I visited the L.A. Zoo last week right after a screening of Disneynature’s Monkey Kingdom while on a press trip with Disney and Marvel. All adventures, travel, and accommodations were courtesy of Disney/Marvel. All thoughts are my own.
When the kids were younger, I used to take them to the zoo near us every Spring Break, so it was appropriate that I spent part of my Spring Break this year at two zoos. My first zoo visit was to the Los Angeles Zoo with my fellow Monkey Kingdom | Avengers | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. bloggers, and not only did we get to see lots and lots of monkeys and other primates, but we got to take our very own stuffed Maya macaque monkeys through the Zoo for some fun photo opps.
I think my only regret on this once-in-a-lifetime incredible trip was the fact that I didn’t bring my Canon with the monstrously big zoom lens. As much as I love having compact cameras for my back’s sake, there’s nothing like a good zoom lens for capturing amazing zoo shots. Luckily, I was able to see a ton of animals (even if my camera wasn’t quite up to the task like I would have preferred).
At each stop along our zoo journey last week, a zoo keeper met with us to talk about zoo care, animal characteristics and personalities, and other interesting pieces of information. The zoo staff really know their animals!
About Monkey Kingdom
Visiting the zoo right after seeing Monkey Kingdom on the Disney Studios lot was a perfect transition. Monkey Kingdom certainly lives up to the fantastic reputation of all of the previous Disneynature films! More thoughts coming in a movie review this Friday!
Life is an adventure for Maya, the clever and resourceful blonde-bobbed monkey in “Monkey Kingdom,” Disneynature’s new feature film set among ancient ruins in the storied jungles of South Asia. Maya’s world is forever changed when she welcomes her son, Kip, into her complicated extended family. Like all families, Maya’s has more than its share of colorful personalities—and she’s determined to give her son a leg up in the world. When their longtime home at Castle Rock is taken over by powerful neighboring monkeys, Maya’s whole family retreats, and she uses her street smarts and ingenuity to uncover untapped resources amidst strange new creatures and unsettling surroundings.
Ultimately, they will all have to work together to reclaim Castle Rock, where Maya can hopefully realize her dreams for her son’s future. Featuring a rich variety of characters, including a mischievous mongoose, simple-minded langur monkeys, predatory leopards and monitor lizards, “Monkey Kingdom” is narrated by Tina Fey (“30 Rock”), directed by Mark Linfield (“Chimpanzee,” “Earth”) and co-directed by Alastair Fothergill (“Chimpanzee,” “Bears”). With music from award-winning composer Harry Gregson-Williams (“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Shrek” movies), Disneynature’s eighth True Life Adventure—the follow-up to 2014’s “Bears”—swings into theaters April 17, 2015. For more information about the film and the conservation program, go to www.disney.com/monkeykingdom.
See Monkey Kingdom in theaters this weekend!
Monkey Kingdom will be opening in theaters this Friday, April 17, just in time for Earth Day! My movie review will be coming on Friday morning, but let me just say that Monkey Kingdom is a GREAT movie for the whole family. How often do you find a rated G movie that is entertaining for kids and adults alike?
If you’re planning on seeing Monkey Kingdom, I urge you to make plans to go to the theaters during opening week, when a portion of EVERY ticket purchased will go straight to Conservation International to help protect monkeys and other endangered species in their natural habitats.
Conservation International will support programs across Indonesia, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka, including:
- Protect monkeys and other endangered species
- Save and restore forest habitats
- Partner with and support local communities
Further activities in Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Indonesia will include researching, rescuing and rehabilitating monkeys, patrolling protected areas which serve as important habitats for monkeys and other species, planting trees and supporting community education and forest-friendly jobs. See more details on how you can help below:
Past Disneynature films have had huge success in their Earth Day promotion, and funds from movies have gone to support National Parks, conservation efforts, education, and more. What a perfect way to celebrate Earth Day with the whole family! Learn more at https://nature.disney.com/monkey-kingdom.
Be sure to print off the free activity sheets and educator and parent guides that I posted here before my trip!
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Visit the official MONKEY KINGDOM website: https://nature.disney.com/monkey-kingdom
MONKEY KINGDOM opens in theatres everywhere this Friday, April 17th!
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Oh, that is heart breaking! I hope you can find another – I know how hard that can be! I wish I knew what to tell you.
My 7 year old Emma lost her baby monkey from this book “Disney movie monkey kingdom”, is her favorite stuff animal, she have it since 2015, baby monkey goes every where with her, baby monkey is know in her 2 grade class as another student, we are trying to find another and is impossible, if you can help me to find a website or a place where we can buy it. thank you in advance. Ingrid Aguila, Emma’s mom
Drew,
I love going to the zoo with my 70-200mm L lens. It takes fantastic shots BUT it wears my neck and back out fast. Plus, last time I brought it on a plane, I almost broke it (luckily, I just shattered the filter, nothing worse). I opted to leave it home, but I still kind of wish I had it there. Zoos are made for zooms. :)
It is always a toss up about cameras and lenses. I was happy to have the 200mm lens on my camera but I wanted an even longer one so I could really shoot through the fences and bars and capture the best I could.
Great carousel shot!
What a great post. Beautiful summation of a perfect day!!!! Your photos are fantastic!!