The only thing more wonderful (or maybe just as wonderful) as human babies are furry, fluffy and even slightly awkward animal babies. If you are like me and you live for the YouTube and social media sites like the Dodo, the first thing you do before making a trip to Animal Kingdom is search ‘new babies at Animal Kingdom’. I can still remember the first time I saw the sweet, and  very new, baby hippo Augustus back in February of 2018. He was brand new to the world and was enjoying the attention of the safari guests as they oohed and ahhed over his adorable little ogre ears and sweet little face. During our safari, Gus stayed close to his mom but poked his head out of the water, eating up all the fuss that was so obviously over him! 

Animal Kingdom has always been about new beginnings and discovering not only our place in this world, but our obligation to protect vulnerable and even endangered species from any harm that may come their way. Part of that protection is responsible breeding for the purpose of preservation. Disney has certainly been doing their part to ensure many of these beautiful species necessary to our ecosystem continue to thrive, and in doing so are giving us all the warm fuzzy feels! Here are a few of the baby animals that have been born in Animal Kingdom since the beginning of the year.

Just getting her safari legs

You may have heard about the baby Zebra born in Animal Kingdom back in January to mama Prima. This babe is quite a huge deal as he is no ordinary Zebra – he was actually the park’s first Hartmann’s Zebra foal! The Hartmann’s Zebra is a vulnerable species so, needless to say, the first of its kind to be bred at Animal Kingdom is an outstanding accomplishment for the entire species. And speaking of standing, this little guy was wobbling around  on his own within just 30 minutes. 

But mama Prima hasn’t been the only proud zebra mama of 2020. First time mom, Heidi, also a Hartmann’s Zebra, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on March 21st. They are enjoying plenty of bonding, nursing, cuddles and naps before being introduced to their new family on the safari. I bet the gang can’t wait to meet the newest princess!

Prickly but cute

There are so many cute things about a baby porcupine I don’t even know where to begin. For starters, a baby porcupine is called a porcupette. And while they might look a little stand-off-ish given their prickly exterior, their little faces are mesmerizing. Cuteness overload!  But perhaps most adorable of all is that there was a new little gal (yep, a DNA quill test confirmed she’s a girl!) born in Disney’s Animal Kingdom on February 25th of this year. But this isn’t her mom, Peri’s, first claim to fame. She was featured undergoing an ultrasound on One Day at Disney on the streaming channel Disney+! I guess it’s never too early to get your little one prepared for the spotlight!

Monkey business

One of my favorite things to see at Animal Kingdom are the monkeys in Asia swinging from vine to vine and making those adorably curious noises. Some of us might say that some monkeys are so funny looking they are cute, while others (yours truly) will just deem them all adorable. Whatever your opinion, I think we can all agree that the new baby monkey born back in January at Animal Kingdom is a furry ball of adorable-ness. Baby Douglas was born on January 15th to his proud mama, Zahra. His older sister Alika is a couple years older, being born in 2018, and she can’t wait to quite literally show him the ropes! 

I think we can all agree that anything in baby form is adorable, but nothing is quite as cute as a baby animal, fuzzy as ever, clinging tight to mama until they get the hang of the big beautiful world. When I first started frequenting Disney, I was hesitant to visit Animal Kingdom as the idea of animals in cages and boundaries was heartbreaking to me. But Animal Kingdom is not a zoo, it is truly a place of hope and preservation for species of animals that are so vital to our planet. The birth of an animal at Disney is so much more than it’s overwhelming cuteness (although that is significant!), it represents a fresh start and the conservation of beloved species the world might be without if it weren’t for the selfless cast members and countless folks who dedicate their lives to these precious animals.