In honor of the Orange Bird, who was recently returned to his home in Adventureland, and in celebration of Animal Kingdom’s birthday, today I want to talk about birds. Specifically what happens when one of them drops a gift on you.

I am such a sap when it comes to any and all animals. Thus my obsession with posting about them here on the photoblog when I have the chance. Just last week we got to see Lily, the baby gorilla, on the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail and it was fantastic to see her out and about.

Last week we showed you how the student researchers studied the Okapi in the Harambe Wildlife Reserve (also known as the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail). Today we’re taking a photo tour of their other research pieces found along the trail.

Of all our many trips through the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, we’ve never had an experience around the hippos as we did in November. We came up to the underwater viewing area just in time to see one of the beautiful hippos moseying around the area and finally diving into the water. See photo and video on the blog.

Over the past few months there have been some new additions to the families inside the Animal Kingdom. The elephant family and the gorilla family have welcomed sweet babies into their world and now visitors can enjoy watching the miracle of an animal family in person.