Adult cotton-tops reach an average weight of only 1 pound .
Baby Mine How Disney Cares for Newborn Animals , Big and Small
BY BROOKE MCDONALD
The circle of life keeps Walt Disney World ’ s Animal Care team busy — often around the clock — preparing for and supporting the safe , healthy births of hundreds of animals every year . And with more than 5,000 animals across 300-plus different species , no two pregnancies , births , or newborn needs are the same . From Puerto Rican crested toads , which can lay up to 15,000 eggs , to tiny cotton-top tamarins smaller than the palm of a human hand , to a newborn elephant weighing 218 pounds at birth after 22 months of gestation , the Animal Care team has to be ready to support a staggering range of environments and scenarios .
But while the skills and talents of this top-notch team of keepers , veterinarians , and endocrinologists cannot be overstated , the real beauty of what they do is actually what they don ’ t do . As much as possible , these experts take a hands-off approach , minimizing human interference and allowing the animals to do what they were born to do .
Adult cotton-tops reach an average weight of only 1 pound .