Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><ul class="summary-list"><li>On Saturday, a team of archaeologists unveiled an unprecedented finding from an ancient city of the dead in Saqqara, Egypt.</li><li>The researchers uncovered a 2,600-year-old cache of mummified animals, including cats, cobras, crocodiles, and the first-ever lion cubs.</li><li>While ancient Egyptians were well known for worshipping and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-30-ancient-egyptian-sarcophagi-opened-preserved-mummies-2019-10">mummifying animals</a>, especially cats, mummified lions are extremely rare in the archaeological record.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>About 2,600 years ago, two lion cubs were mummified and buried in an ancient city of the dead.</p><p>The cats' organs were removed, and the cubs' tiny, 3-foot-long bodies were dried out and wrapped in linens before being placed inside hieroglyph-laden wooden boxes.</p><p>These mummified cubs - the first ones ever found in the archaeological record  - were part of an unprecedented finding in the necropolis of Saqqara, Egypt, south of modern-day Cairo. A team of archaeologists, led by Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, unveiled the discovery on November 23. </p><p>"This is the first time [that a] complete mummy of a lion or lion cub" has been found in Egypt, Mostafa Waziri, the general secretary of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities and leader of the team that made the discovery, said in a press conference.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>The finding also included 75 decorated wooden and bronze cat statues, mummified birds, crocodiles, cats, and cobras, as well as a mammoth mummified scarab beetle.</p><h2>Mummified wildcats</h2><p>The lion cubs were only eight months old when they were mummified and buried in the Saqqara necropolis. Some 20 smaller cats were also discovered at the site.</p><p>Alongside the two cubs were three other mummified wildcats. The archaeologists used CT scans to analyze the size and shape of the mummified animals' bones, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/moantiquities/">according to the Ministry of Antiquities Facebook page</a>, but the identity of the other wildcats remains a mystery. </p><p>"If it's a cheetah, a leopard, a lioness, a panther - whatever, it will be one of its kind," Waziri said. He added that the findings were likely dated to Egypt's 26th Dynasty, between 664 and 525 B.C.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>While mummified cats are common in the archaeological record - the ancient Egyptians worshipped cats, and kept them as pets that were later mummified and entombed with their owners - mummified lions are far rarer.</p><p>Only one other lion mummy has ever been found, according to Egypt's Antiquities Minister Khaled El-Enany. A French archaeological team discovered an adult lion skeleton in 2004, not far from the location of the two lion cubs in Saqqara.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>Between 2,000 and 3,000 years ago, lions roamed the wilds of Egypt and were <a href="http://www.attalus.org/translate/animals12.html#7">even kept as pets</a> in the palaces of Pharaohs like Ramesses II and Tutankhamun. Eventually, the climate got hotter and drier and lions migrated southward beyond the Nile River.</p><h2>Crocodiles, cobras, and scarabs</h2><p>The archaeologists' recent findings include other mummified animals too.</p><p>The team discovered three statues of crocodiles with the remains of small mummified crocodiles inside, mummies of cobras and birds, as well as "meticulously mummified" scarab beetles. </p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>The tomb also included a massive scarab-shaped stone artifact more than a foot in diameter. According to Waziri, this particular stone scarab might be the largest ever found in Egypt.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><h2>Why the Egyptians mummified animals</h2><p>Ancient Egyptians mummified and buried millions of animals, often treating creatures like hawks, cats, and crocs with the same reverence that they would a human corpse.</p><p>That's because the Egyptians believed animals were reincarnations of gods. By mummifying them and worshipping these animals in sacred temples, the Egyptians honored their deities. </p><p>Mummified animals could also serve as offerings to those same gods.</p><p>"People would make devotional offerings in the form of animals as mummies," Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist and mummy expert at the American University of Cairo, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/nov/23/mummified-lion-cats-rare-finds-egypt-saqqara-animals">told The Guardian</a>. "This would have more potency as a blood sacrifice, compared to stone or wooden images."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>The lion, in particular, was a potent animal figure in ancient Egypt and viewed as a symbol of both danger and protection. <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/history/very-rare-lion-mummies-discovered-in-egypt.aspx">According to National Geographic</a>, pharaohs took part in lion hunts to demonstrate their own power and supremacy. Amenhotep III claimed to have killed 102 lions in the first decade of his reign. </p><p>Archaeologists still aren't sure as to why more mummified lions haven't been uncovered in the archaeological record, despite the fact that the predator features so prominently in Egyptian artwork and architecture.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>"There are really no practical reasons for the lack of lion mummies," Conni Lord, an Egyptologist with the Animal Mummy Research Project at the Nicholson Museum of Sydney University, told National Geographic.</p><p>"The ancient Egyptians were perfectly able to mummify a creature of this size," she added.</p>

Archaeologists discovered a catacomb filled with mummified lion cubs, crocodiles, and cobras in an ancient Egyptian city of the dead

<keyword id="6357861" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ranbir-kapoor" source="Orion">Ranbir Kapoor</keyword> and Shraddha Kapoor-starrer romantic-comedy "Tu Jhoothi <keyword id="15975342" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="main-makkaar" source="Orion">Main Makkaar</keyword>" has crossed Rs 200 crore mark at the global box office, the makers said on Friday. In a post on Twitter, <keyword id="3815339" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="luv-films" source="Orion">Luv Films</keyword> said the Luv Ranjan-directed movie has raised a total of Rs 201 crore worldwide since its release on March 8. <br /><br />"#TuJhoothiMainMakkaar crosses a love worth more than 200 Crore! Thank you for your immense support," the studio tweeted. <br /><br />In a press note, the makers said the film's net domestic collection stood at Rs 161 crore. <br /><br />"Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar" is produced by Luv Films and Ankur Garg and presented by <keyword id="17091" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="gulshan-kumar" source="Orion">Gulshan Kumar</keyword> and <keyword id="24468" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="bhushan-kumar" source="Orion">Bhushan Kumar</keyword> of T-Series. <br /><br />The movie also features Dimple Kapadia, Boney Kapoor and stand-up artist Anubhav Singh Bassi.<br /><br /><strong>SEE ALSO:<br /><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/apple-music-classical-app-offers-five-million-high-brow-tunes-for-classical-music-enthusiasts/articleshow/99088948.cms">Apple Music Classical app offers five million high-brow tunes for classical music enthusiasts</a><br /></strong><a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/cheetah-translocated-to-india-from-namibia-gives-birth-to-four-cubs/articleshow/99088665.cms"><strong>Cheetah translocated to India from Namibia gives birth to four cubs</strong></a><br />

Ranbir Kapoor's film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar collects over ₹200 crore worldwide

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The White House announced Biden is backing legislation pushed by Carole Baskin.</li><li>Baskin and other animal welfare advocates support the bipartisan "Big Cat Public Safety Act."</li></ul><p>The White House announced on Tuesday that it formally supports a bipartisan bill aimed at limiting exotic animal ownership that has long been pushed by Carole Baskin of "Tiger King" fame.</p><p>"The Administration supports H.R. 263, the Big Cat Public Safety Act, which would build on existing laws that protect big cats like tigers, cheetahs, jaguars, and other wild animals living in captivity in the United States," The Office of Management and Budget said in a formal statement of administration policy.</p><p>Rep. Mike Quigley, an Illinois Democrat, and Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, have led the latest efforts to get the legislation passed. They have teamed up with Republicans, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine to get the legislation passed in a closely divided Congress.</p><p>The House Rules Committee met to consider the bill on Tuesday, a likely step before a full House floor vote. The House passed a similar measure in 2020 by a commanding 272-114 vote but it later died in the Senate.</p><p><a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/263">The legislation</a> would revise the current law that governs the trade of big cats, such as lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs, and jaguars. The bill would outlaw the type of cub petting business that was highlighted during portions of Netflix's hit "Tiger King," which focused on the battle between exotic zoo operators like Joe Exotic Bhagavan Mahamayavi "Doc" Antle and organizations like Baskin's Big Cat Rescue. Cub petting is when zoos allow people to pay for up-close encounters with tiger and similar exotic cubs, <a href="https://people.com/pets/tiger-king-cub-petting-industry/">a practice strongly opposed by animal welfare advocates.</a></p><p>Antle was charged earlier this summer with federal money laundering earlier this summer. Prosecutors claimed that he laundered more than $500,00o, the apparent proceeds of a human smuggling operation, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-entertainment-united-states-south-carolina-tigers-e9fadeea74dc67d5f03b1b810c25c548">the Associated Press previously reported.</a> Antle operates a wildlife safari near Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.</p><p>Exotic and his supporters <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-exotic-trump-pardon-lawyer-says-very-close-2020-12">failed to get then-President Donald Trump to pardon him.</a></p>

Biden backs 'Tiger King's' Carole Baskin's 'Big Cat Public Safety Act,' a bipartisan effort to limit exotic animal ownership

Las Vegas, May 9 (AP) Roy Horn of Siegfried &amp; Roy, the duo whose extraordinary magic tricks astonished millions until Horn was critically injured in 2003 by one of the act's famed white tigers, has died. He was 75.<p>Horn died of complications from the coronavirus on Friday in a Las Vegas hospital, according to a statement released by publicist Dave Kirvin.</p><p>"Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend," Siegfried Fischbacher said in the statement. </p><p> "From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world. There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried."</p><p> He was injured in October 2003 when a tiger named Montecore attacked him on stage at the Mirage hotel-casino in Las Vegas. He had severe neck injuries, lost a lot of blood and later suffered a stroke. He underwent lengthy rehabilitation, but the attack ended the long-running Las Vegas Strip production.</p><p>The darker-haired of the flashy duo, Horn was credited with the idea of introducing an exotic animal - his pet cheetah - to the magic act.</p><p>"Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days," Fischbacher said.</p><p>"I give my heartfelt appreciation to the team of doctors, nurses and staff at Mountain View Hospital who worked heroically against this insidious virus that ultimately took Roy's life." </p><p> The two became an institution in Las Vegas, where their magic and artistry consistently attracted sellout crowds. The pair performed six shows a week, 44 weeks per year.</p><p>They returned to the stage in February 2009 for what was billed as their one and only comeback performance, to raise funds for the new Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas.</p><p> The brief performance, which included Montecore, became the basis of an episode of the ABC television show "20/20." Horn and Siegfried Fischbacher, both natives of Germany, had first teamed up in 1957 and made their Las Vegas debut a decade later. Siegfried &amp; Roy began performing at the Mirage in 1990.</p><p>When they signed a lifetime contract with the Mirage in 2001, it was estimated they had performed 5,000 shows at the casino for 10 million fans since 1990 and had grossed more than $1 billion. That came on top of thousands of shows at other venues in earlier years.</p><p>"Throughout the history of Las Vegas, no artists have meant more to the development of Las Vegas' global reputation as the entertainment capital of the world than Siegfried and Roy," Terry Lanni, chairman of MGM Mirage, the casino's parent company, said after the attack.</p><p>The pair gained international recognition for helping to save rare white tigers and white lions from extinction. Their $10 million compound was home to dozens of rare animals over the years. The white lions and white tigers were the result of a preservation program that began in the 1980s.</p><p>"The good news is that the white tigers and white lions are going into the 21st century," Horn said in a 1999 interview with The Associated Press. "The bad news is that if we don't do something about the tigers in the wild, they will disappear." </p><p>Siegfried &amp; Roy's show, incorporating animal antics and magic tricks, included about 20 white tigers and lions, the number varying depending on the night. The show also had other exotic animals, including an elephant.</p><p>"Their show is so fast-paced the viewer has time only to gasp before the next dazzlement," an Associated Press reviewer wrote in 1989 when they brought their act to New York.</p><p>"A white car drives on stage - as Liberace used to do - bringing a mother white tiger and three cubs. Roy rides an elephant, which disappears, then reappears. At the end, a 650-pound white tiger climbs atop a globe. With Roy on his back, they're pulled into the air." </p><p> "It's a Las Vegas show and it's nonstop entertainment. New Yorkers aren't too sophisticated for this." </p><p> A later spectacular developed for the Mirage opened with a flashy "Star Wars" scenario and Horn and Fischbacher arriving in their own mini space capsules. Another segment had Horn sitting atop a 30-foot (9.1-meter) pyramid that was "destroyed" by an explosion and fire, leaving him levitated high above the stage.</p><p>It was halfway during a performance Oct. 3, 2003, when Horn was alone on stage with the tiger that it suddenly lunged at him.</p>Horn, who had turned 59 that day, had never been injured during a show before, "not a scratch, not by an animal," Bernie Yuman, the pair's longtime manager, said at the time.(AP)  AMSAMS

Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy dies from coronavirus at 75

<p class="p1">After sifting through more than 50,000 entries, Smithsonian Magazine has announced the 60 finalists for its 2014 Annual Photo Contest. The photos fall into six different categories: Natural World, Travel, People, Americana, Altered Images, and Mobile.</p>
<p class="p1">Voting is <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/photo-contest-finalists-11th-annual-180950372/?no-ist=">now open for the public to select the Readers' Choice winner</a>, and will continue through May 6th. The winners will be announced May 15.</p>
<p class="p1">We selected 10 of our favorite images from the finalists, which came from 132 countries. See <a href="http://www.smithsonianmag.com/photocontest/photo-contest-finalists-11th-annual-180950372/?no-ist=">the full gallery at Smithsonian Magazine.</a></p>
<h3 class="p1">NATURAL WORLD: "Absolute Head Scratcher" is a photo of a blue macaw, taken in Quebec City, Canada. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Richard Masters</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>NATURAL WORLD: Photographer Graham McGeorge spent 6 hours waiting to get the perfect image of this eastern screech owl out of its nest in Georgia.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Graham McGeorge</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>NATURAL WORLD: After finishing off a springbok, these two cheetah cubs began chasing each other for who got to hold onto the "prize," a piece of skin left over from the kill. <div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Seyms Brugger</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>NATURAL WORLD: During their annual migration, wildebeests are forced to find new river crossings in the Serengeti-Mara region. In this picture, the currents were so strong that the animals had to struggle desperately to get to the other side.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Karen Lunney</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>TRAVEL: This photographer caught Vietnam's famous terraced fields during harvest season.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Vo Anh Kiet</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>TRAVEL: As part of a show called "Well of Death," this Bangladeshi biker performs a stunt at a fair to celebrate Rath Jatra, a Hindu festival.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Nidal Adnan Kibria</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>PEOPLE: Mourners cover themselves in mud while beating their chests and standing around a fire during Ashura, a religious commemoration of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husayn_ibn_Ali">the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali</a>.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Soheil Zandazar</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>PEOPLE: Photographer Candy Feng's son is dwarfed by the majesty of a glacier at Fjallsárlón.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Candy Feng</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>AMERICANA: Dust swirls around citizens of Black Rock City as they peek into the "Black Rock Bijou Theatre," an art installation at the 2013 Burning Man Festival.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Mark Kaplan</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>AMERICANA: A champion bronco bucks a champion rider at the Helmville Rodeo.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>The Smithsonian/Carol Fowler</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></h3>

10 Incredible Pictures From Smithsonian Magazine's Annual Photo Contest

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Joe Rohde is a <keyword id="46161" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Disney">Disney</keyword> Imagineer and the creative force behind <keyword id="71278" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Disney-World">Disney World</keyword>'s <keyword id="405734" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="animal-kingdom">Animal Kingdom</keyword>.</li><li>Rohde is using his Instagram account to share details throughout the park that most people would never notice, including murals and other paintings.</li><li>Many of the park's thematic elements tell a story, from the 325 animal carvings embedded into the Tree of Life to the fossils at DinoLand U.S.A.</li><li><a href="https://www.insider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>This April marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day and the 25th anniversary of the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/disney">Disney</a> Conservation Fund. Disney World was planning on celebrating in a mammoth way, by inviting <a href="https://www.insider.com/weddings-disney-world-animal-kingdom-photos-2019-8">Animal Kingdom</a> fans to dine with and learn from Disney Imagineer, Joe Rohde.</p><p>Rohde was set to host the intimate event, called <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/animal-kingdom/tiffins-talks/">Tiffins Talks</a>, but, with the parks currently closed, he has taken to Instagram to give a behind-the-scenes look at how he and the rest of the creative team brought Animal Kingdom to life.</p><p>"It doesn't look like we are meeting up at Disney's Animal Kingdom real soon, so how about a tour of my personal photos of the park," Rohde wrote in the caption of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-FFIyyH4Vu/">an Instagram post from March</a>. "If you haven't been to the park, or ever heard of it [...] perhaps this will help people understand what it is. Maybe even convince some skeptics to try it out. If you have been there, it might just be more inside knowledge."</p><h2>Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde has been sharing his photos of the park almost daily on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/joerohde/">Instagram account</a>, giving fans an inside look at how the park was designed and built</h2><p>Many of the details Rohde features blend into the park's landscape so seamlessly that you might never have noticed them otherwise.</p><p>First, Rohde took readers straight to the heart of the park with these photos of the <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-FFIyyH4Vu/">Tree of Life</a>.<strong> </strong></p><p>Standing 145 feet tall and with exactly <a href="https://wdwnews.com/releases/disneys-animal-kingdom-fun-facts/">325 animal carvings</a> covering its massive trunk and branches, the Tree of Life captures the nature of the park, which is, according to Rohde, "the themes of animals and their relationships to humans (good and bad)."</p><p>If you walk into Animal Kingdom and never look closely at the tree, you may never notice those meticulous carvings, which, according to <a href="https://wdwnews.com/releases/disneys-animal-kingdom-fun-facts/">a press release on Walt Disney World News</a>, took 13 people and 18 months to create. But those who slow down and take in the natural wonders around them, receive the "rewards nature can provide the careful observer."</p><h2>As you venture past the Tree of Life and further into the Africa section of Animal Kingdom, you'll encounter Harambe Village</h2><p>There, you'll find the Kilimanjaro Safaris, Harambe Market, and the Harambe Theatre.</p><p>The Imagineering team behind the park <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Tf3OUHT7C/">traveled to various parts of Africa</a> to gather research for the park's <keyword id="6373314" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Design">design</keyword>.</p><p>Rohde reveals here that Harambe is a "smash-up" of Lamu, Kenya and Arusha, Tanzania, both of which are mercantile border towns, similar to the fictional Harambe. In fact, the word Harambe means "let's work together or pull together," according to Rohde.</p><p>As Rohde wrote in the caption, in Harambe Village you can read "multiple levels of history and conquest" into the environment. "There's a Portuguese fort, some remnants of Omani reign, a British Colonial era, and Independence in 1961," he wrote.</p><h2><strong>With more than <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/kilimanjaro-safaris/">34 species living in 110 acres</a> of natural habitat, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Vr0-NH9gO/">Kilimanjaro Safaris</a> is a must-do for animal lovers</strong></h2><p>You might not think of this rugged safari as a ride like the other coasters or dark rides at Disney, but Rohde acknowledges that it is "just like any theme park ride, just on a bigger scale. The ride path curves back and forth [...] and the land rises and falls gently but enough to block the view of how many vehicles are really out there."</p><p>Even the ride vehicles and the roads were designed with a purpose. As Rohde notes, the vehicles are reminiscent of the ones used on a real safari in Kruger National Park in northeastern South Africa. And, according to <a href="https://wdwnews.com/releases/disneys-animal-kingdom-fun-facts/">Walt Disney World News</a>, the bumpy roads were intentionally made that way by having the design team roll tires through the concrete, while throwing stones and twigs into it.</p><h2><strong>If you <keyword id="6354692" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> to the Asia section of the park, you'll come across the wet and wild <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-f7K10nlE7/">Kali River Rapids</a></strong></h2><p>A fast-paced ride set among a lush, green jungle, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and miss the smaller details that went into creating this ride, but if you take a moment to look up next time you're inside the queue building, you may notice something new.</p><p>As Rohde notes on Instagram, the entire ceiling is covered in murals "depicting traditional Buddhist parables in which animals act our moral precepts," called Jataka Tales. These murals were actually painted by a Balinese master painter, Rohde notes, adding that he bought the painter watercolor brushes as a gift, but he chose to paint with his traditional tools, which were "split pieces of bamboo which he cut with a knife and smashed to create a brush."</p><h2>Also in the Asia portion of the Animal Kingdom, you'll find the walkthrough attraction, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-la5p0nUz3/">Maharajah Jungle Trek</a></h2><p>Here, you'll spy <a href="https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/attractions/animal-kingdom/maharajah-jungle-trek/">tigers, gibbons, komodo dragons, and more than 50 species of birds</a> — plus, a set of three murals which tell an important story about the majestic tigers in the exhibit.</p><p>If you look closely at the first set of murals, Rohde writes, they "reveal antique scenes of tiger hunts, making it clear that they're used to be way more tigers." The second group, which Rohde points out are made from stone carved in Bali, represent a "moral tale in which man comes into the forest, cuts down the forest, and disaster follows." And the third set "depict the four great kings of Anandapur," the fourth of which is shown as "an aged ruler who has retired from political life to return to the forest to meditate among the animals," Rohde writes.</p><p>"As with many of these details you don't need to notice them," Rohde writes, adding that "they exist impart simply to make the place seem more real. But if you were to look, they're not just decoration. They are content."</p><h2><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-w18i0nuUZ/">Expedition Everest</a> is the tallest coaster at Disney and, according to Rohde, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-yEw4wn_4f/">the first coaster built to travel backwards onto a different set of tracks</a></h2><p>It's also arguably one of the best storytelling coasters anywhere.</p><p>Rohde acknowledges that it can be "difficult to tell much of a story on a ride. It must be simple and nonverbal, completely comprehensible as a pure experience." Because most rides are over so quickly, "that puts a burden on the queue experience to set the scene," he writes.</p><p>If you've ridden Expedition Everest, you'll know that the story is that of a dangerous snow monster living inside the mountain, but if you pay close attention as you walk through the queue, you'll realize there were warnings about this mythical monster all along — and that he may not be as dangerous as he seems.</p><p>As Rohde points out in his Instagram caption, "the legend of the yeti effectively protects" the mountain, so the story can actually be seen as a lesson in conservation.</p><h2>Many of the fossils you can find in <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B-6GnMMnzgd/">DinoLand U.S.A.</a> are from paleontological sites in North America</h2><p>It's easy to assume that anything you find in a theme park is fake or manufactured, but Rohde says here that "if you see something that looks like a fossil of a prehistoric creature, it is either a real fossil of a prehistoric creature or a replica of a real fossil."</p><p>While Rohde notes that he and his team were instructed by paleontologists, he admits that "Dinoland has a lot of humor."</p><p>He adds that "because of that I think we can relax some of the seriousness of some of the other themes and get away with some hijinx. Including the recent population of famous ducks who inhabit the land. Because after all, birds are dinosaurs, ducks are birds, therefore ducks are dinosaurs."</p><ul class="read-more-links"><li>Read more:</li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-disney-world-grilled-cheese-2020-4">Disney released the recipe for its famous grilled cheese so fans can make it at home</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/disney-food-recipes-to-make-at-home">14 Disney theme-park dishes you can make at home</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/how-to-make-disney-churros-at-home-2020-4">Disney shared an 8-ingredient recipe to help you make its famous churros at home</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insider.com/disney-shares-recipe-behind-famous-dole-whip-2020-4">Disney has shared how to make its famous Dole Whip at home, and it only requires 3 ingredients</a></p></li></ul>Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/disney-imagineer-animal-kingdom-instagram-behind-the-scenes-secrets-2020-4">Insider</a>

A Disney Imagineer is sharing behind-the-scenes secrets about Animal Kingdom on Instagram

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div>When I was younger, my family moved to Zurich, Switzerland for five years because of my dad's job.</p><p>Not only was Switzerland <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/why-switzerland-is-a-great-place-to-be-an-expat-2015-3">a great place to be an American expat</a>, it was also a great home base for all the traveling my family did both <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/15-places-in-europe-that-are-worth-seeing-2015-2">in Europe</a> and in other continents.</p><p>Out of all the amazing trips we took, there is one that really sticks out in my mind: our two-week trip to <strong>South Africa</strong>.</p><p>This is one of the only trips my family ever planned with the help of a <keyword id="6354692" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Travel">travel</keyword> agent. It was an investment, but a worthwhile one, because the trip left me with countless memories that I'll hold onto forever.</p><p>South Africa is a diverse country with so much to offer. There are larger cities to visit such as Johannesburg, Capetown, and the capital, Pretoria. Then there's Kruger National Park, which is a must for adventurous travelers hoping to experience a safari. There are beaches for surfers or sunbathers, and vineyards for wine aficionados. <strong><br /></strong></p><p>Here are the highlights from my family's visit.</p><h3>Johannesburg</h3><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>We started our trip with two days in Johannesburg. Because we were short on time, we didn't see a whole lot of the city.</p><p>We did go to one of Johannesburg's many flea markets though, where you can find all kinds of unique arts and crafts that are handmade by South Africans. Bargaining is a must at these markets. I walked away with a beautiful painting that is still hanging in my room today - for a fraction of its original price. Besides artwork, you can find everything from jewelry to clothing to fresh produce from local farmers. They're a great place to look for a gift for someone back home or a souvenir for yourself.<strong><br /></strong></p><p>Some of Johannesburg's best markets include the Rooftop Market in Rosebank, the Bryanston Organic &amp; Natural Market in Bryanston, and the Hillfox Market in Weltevreden Park.<strong> </strong>Click here for a <a href="http://www.joburg.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&amp;task=view&amp;id=181&amp;Itemid=9">full list</a>.</p><h3>Kruger National Park</h3><p>We then took a short flight to Kruger National Park, a large game reserve in South Africa's northeastern Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>After a seemingly endless bumpy ride in a van along a dirt road we arrived at the <a href="http://www.newmarkhotels.com/accommodation/game-reserves/motswari-private-game-reserve/">Motswari Private Game Reserve</a>, the resort we stayed at during our five<strong> </strong>days in Kruger National Park. We slept in private bungalows that were fully equipped with a large bed and bathroom. A bungalow for two runs around $670 per night; if you book three nights, you'll get a discounted rate of $570 per night.</p><p>Resorts like Motswari are built right into the wilderness, which is why you shouldn't be surprised if you run into a family of warthogs on your way back to your bungalow from breakfast (yes, that happened to me). Watching the sunset is breathtaking, as is the unobstructed view of the stars at night.<strong><br /></strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>During our stay we went on multiple safaris and were lucky enough to see four out of <a href="http://goafrica.about.com/od/africanwildlife/ss/The-Big-5-Images-Facts-And-Information-About-Africas-Big-Five.htm">South Africa's "Big Five</a>:" a lion, a leopard, an elephant, and a rhino (the only one we didn't see was a cape buffalo). Besides those four we also saw zebra, giraffe, a hippopotamus, and an impala.</p><p>Our safari guide took us through the park in an open jeep. The guide sits in the jeep, and then there's also a patroler who sits in a seat up front built outside of the car with a gun, just in case. This isn't your average trip to the zoo. You're seeing these animals in their natural habitat and you're getting close enough to actually touch them.</p><p>On our first trip, our guide instructed us to always keep all limbs in the vehicle, and to not make any sudden movements or loud noises. You're never permitted to leave the vehicle - although my dad did lean pretty far out once to snap a picture of an elephant. The goal is to avoid scaring off any animals, or worse, frightening them, which depending on the animal, can cause them to charge the vehicle (hence the patroler with the gun).</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>It's hard to describe the adrenaline rush you feel when a rhino jumps out of the bush directly behind your vehicle, or when your eyes meet those of a lion mother laying with her cubs. It's just something you have to experience for yourself.</p><h3>The Wine Route</h3><p>With a unique climate that's like the Mediterranean, South Africa has multiple <a href="http://www.winesofsa.co.uk/visiting-sa/">wine routes </a>that weave through its scenic wine lands and vineyards. The wine routes are all pretty much within an hour of Cape Town, and the vineyards along them not only offer beautiful scenery, but sophisticated wine and delicious food. The country's signature variety is known as pinotage, a red wine grape that was bred as a cross between Pinot noir and Cinsaut. Some of South Africa's best wines include the <a href="http://www.broadbent.com/sadie-family/">Sadie Family</a> Columella, the <a href="http://mullineuxwines.com/mullineux-wines">Mullineux Wines Granite Syrah</a>, and the <a href="http://www.kanonkop.co.za/product/paul-sauer/">Kanonkop Paul Sauer</a>.</p><p>My family drove what's known as the Garden Route. We started in Oudtshoorn, made our way down south to Plettenberg Bay and the Cape Agulhas, then drove north to Gansbaai, continued to Stellenbosch, and ended our route in Cape Town. It took us a total of five days. During our drive we stayed at some beautiful guest houses, and made multiple stops for activities.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>One of my favorite guest houses that we stayed in was the <a href="http://www.rosenhof.co.za/">Rosenhof Country House</a> in Oudtshoorn. The rooms were luxurious and elegant, and they looked out onto the Rosenhof's impeccably maintained garden and pool. With only 12 rooms and 2 executive suites, the hotel is small. A luxury double room for two people is around $190 per night.<strong><br /></strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>My family visited an ostrich farm while we were in Oudtshoorn, which gave my sister and me the opportunity to actually ride an ostrich. I can't remember the particular farm we went to, but the <a href="http://www.safariostrich.co.za/">Safari Ostrich Show Farm</a> and the <a href="http://highgate.co.za/">Highgate Ostrich Show Farm</a> are both good options.</p><p>It was a thrilling experience - they're a lot faster than you would think! Even though they're not particularly friendly, I thought the ostriches were adorable, so I was more than upset when my dad ordered ostrich for dinner that night. I refused to try it, but he said it was delicious, and it's a common dish in South African cuisine.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>We also stopped at the <a href="http://www.cango.co.za/index.php">Cango Wildlife Ranch</a>, which is basically South Africa's version of a zoo complete with cheetahs, lemurs, tigers, crocodiles, and snakes. During our visit, my dad suggested we take a family photo all holding a huge boa constrictor. My dad and I thoroughly enjoyed it, my sister was petrified, and my mom basically stopped talking to my dad for the rest of the day because she was so mad at him for suggesting it.<strong><br /></strong></p><p>We took a look at the <a href="http://www.faceadrenalin.com">world's highest bungee jump</a> (Bloukrans Bridge) - unfortunately we didn't actually try it - and saw the Cape Agulhas, which is South Africa's southernmost tip and the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.</p><p>Just before we made it to Cape Town, we stayed at <a href="http://www.grootbos.com/en/home">Grootbos Private Nature Reserve</a> in Gansbaai. The luxury eco-lodge describes itself as a "floral and marine eco-paradise." At Grootbos, guests can do anything from a nature walk to horseback riding to whale watching to shark cage diving. There's also a spa.</p><p>My mom and sister opted for the nature walk, while my dad and I went whale watching and horseback riding. We saw both whales and seals, and witnessed some shark cage divers. We only stayed there for a few days, but we probably could have stayed there for our whole trip and not run out of things to do. Grootbos' room rates are seasonal; in the high season - September through April (when my family was there) - a one bedroom luxury suite goes for $428 per night.<strong><br /></strong></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><h3>Cape Town</h3><p>Cape Town was the last stop on my family's South Africa trip. We were only there for a couple days, so we didn't get to see all that much. One of the city's most popular attractions is Table Mountain, which overlooks Cape Town and provides great views. Unfortunately it was extremely foggy when we were there, so it wasn't worth taking a trip to the top. You can take a cable car up the mountain, or take a helicopter ride which provides stunning views of both the mountain and city itself.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p>Instead, my family explored the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Besides the waterfront, Cape Town is home to many visitor attractions. You can take a trip to <a href="http://www.robben-island.org.za/map/">Robben's Island</a> to see the maximum security prison where Nelson Mandela served 18 years, lounge on Beta Beach or Oudekraal (both just 10 minutes from Cape Town's center), see endangered penguins at the <a href="http://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/tourism/attractions.php#boulders">Boulders Penguin Colony</a>, and of course sample some mouthwatering seafood at restaurants all over the city.</p><p>I made the decision to get my whole head braided, which in retrospect, was not my best idea. After four very painful hours at a local salon, my family headed back to our hotel and flew back home the next day. Let's just say the flight was anything but comfortable.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-earth-would-look-like-if-ice-melted-world-map-animation-2015-2">Animated map of what Earth would look like if all the ice melted</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5xam5iczrSx4Ibx8MvarDsu3zOG88omE" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

You Searched For "cheetah cubs" and got 7 results

Archaeologists discovered a catacomb filled with mummified lion cubs, crocodiles, and cobras in an ancient Egyptian city of the dead

Aylin Woodward

Ranbir Kapoor's film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar collects over ₹200 crore worldwide

PTI

Biden backs 'Tiger King's' Carole Baskin's 'Big Cat Public Safety Act,' a bipartisan effort to limit exotic animal ownership

Brent D. Griffiths

Roy Horn of Siegfried & Roy dies from coronavirus at 75

PTI

10 Incredible Pictures From Smithsonian Magazine's Annual Photo Contest

Harrison Jacobs

A Disney Imagineer is sharing behind-the-scenes secrets about Animal Kingdom on Instagram

Tarah Chieffi

Here's why a trip to South Africa was the best vacation I've ever taken

Sarah Schmalbruch

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides