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It ’ s easy to assume the Tree of Life is modeled after the baobab tree , a tree native to Africa , because it ties into Disney ’ s Animal Kingdom and its various lands nicely . However , Imagineers chose this tree because it literally provides life to species of all kinds . The fruit and bark of the tree can be used in more than 300 life-sustaining ways . Plus , the baobab is highly adaptable : It can absorb and store water , survive dry seasons and droughts , and help maintain the soil in Africa ’ s ecosystem .
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While every Walt Disney World park icon is stunning , the Tree of Life is a bit different from the rest . It ’ s the shortest of all four icons , at “ only ” 145 feet ( or 14 stories ) tall ; Cinderella Castle , Spaceship Earth , and the Hollywood Tower Hotel all stand 189 feet or taller . The tree is also the only icon that you can ’ t see from the front of the park ; you ’ ll have a bit of a walk until you spot the sprawling branches and towering tree clearly . It ’ s cleverly hidden by other trees along the way .
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Speaking of those carved animals , Imagineers had to work fast to get each one completed . Sculptors created the animals in plaster , which meant they had limited time before their “ canvas ” dried and hardened into a cementlike solid form — anywhere from five to eight hours total to create and finish each animal .
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If you ’ re wondering which animals scattered across the tree are still around today and which are extinct , here ’ s a tip : The “ older ” animals sit at the bottom of the tree . Take your time to walk around the entirety of the Tree of Life and examine the deadwood roots , and you ’ ll notice this is where dinosaurs of different species are carved ( along with other extinct members of the animal kingdom .) Circle the whole tree , as there are quite a few now-gone animals you won ’ t want to miss — and underneath the tree , you ’ ll even find “ fossils ” of some extinct species carved into the walls along the pathways circling this landmark .
The Tree of Life is covered in carvings that represent 337 different existing and extinct animals , but one animal is something of a late addition . When Jane Goodall visited the park during the construction phase , she discovered there was no chimpanzee represented on the tree . So , Imagineers added one in — one that looks like one of Goodall ’ s best-known subjects , David Graybeard . You ’ ll find him at the bottom of the tree , in the roots , located near the entrance to It ’ s Tough to Be a Bug !
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Wish you had a guide to the trunk and roots of the Tree of Life so you could identify ( and easily find ) every one of the animals carved into its exterior ? Unfortunately , no such guide exists . Disney keeps the exact animal breakdown slightly vague , and there ’ s no complete list of all of the live and extinct animals depicted there . Plus , the animals can change and the tree can “ grow ” with the addition of new animals over time ( for example , the tree saw more animals added in 2015 ).
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You won ’ t find plastic straws , cups , lids , or balloons inside Animal Kingdom , but you will find plastic on the Tree of Life . The multicolored leaves that create the tree ’ s expansive canopy are actually made of plastic . However , it ’ s a special kind of plastic — a thermoplastic called Kynar — that ’ s used to create the roughly 103,000 leaves you see overhead . These plastic leaves are pretty advanced , thanks to LED lights added for Tree of Life Awakenings in 2016 .
8A new cast of animals is about to take up residence inside the Tree of Life . While It ’ s Tough to be a Bug ! has been a staple inside the Animal Kingdom landmark since it first opened , Disney revealed at Destination D23 in September 2023 that the bugs are packing up and moving on . A new show featuring the characters of Zootopia will take over the Tree of Life Theater in the years ahead . Details are still to come , along with an official closing date for It ’ s Tough to Be a Bug !, so there ’ s time to catch one more show on your next visit .
Imagineers modeled the Tree of Life after a baobab tree . PHOTO BY CJ AYD