Tree of Life, Orlando

The Tree of Life is a 145-foot (44 m) sculpture of a baobab tree at Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort. It has over 8,000 branches of very different sizes and about 102,000 artificial leaves. It debuted when the attraction opened on April 22, 1998. Inspired by the mythological concept, the Tree of Life features 325 carvings of existing and extinct animal species on its trunk and surrounding roots; after Jane Goodall's visit, her famous subject David Graybeard was carved into the tree. The sculpture took 18 months to create. Animal Kingdom has millions of trees and greens; The Tree of Life is one of the park's few artificial trees.

Engineered from a refitted oil platform and based on the natural forms of baobob trees, the Tree of Life is located on Discovery Island, roughly in the center of the park. The tree features over 100,000 thermoplastic kynar leaves. At the structure's interior base is a 428-seat theater that hosts It's Tough to Be a Bug!, a 3-D film attraction based on the 1998 Disney/Pixar film A Bug's Life. There is also a secret path that park goers can walk up to take a close look at the sculpture. Animals that can be found on the tree of life include:

Sable Antelope, Impala, moose, deer, Bighorn sheep, Bison, Goat, Horse, Wildebeest, camel, African elephant, Indian elephant, Rhino (java & white), hippo, Tiger, Lion, Cougar, Lynx, Rabbits, Porcupine, hedgehog, racoon, fox, wild dog, prairie dog, Ant eater, pangolin, Giraffe, Kangaroo, Tapir, Sea otter, Sloth, Koala, Baboon, chimp, Gibbon, Spider monkey, Squirrel, Flying squirrel, Bat, Alligator, crocodile, Komodo dragon, chameleon, Iguana, Frilled lizard, Gecko, Gila monster, Rattle snake, Python, frog, Tortoise, Turtle, Box turtle, Snapping turtle, Hermit crab, Crab, Lobster, Shrimp, Killer whale, Walrus, seal, Manatee, Shark, Hammerhead, Salmon, Bass, Catfish, Marlin, Goldfish, Gulper eel, Jelly fish, Octopus, Squid, Prehistoric squid, Sea horse, Ant, Beetle, Lady bird, Stag beetle, Butterfly, Moth, Bee, Wasp, Dragonfly, Grasshopper, Spider, Tarantula, Scorpion, centipede, road runner, songbird, egret, heron, hammerkop, Macaw, Cockatoo, Pelican, Vulture, Hawk, Golden eagle, Bald eagle, Peacock, Ostrich, Flamingo, Great horned owl, Allosaurus, Ankylosaurus and Trilobite.

Before you head to Orlando, plan trip itinerary details with our user-friendly Orlando itinerary builder site, to make sure you see all that Orlando has to offer, including Tree of Life.
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