to support the Wildlife Conservation Network’s Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) and LRF’s partners working across Africa to double the number of lions in the wild by 2050.
Mshango, Zahara, and Neema represent an important part of the future of the lion population. In time, they could breed with members of another pride as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP), which is designed to ensure the responsible breeding and genetic diversity of animal populations, many of which are threatened or endangered in the wild.
Clint Gamache is the owner of ThrillGeek. He started ThrillGeek to share his love of theme/amusement parks and pop culture with the world. You can find him at Halloween Horror Nights. Also, be sure to follow him on Twitter @iamcg83