10 Scandals Disney REALLY Wants You To Forget
3. The Controversial Opening Of The Animal Kingdom
The roasted duck debacle isn’t the only fauna related fiasco
in Disney’s murky history. Back before the most recent addition to Florida’s
Walt Disney World roster of theme parks opened its gates in 1998, Animal
Kingdom was already ruffling the feathers of the likes of PETA and it turned
out their concerns were totally justified.
Although it was conceived as a haven mimicking captive wild animals’ natural environments (albeit with rollercoasters and other such rides) that would promote animal conservation, Animal Kingdom was ironically responsible for a number of animal deaths – 31 to be precise – in the lead up to its grand opening.
Among the animal victims were four cheetah cubs who succumbed after ingesting a toxic chemical and two West African crowned cranes that were run over by park vehicles although an official investigation into the deaths cleared Disney of any deliberate wrongdoing.
Today Animal Kingdom is one of Walt Disney World’s most popular attractions but its ethics remain just as questionable – just a few years ago it was named the 10th worst zoo for elephants in North America by animal rights group In Defence of Animals. What would Dumbo think?