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Did you know that Disney’s Animal Kingdom has these 8 endangered species?

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is home to 300 different animal species. Of these hundreds of different species, 8 are currently endangered species. Recently, the Disney Parks Blog shared a look at these animals. They can be seen below.

1. Painted Dog

A painted dog, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

At Disney’s Animal Kingdom we have six painted dogs on the African savannahs. Right now you can catch “The Brothers” (Oswald and Hugo) on Kilimanjaro Safaris and even on the streaming “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” on Disney+.

A painted dog, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Painted dogs are known for being hierarchical and our pack is no different as Oswald leads the group. Meanwhile, his brother Hugo, who is the most submissive of the group, is known as a lover.

A painted dog, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

If you would like to help protect the painted dog population, you are encouraged to visit local and national parks, AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums, and adopt an animal supported by a nonprofit organization.

2. African elephant

African elephants, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

For many of you, seeing the endangered African elephants is a favorite part of a visit to Kilimanjaro Safaris. If you’ve been to Disney’s Animal Kingdom recently, you may have even gotten a special look at five-month-old Corra and mom Nadirah!

African elephants, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Both Nadirah and Corra were born at Animal Kingdom, making Corra the first second-generation elephant in the park’s history. Corra has many familiar faces in her flock, as she is joined by her aunts and grandma Donna on the savannah. The adorable five-month-old baby loves exploring, splashing around and discovering new ways to use her trunk.

You can help protect elephants by buying eco-friendly, wildlife-friendly items and joining a conservation group.

3. Western lowland gorilla

A western lowland gorilla, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

At Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail you can see two dynamic troops of endangered western lowland gorillas. 40-year-old Gino has lived in the Animal Kingdom since opening day and leads the troupe.

A western lowland gorilla, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

He is accompanied by nine-year-old half-brothers Corey and Flint. Although they may be related and only three weeks apart, these two have unique personalities. Corey is a ball of energy who loves making rain angels and practicing his sliding skills. And Flint is on the quieter side and likes green beans.

A western lowland gorilla, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Gorillas are highly dependent on forests for their survival. Trees are often cut down to extract minerals for the production of electronics. By recycling electronics you can help reduce the number of trees being cut down and preserve gorilla habitat.

4. Komodo dragon

A Komodo dragon, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

When you turn the first corner of Maharajah Jungle Trek at Animal Kingdom, you may encounter the endangered Komodo dragon Sheldon. The ranger team continually gives Sheldon new enrichment and training challenges because he discovers them so quickly.

Often misunderstood, Komodo dragons help the ecosystem by controlling the populations of their prey. So make sure you share this with your friends to help these big reptiles.

5. Okapi

An okapi, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

If you’ve hiked the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail or enjoyed the view of Pembe Savanna at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, you may have seen the giraffe’s rare cousin, the okapi. Here you can spot some shy and elusive explorers, such as Olivia, or Elijah and his mother Zelda.

Olivia is a 10-year-old okapi born at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Although sweet potatoes are one of her favorite things to eat, she is known for her sweet personality.

An okapi, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

To help support the endangered okapi population, you can support a conservation organization and purchase sustainable products that use recycled paper.

6. Giant tortoise from the Galapagos

A giant Galapagos tortoise, one of 8 endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

And the next time you walk around the park’s iconic Tree of Life, you might want to check out Discovery Island’s “monsters.” Dracula, Mummy, Frankenstein and Creature make up our group of terrifyingly slow giant tortoises from the Galapagos.

A giant Galapagos tortoise, one of 8 endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Although they are all only twelve years old, making them too young to identify their gender, they all have different personality traits. Dracula may prefer neck scratches and Creature loves food more than anything. You can see Frankenstein moving his bottom to make sure the caregivers get the right scratching spot and mom has the most attitude despite being the smallest.

You can help turtles by planting native plants in your garden. Native plants help keep out invasive plants that harm animals like turtles.

7. Sumatran tiger

A Sumatran tiger, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

The jungle’s most powerful predator, the endangered Sumatran tiger, roams the Maharajah Jungle Trek at Animal Kingdom.

Sohni, the Sumatran tiger, is a strong-willed, independent female. She loves to play by dragging large barrels around. And Conrad, a male, loves his enrichment activities in the pool and never misses his afternoon cat naps.

A Sumatran tiger, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Like other species mentioned here, tigers live in the forest, so you can help by using double-sided recycling and printing to help protect their habitats.

8. Vietnam pheasant

A Vietnam pheasant, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

On Maharajah Jungle Trek at Animal Kingdom you can find a group of stylish Vietnam pheasants. These colorful, endangered birds have bright red skin around their eyes that glow like the sunset.

This beautiful species can help control small animal populations, so limit or reduce the use of pesticides to protect plants and animals like these.

A Vietnam pheasant, one of eight endangered species at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

These are just 8 of the 5,000 animals found throughout the Walt Disney World Resort that veterinarians, zookeepers and teams continue to care for on a regular basis. What do you think of these 8? Did you know about them and did you know they were endangered species? Have you seen them all? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!

The six-day second ECOWAS Extraordinary Parliament begins in Kano on Monday

The second extraordinary session of the sixth legislature of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament begins in Kano on Monday.

Spokesperson for Deputy Senate President Ismail Mudashir, who disclosed this in a statement, said the Bristol Hotel, Kano is the venue for the May 20 to May 26 event.

Mudashir said the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, attended the opening session of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, which was held on April 4 this year.

The statement noted that “the Vice President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Barau I Jibrin, emerged as the First Vice President of the Assembly during the inauguration.

According to the statement, the event will attract parliamentarians from Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal, Sierra Leone and the Republic of Togo.

“The ECOWAS Parliament, also known as the Community Parliament, is one of the institutions of ECOWAS. It is the Assembly of Peoples of the Community, which serves as a forum for dialogue, consultation and consensus for representatives of the people of West Africa to promote integration.”

He said Parliament was established under Articles 6 and 13 of the 1993 Revised ECOWAS Treaty, with 115 seats.

Greece Extra 5 Afternoon Results: Sunday May 19, 2024

The last Greece Extra 5 Afternoon the results will be known after the draw on Sunday, May 19, 2024.

Greece Extra 5 Afternoon Results

The winning numbers for today’s Greece Extra 5 Afternoon draw, held at 2:00 PM, are as follows:

In treatment…

Next one Greece Extra 5 To draw

The next Greece Extra 5 draw will take place later today at 6pm.


More about Greece Extra 5:

Sports results – Sunday May 19


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Bookmark bayshorebroadcasting.ca to ensure you always have a direct connection to your trusted source for local news and information.

Sports results - Sunday May 19

Edmonton Oilers logo

national hockey league

Playoff round 2

Vancouver 1 Edmonton 5

(Series tied 3-3)

Major League Baseball

Chicago White Sox 1 New York Yankees 6

Pittsburgh 0 Chicago Cubs 1

Tampa Bay 5 Toronto 4

Seattle4Baltimore3

Colorado 4 San Francisco 14

New York Mets 9 Miami 10

Washington 3 Philadelphia 4

Minnesota4Cleveland11

Oakland3Kansas City5

Milwaukee4Houston2

Boston 2 St. Louis 7

LA Angels 2 Texas 3

Detroit 8 Arizona 3

Cincinnati 0 LA Dodgers 4

Interprovincial Baseball League

Toronto 0 Guelph 4

Barrie 4 Welland 6

Kitchener 3 Chatham-Kent 5

National Basketball Association

Playoffs conference, semi-finals

Oklahoma City 116Dallas 117

(Mavericks win 4-2)

Lacrosse Junior B

Owen Sound 8 St. Catharines 12

Top 3 NBA Playoffs odds and picks: Sunday (5/19)

The two best words in sports “Game 7”. We’ll get two on Sunday. The Pacers look to upset the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, followed by the defending champs trying to stay alive with their backs on the ropes against the Timberwolves. It should be an exciting and memorable day of NBA action. Here are my favorite bets from the slate.

Saturday’s best NBA bets

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook | All bets are for 1 unit

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks had every chance to close this series in Game 6 in Indianapolis. They took a lead in the second quarter before the Pacers pulled away without ever looking back. The Knicks, being the home team, are favored in Game 7, but I’m not so sure that should be the case.

Indiana looked like the better team in five of the six games in this series. The Knicks shot lights from deep early in the series, shooting nearly 50% from beyond the arc through the first three games. That fatal sign did not last as they were boat-raced in Game 4 and shot just 30% from beyond the arc in the last three games.

New York’s offense slowed down so much that many thought the Pacers could shut it down in six games, but an uncharacteristically terrible ball-handling game with 18 turnovers to the Knicks’ nine, along with a terrible rebounding effort led to a blow loss. Indiana was able to clean that one up in the Game 6 win and I believe it won’t rear its ugly head again in Game 7. Indiana has been the better team for much of the series and the short-handed Knicks can do this just keep it. up so long.

Pick: Pacers +3 (-110)


Minnesota Timberwolves at Denver Nuggets

One thing that often defines Game 7: the defensive battles. Historically, these win-or-go-home games have the lowest scoring in the series. The current totals you can find are all under 200 points, so the books expect a defensive battle between two of the league’s best units.

I’m leaning towards the Under, but these low totals can be fickle. Many bettors have noticed the trends and the totals that were around 205 are now closer to 195. There just isn’t that much value. You don’t get much protection against a play that could come down to late free throws or even overtime. That’s why I’m aiming for an early total, the first quarter. So far in this series we’ve seen totals of 48, 48, 48, 53, 54, and 45. We get 48.5 on the first quarter total. These teams will come out slow as they try to figure each other out and the defense will stand out early. We’ve already seen this fail in four of the six games in this series. I like it again in Game 7.

Since defense is paramount and this game features two elite defense teams, offensive execution becomes more important. Denver won their championship last year with some excellent offensive execution against some elite defensive teams and that’s how they’ve gotten back to where they are today. The Nuggets’ offensive rating was the fourth-best in the league this year. Their passing ability ranks eighth in eFG% and they rank in the top 10 in both turnover rate and offensive rebound rate. This is a unit I have confidence in.

Minnesota has had its moments. They are a great shooting team with an eFG% ranking 10th, but their turnover rate and offensive rebound rates are well below league average. They are also a young team that hasn’t been in these big postseason situations together yet. That factor is enormous. Denver should be the more comfortable team in a home arena that has been tough on opponents, even with the way the first two games of this series went.

Denver seemed disinterested for much of this series, but it felt like playing with their food. They need to put their foot on the gas in this game and outsmart the young Timberwolves team.

Choices: Nuggets -4.5 (-115) & 1Q Total u48.5 (-115)


Transform your betting strategy with automated line tracking for all major markets and sports >>

Oregon’s electric vehicle rebate program has only been open for 2 months


Last year, the program was interrupted for the first time since it started in 2018. This year’s funding window closes again in less than a month.

The Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate program closed in May 2023 when funding ran out and reopened this spring for just two months, ending June 3, based on funding estimates.

But so many people have already applied for the rebates this spring that funding will likely be exhausted before the June deadline.

Oregonians who purchased an electric car during the two-month period may still be able to get a refund if taxes collected by Oregon dealers are higher than expected.

“We sold double the number of new EVs during the rebate programs, so it had a big impact,” said Brian Schindler, director of business development at Capitol Auto Group in Salem.

“EVs are increasingly reaching mainstream buyers, mainly thanks to credits and rebates,” Schindler said.

He said the state rebates, which range from $2,500 with a standard discount to $7,500 for low- to moderate-income Oregonians, have allowed dealers to advertise and offer special leases and deals that weren’t available before the rebates. Before the rebates, Capitol Auto Group didn’t sell many electric vehicles, Schindler said.

More than 16% of all new vehicle sales in Oregon were electric vehicles in the first quarter of 2023, the second-highest percentage in the country, according to the Oregon Department of Energy. And according to the EV Dashboard, there were 84,865 zero-emission vehicles in Oregon as of December 2023.

Due to surging sales last year and depleted rebate funds, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality paused the program for the first time since its inception in 2018 and closed it on May 1, 2023.

“We understand that the short time our program is open can be challenging for people,” said Erica Timm, Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate coordinator with DEQ.

Even if they miss out on the Oregon rebate, buyers who purchase or lease a new, qualifying electric vehicle can receive a $7,500 federal tax credit. The federal tax credit also provides $4,000 for eligible used electric vehicles.

More than 20,000 EV buyers will miss out on the Oregon rebate

According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, 21,557 new electric vehicles were registered between May 2023 and February 2024. Registrations for these vehicles represented on average 14.5% of the total number of brand new vehicle registrations.

But those buyers and anyone who purchased an EV through April 3 of this year were not eligible for the Oregon Clean Vehicle rebates.

Harold Gailey of Redmond bought a Hyundai Ioniq 6 in Salem shortly before the 2024 window was announced, assuming financing would be available in January and not April.

Gailey said he was frustrated when he realized his purchase would not qualify for the discounts and described the limited period as “capricious and arbitrary.”

He said he doesn’t regret his purchase, but wanted to understand why DEQ’s financing term this year couldn’t apply to buyers outside the two months DEQ announced this year.

How much money does Oregon’s EV rebate program have this year?

Oregon funds its Clean Vehicle Rebate program through the state vehicle privilege tax of 0.5% of the vehicle sales price, collected by Oregon dealers and paid quarterly to the state.

The program has base funding of $12 million per year, or 45% of taxes. It could be more if taxes exceed $12 million.

Funds from the state are transferred in two disbursements, usually in early March and mid-May. If tax collections exceeded $12 million, an additional payment will be made in the last quarter of the year.

In 2023, DEQ received a total of $15,395,232 from three disbursements and approximately $3.5 million in carryover funds from 2022, the agency said.

This year, the first budget payment for 2024 was received in early March.

The agency first paid out $2.5 million in rebates to 560 approved applicants on a waiting list after purchasing or leasing electric vehicles before the program closed last year.

It also provides $1.2 million for administrative costs and another $300,000 for public engagement. The agency will pay Thuy Tu Consulting $200,000 to raise awareness of the Charge Ahead Rebate program through community organizations.

DEQ is required to use 20% of the rebate amount for Charge Ahead rebates. Another $100,000 of the $300,000 will go to the Center for Sustainable Energy for training and awareness among dealers. The Center for Sustainable Energy is also the national nonprofit that DEQ contacts to process all rebate applications and distribute the rebates.

A final $100,000 will be deferred for the following year for administrative costs until spring payments are received, DEQ said. (DEQ has a 10% cap on administrative costs in its rules).

That means there’s only $7.9 million available for EV rebates this year.

Timm said DEQ has applied for a Climate Pollution Reduction Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to fund part of the Charge Ahead Rebate program.

In the grant narrative submitted to the EPA, the agency states the funding need:

“The popularity of this program has far exceeded its annual funding of $12 million, resulting in the program being open for just five months in 2023 and only two months in 2024. Future suspensions are expected with even shorter program availability. This results in fewer low-income households being able to afford cleaner transportation choices,” DEQ wrote.

If funded, that money would likely be available for rebates in 2025 and hopefully the program will be open longer for that part of the rebate program, Timm said.

How Oregon decided to close the program last year and reopen it for 2 months this year

Timm said DEQ closed the rebate program last year after determining when they thought the program could pay out the rebates.

“If we were to leave the program open and allow vehicles purchased during the suspension to also qualify for the rebate, we would be using funds for the coming year to pay out those rebates and would continue to haven’t been able to open it for years. ,” she said.

If rebates had been available for all of 2023, there would have been no money for rebates this year, Timm said.

“It is possible that the vehicle privilege tax will again provide more funding, but we won’t know until the last quarter of 2024,” said DEQ spokesperson Susan Mills. “If that is the case, we will use that final payout to pay as much as possible. approved discounts possible on the waiting list for 2024.”

But once the funding is exhausted, Mills says, the rest of the waiting list will have to wait until early spring 2025, when the agency receives its first funding of the year.

How EV buyers and dealers can stay informed about discount financing

DEQ updates available rebate funding on its website throughout the year so applicants can get a better idea of ​​how much funding remains.

As of May 13, there was $1.04 million in funding remaining and more than $4 million in applications in the queue.

Applications for vehicles purchased before the June 2 deadline will be processed in the order they are received, DEQ said. If funds run out before qualified rebates can be paid out, they will be placed on the 2025 waiting list and given priority when funds are replenished in early spring 2025.

Oregon’s EV rebate amounts

Oregon’s Clean Vehicle Rebate can be deducted directly from the cost of an electric vehicle purchased or leased from a participating dealer.

For electric vehicles leased or purchased from a non-participating dealer, buyers must apply online after owning their vehicle and wait approximately two to three months before receiving the rebate. Applications must be submitted within six months of buyers taking possession of their EV.

The standard rebate is $750 for zero-emission motorcycles, $1,500 for vehicles with a battery of less than 10 kWh, and $2,500 for vehicles with a battery of 10 kWh or more.

The Charge Ahead Rebate is income-capped and offers a higher rebate for low- to moderate-income Oregonians who purchase new or used electric vehicles. Applicants must have a total household income below 400% of the federal poverty guideline, which is just over $60,000 for a single person and almost $124,000 for four-person households.

Last year, DEQ launched a prequalification application for the Charge Ahead Rebate, allowing potential buyers to know if they would qualify. The program offers a $6,500 rebate for new vehicles with a battery of less than 10 kWh, and a $7,500 rebate for new vehicles with a battery of 10 kWh or more. For a used electric vehicle, the Charge Ahead discount is $5,000.

Visit the DEQ site for more information.

Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at [email protected] or on X @DianneLugo

9 Things to Do When Your Retirement Savings Reach $250,000

skynesher/Getty Images

skynesher/Getty Images

You have worked hard, put money aside for your retirement and have a savings pot of €250,000 in your portfolio. Now is the time to protect and grow your savings so you can achieve financial freedom in retirement – ​​but how?

Check out: Here’s exactly how much savings you need to retire in your state

Read next: 5 genius things all rich people do with their money

GOBankingRates spoke with financial experts who shared solid strategies to grow your wealth and map out the best ways to save enough for your golden years.

Use the right accounts

“One of the first things people should do once their retirement savings reach $250,000 is start thinking about the types of accounts they use to build their wealth,” says retirement income specialist Antwone Harris, CFP, MBA and chief planning strategist at Platinum Bridge. Wealth strategies, GOBankingRates told.

“Many tend to focus on retirement savings programs through their respective jobs, such as a 401(k) or 403(b),” he said. “While these are excellent vehicles, it is imperative to build assets outside of these areas because the assets accumulated in them become what is known as a ‘tax time bomb’ in retirement.”

Harris added: “If a bill like this achieves normal historical market rates, it should double approximately every eight to 10 years. With regular contributions, this means that many people will have more than a million dollars in their 401(k) account by the time they retire. If these accounts are allowed to continue to expand beyond the required minimum distribution, which is currently age 73, some people will have fairly large 401(k) accounts.”

“Every dollar that comes out of this account is taxable as ordinary income,” he said.

Learn More: $5 Million in Retirement Savings – Here’s How Much You Can Withdraw Per Year

Take taxes into account

Another thing Harris noted is that you need to consider taxes when deciding where to put your money.

“For people who have other assets that are used for retirement, such as Social Security, these benefits can put them in a fairly high tax bracket after retirement, and they are forced to continue withdrawing money from these accounts for the rest of their lives. lives.”

He continued: “This is becoming a situation where we can no longer control tax liability, so it is very important to build money outside of these accounts, which are typically taxed at rates lower than ordinary income tax rates, for the purpose of tax diversification .”

Meet a financial advisor

According to Brian Kent, vice president, wealth management program manager at FAIRWINDS Credit Union, having a financial professional guide you through retirement is critical. “Make an annual appointment with a financial advisor,” he said. “If you haven’t already, contact a financial advisor to ensure your portfolio is appropriately diversified and to explore potential investment strategies to continue growing your savings while minimizing risk.”

He added: “At this meeting, review the entire retirement budget, taking into account future living costs, potential healthcare costs, any major purchases you envision for you and your family, and inflation.”

Diversify where possible

“With a significant amount of retirement savings, you want to diversify your investments,” Mindy Yu, director of investing at Betterment, told GOBankingRates.

“This could be a mix of shares, bonds and other asset classes such as real estate. Diversification helps manage risk so you don’t “put all your eggs in one basket.” It reduces the risk of serious losses during a market downturn and increases the potential for long-term growth of your investments.”

Know where you can spend money

Harris also pointed out the importance of distributing money across different accounts. “It’s important to think about allocating a portion of your 401(k) contributions to a Roth 401(k) if one is available,” he said.

“This also allows us to diversify fiscally. Although you’ll miss out on some immediate tax benefits, this will allow you to withdraw assets from Roth accounts tax-free later in life.

Study the right investment placement

Investing is also crucial for your pension. “It makes sense to think about where you place certain types of investments,” Harris said. “For example, if you have investments that pay qualified dividends that are typically taxed at 15% and you place them in a 401(k) account or an IRA account, you convert the tax rate from the qualified dividend rate to an income tax. tax rate because every dollar you take out is taxed at your ordinary income tax rate,” he explained.

“So you may have unnecessarily converted a lower tax liability into a higher tax liability,” Harris added. “So as you start to accumulate assets, it is critical to think about investment placement.”

Protect yourself against inflation

Preparing for your retirement is complicated. Not only do you have to save enough to cover yourself, but you also have to take things like inflation into account.

“We look at investments like Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities and sectors like healthcare that typically keep up with or exceed inflation,” explains Rhett Stubbendeck, CEO of Leverage Planning. “This strategy has helped clients, such as someone who shifted some of her investment to healthcare stocks, which are generally resistant to inflationary pressures.”

Integrate stable income sources

Stubbendeck also suggested including regular income streams in your retirement plan. “I recommend including bonds or fixed annuities in your portfolio,” he said. “These can provide reliable income and help reduce your exposure to market dips.”

Gareth Boyd, a financial expert and head of growth at CreditCardCompare.com.au, agrees. “One of the smartest steps you can do is to gradually shift more of your portfolio to bonds and other fixed-income investments, such as real estate or other physical assets. These provide stability and generate reliable cash flow. In general, I recommend aiming for a 60/40 split between equities and bonds at this stage.”

Invest in precious metals such as silver and gold

“One of the best things you can do to protect your retirement savings is to invest in precious metals,” says Tamara Genwright, owner of Wealth Advisory Solutions, LLC. “For centuries, gold and silver have held their value (performing well even during inflation, pandemics and economic instability). With gold and silver you can ‘be your own bank’ and build wealth ‘outside the network’ without paying interest, fees and penalties that eat away at your retirement nest egg.”

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 9 Things to Do When Your Retirement Savings Reach $250,000