Deaths of Animals Trouble Disney Park

Life in Animal Kingdom, Disney’s newest theme park in Orlando, has been a real jungle for its inhabitants. Still 2 1/2 weeks away from the April 22 opening, the tally of dead animals includes four cheetah cubs, two rhinoceroses, two hippopotamuses, three herd animals and two West African crown cranes that were run over by park tour buses. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reviewed most of the deaths and found no violations of federal animal welfare regulations. In the cheetah deaths, which were blamed on a chemical commonly found in antifreeze, Disney officials found no evidence of sabotage or that any antifreeze was involved.