Discovery Island

[Birdman7487]

Since theres a thread about now closed facilities, has anyone here been to or know anything about Disney's Discovery Island which closed in 99?

 

[Ituri]

I went back in 1995. It had a nice little collection of mostly birds and a few small mammals and reptiles. There was a large walk-through aviary with the largest group of scarlet ibis I'd ever seen. I think there were maras and muntjacs and maybe some small marmoset type monkeys as well.

 

[zooman]

Since theres a thread about now closed facilities, has anyone here been to or know anything about Disney's Discovery Island which closed in 99?

This place was mentioned in another thread. Aparentley it was more a holding facility DAK. So when DAK was up and runing this place was no longer required. This coould all be wrong but it sounds right

 

[redpanda]

This place was mentioned in another thread. Aparentley it was more a holding facility DAK. So when DAK was up and runing this place was no longer required. This coould all be wrong but it sounds right

I wrote a bit about this facility on the closed zoos thread. In the latter years it was used as a holding facility for DAK but before that it was a park in its self and has been open since the 1970s. After the opening of DAK it closed (in 1999) as Disney no longer needed the smaller attraction.

The park was a lot like the Oasis at DAK. There were mara, muntjac and marmosets there, ituri, and 16 of that flock of ibis made up DAKs population. It is also interesting to note that the main area of DAK - where the tree of life is - had its name changed from safari village to discovery island when the other attraction closed.

BTW, orange band, the last ever dusky seaside sparrow, died at discovery island on June 18 1987 after repeated attempts to save the species failed.

 

[okapikpr]

Here is a much better explination of the old Discovery Island
Widen Your World - Treasure Island / Discovery Island

And for those who have never been...travel back in time via Youtube:
YouTube - Vanished World of Disney 7 - Discovery Island

Species housed at Discovery Island (at one time or another):

Golden Lion Tamarin
Muntjac
Patagonian Cavy
Ring Tailed Lemur

Australian Brush Turkey
Bald Eagle
Black Swan
Brown Pelican
Caribbean Flamingo
Crowned Crane
Demoiselle Crane
Great Hornbill
Green Aracari
Hyacinth Macaw
King Vulture
Kookaburra
Maguari Stork (the 1st facility to successfully hatch one in N America)
Sandhill Crane
Sarus Crane
Scarlet Ibis
Toco Toucan
Trumpeter Swan

American Alligator
Galapagos Tortoise

Over the years, Discovery Island had two special programs on the property. The quotes are taken from old Discovery Island maps.

Capuchin Monkeys - 1988

"Organ Grinder" monkeys, also called Capuchin monkeys, may become special helpers for thousands of physically disabled persons. Because of the scarcity of these valuable and intelligent animals, Discovery Island has created a special breeding colony. Each year 40 baby monkeys from this colony will go to quadriplegic recipients following 2.5 years in a foster home and special training by the "Helping Hands" organization at Boston University.

Dusky Seaside Sparrow - 1983

"Now there is involvement in a project that will determine the life or death of an endangered species: the Dusky Seaside Sparrow. Through enroachment of their natural habitat, there are only 5 of these small Florida eastcoast birds left alive, all males. Undertaking a revolutionary project, Discovery Island, along with the Florida Audubon Society, the US Department of Interior, and other scientists, is attempting to save the birds by interbreeding them with a close relative, the Scott's Seaside Sparrow. The delicat process of interbreeding is highly controversial and filled with dangers, however, the chance of saving the Duskies far outweighs the risks. Disney Animal Care Specialists will continue the interbreeding over the years, and hope to produce a bird that highly resembles the Dusky Seaside Sparrow in appearance, and is approximately 97% genetically pure.

You can see the display area specially constructed for the Dusky Seaside Sparrows and observe the last of an endangered population, along with man's efforts to save it. The Dusky project wil require years of intensive work before success or failure can be determined. In the meantime, a species once thought doomed to extinction will have a second chance at life on Earth.

 

[kiang]

i think i read somewhere that collared lemur and fishing cat were also in the collection

 

[DavidBrown]

Here's a new article on Discovery Island. It looks like it was a pleasant little zoo once they cleaned out the idiots that were killing the vultures and raptors in the late 1980s. Mary Healy, the former director of Discovery Island, is now the director of the Sacramento Zoo.

Rediscover Disney's Discovery Island - Blogs - MiceChat

 

[elefante]

We visited Discovery Island on our family vacation to Disney World in 1994. I think I built up the place in my mind more but it was still pretty nice. I was only 13 so I don't remember the layout specifically, but I remember mostly birds. The ones I remember seeing were flamingos (no idea what species) black-necked swans (first time I'd seen them) scarlet ibises, peacocks (mostly white, only one normal-colored one) the biggest trumpeter swan I had ever seen, a bald eagle we could approach and a blue and gold macaw with down that had some of the blue and gold feathers growing in. I also remember maras and seeing a black lemur vomit. I also remember Galapagos tortoises Here is an interesting link:

Blogger Rediscovers Closed Disney Attraction - Theme Parks News Story - WESH Orlando