LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (PRNewswire) – Scientists from Conservation International (CI) and Disney's Ani-mal Kingdom found a vast array of exotic wildlife – including plant and animal species previously unknown to science – during a two-month expedition to little-known regions in the shadow of Mount Everest. The discover-ies and observations announced today, coincident with opening of the Expedition Everest attraction at Walt Disney World Resort, included:
• a giant hornet so deadly, locals call it the 'Yak Killer';
• a beetle that buries birds and small rodents in subterranean crypts to feed its offspring;
• an endangered jumping mouse;
• and several new species of amphibians, insects and ants.
The scientific journey into the mountains of Southwest China and Nepal also included Walt Disney Imagineer-ing representatives who researched cultural beliefs related to the legend of the Yeti, a creature whose tradi-tional role as "protector of the sacred" has been integral to conservation in the region. Those beliefs inspired the story of Expedition Everest – which includes selected findings from the two-month expedition as part of the experience. Additionally, Jeff Corwin, host of Corwin's Quest, documented the Nepal expedition for broadcast on a special edition of his show "Corwin's Quest: Realm of the Yeti," premiering Saturday, April 15, from 8-10 PM (ET/PT) on Discovery's Animal Planet. The team of international and local scientists also documented a significant number of new, rare and endangered species – lending further proof to the importance of Tibetan 'Sacred Lands' as a source of environmental protection in the face of increasing population pressures. A select team from the mission also had the thrill of observing the world's only fully habituated troop of golden monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana), which is the region's largest living primate and the country's No. 2 flagship species after the giant panda. The full results from the expedition will be shared with numerous entities, such as the Chinese government, environmental organizations and scientists to develop conservation strategies to protect the unique species of the region. Joining CI, Disney, and Discovery were a number of local partners including the Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Sichuan Regional Forestry Department, and The Mountain Institute in Nepal. Funding for the expedition was generously provided by Disney Wildlife Con-servation Fund (DWCF) and the Walt Disney Company.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment