Happy Earth Month! As we celebrate our planet and all its creatures, let’s take a closer look at the rhino health project at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. So, wait, the rhinos at Animal Kingdom wear fitness watches? Yes, you read that right!
In an effort to better understand the health and behavior of rhinos, Disney’s Animal Kingdom implemented a program that uses activity trackers similar to fitness watches that measure our workouts. These trackers measure a rhino’s heart rate, body fat percentage, behavior and activity, as well as track their movement throughout the day.
The activity monitor has an accelerometer that measures forward, up-and-down, and side-to-side movement. With the activity monitor, researchers can track when the rhinos lay down, how many steps they take, how fast they walk or run, and even when rolling around in mud!
This program is a collaboration project with multiple facilities. Disney’s Animal Kingdom hopes to eventually have all North American Rhino facilities participate in the activation monitor. The data collected from these trackers will help scientists and researchers better understand these animals’ behavior and how they behave across different types of habitats and facilities. This innovation is from scratch and is the first time that this type of information has been collected on rhinos.
The data collected from the trackers will provide unprecedented insight into rhino behavior and help researchers and scientists develop new strategies for protecting these animals in the wild. Disney’s Animal Kingdom should be commended for their commitment to conservation and innovative approach to improving the health and well-being of Earth’s magnificent creatures!
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How are you celebrating Earth Month?
