We're Pollinators

There is so much more to the Tree of Life than it is given credit for, but sometimes you have to have a sense of wonder in order to see it all. Take, for instance, the sculptures. We’ve marveled at them for almost 20 years now, and with the new Awakening affects, each carving truly takes on a life of its own and shares its story with guests. But what about the carvings that are as apparent or appealing to the naked eye?

Have you ever ventured up to the border between the Tree of Life and the rest of Discovery Island? While in that spot, likely getting a photograph of your friends or family, did you happen to notice this log? 

At first glance it could simply be a part of the tree that has become infested with insects. After all, It’s Tough to be a Bug is a key attraction of the Tree of Life. And if that was you’re thought, you’d be very close to correct. This section of the tree is to remind guests that all creatures, great or small, are critical to the ecology of any given environment. They are the pollinators and the fertilizers, and they do amazing things to help the natural world carry on. We may call them pests, but they have specific jobs to do, and more often than not, they carry on invisibly to larger creatures, including us humans.

However, a log filled with holes isn’t very good at provoking thought or storytelling on its own is it? It would need inhabitants, some of those insects we spoke of, to help further the tale, wouldn’t it? Go ahead; pick out any one of the holes to peek into and you’ll find a scene very much like this one.

The log is the perfect size for those younger guests who are constantly exploring their world. In fact, if you have seen these bugs before, chances are it is because a toddler or small child look in here first and got excited for that they saw. The insects are crucial to our way of life, which means that they are an integral part of the stories being told at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and, rightfully so, they are given some prime real estate right front. Of course, it’s still up to us to seek them out and notice them.