ORLANDO, Fla. — Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge is welcoming a new endangered animal to its herd.
An addax named Julien was recently born just in time to celebrate Mother's Day. The animal was born to mom Juniper and dad Allen. In a press release, the resort said Juniper was born in 2021, but her mother passed away during the birth due to complications.
Her story "defies the odds" as keepers and animal care experts helped raise her. Two years later, she gave birth to her first calf.
"Both Juniper and Julien have been nursing, nuzzling and bonding in a backstage area ahead of Julien’s debut on the savanna," the release said.
What is an addax?
An addax is an antelope known for its long twisted horns. They are a rare sight since there are only 100 left in the wild. The species is critically endangered and faces threats from hunting, droughts and oil and gas drilling.
They are non-aggressive making them easy targets for hunters, according to the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Disney is just one of the 21 accredited places that have an addax and it's one of the few places in the world where they can be spotted outside of the Saharan desert in Africa.
How to help the species
According to the Smithsonian, there's a few things you can do to help protect addaxes:
- Avoid animal-skin products
- Support, visit or volunteer with organizations that protect wildlife
- Check the conservation status of the animals you hunt and use methods that don't impact other animals
- Fundraise for conservation organizations
- Consume less to save resources.
