Back in December, we reported that a brand-new Animal Ambassador program would be coming to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, one that would feature two veteran donkeys from Rafiki’s Planet Watch, which is currently under “extensive refurbishment.” Well, today we got a first look at the Animal Ambassador donkeys’ debut!
Jack and Jill are two miniature donkeys that have called Disney’s Animal Kingdom home ever since the park opened in 1998. They’re 22 years old! They used to live at the Rafiki’s Planet Watch Affection Section, but now currently meet by Planet Watch’s old entrance, which is currently used as a Wilderness Explorer badge station. Animal encounters here take place every half hour.
The goal is to train them to walk through Africa and pause at the cotton top tamarins on Discovery Island. Donkeys in Colombia help in the replanting of forests where cotton tops live, and Jack and Jill will wear packs similar to their South American counterparts to help share this story with Guests.
Here’s a video of the donkeys in their big, post-Planet Watch debut:
Will you be passing by to pet these cuties?
Gotta admit, this was not the donkey show I was expecting to see….
I know! It’s even better than anything I’d imagined…