Disney Nature’s Chimpanzee is now playing in theaters. The movie was released on April 20, 2012, the weekend of Earth Day. The movie first premiered in Orlando, Florida at the AMC Theatres in Downtown Disney where famed primate expert Jane Goodall made an appearance.
The film documents the perils of a young male chimp named Oscar, who is separated from his family after an altercation with a rival group of chimpanzees in the African rain forest. The film took four years to create.
Showtimes for Disney’s Chimpanzee movie at a U.S. location near you can be found here.
Coinciding with the release of Disney’s ‘Chimanzee’, Disney Cruise Line guests will have the opportunity to join crew members onboard Disney ships and on Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, as part of the “Walk for Wildlife” campaign. This year, Disney Cruise Line will donate $5,000 on behalf of guests and crew members to the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), through the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund to support JGI’s chimpanzee conservation efforts.
Starting on April 20, 2012, and throughout next week, the guests and crew of all four Disney ships will have the opportunity to participate in a two-mile “Walk for Wildlife” either while visiting Castaway Cay in the Bahamas or while onboard the ship, completing six laps around the promenade deck.
“We are truly excited to provide this unique opportunity for our guests and crew members to connect with nature while raising money and awareness for a great cause,” said Rena Langley, Vice President of Public Affairs for Disney Cruise Line. “This is the fourth consecutive year our crew members have participated in ‘Walk for Wildlife,’ and we are confident that this year’s event will be even more special because our guests are participating for the first time.”
Nearly $30,000 has been given to environmental charities, as a result of company and personal crew member donations, since the program began three years ago. The walks first began as events exclusively for crew members, allowing them to show their commitment to conservation by making personal donations to environmental causes. Whether onboard our ships or on land, Disney Cruise Line promotes wildlife conservation, works to protect native animal species, shares environmental programs with guests and ports of call worldwide and educates others to inspire environmental action in daily life.*
In honor of Earth Month, Disneynature has joined forces with the Jane Goodall Institute for a special “See ‘Chimpanzee,’ Save Chimpanzees” program. For every moviegoer who sees “Chimpanzee” during the film’s opening week (April 20-26), Disneynature will make a donation to the Jane Goodall Institute through DWCF.
Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund
The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) has advanced Disney’s legacy of conservation to inspire people and partnerships to protect the world’s wildlife. To date, DWCF has granted more than $18 million to support programs in 111 countries. DWCF is a Disney initiative to conserve nature for future generations and is not a US 501 © (3) public charity. More information about DWCF’s efforts for wildlife, wild places and the people linked to their survival is available at www.disney.com/conservation.
The Jane Goodall Institute
Founded in 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute continues Dr. Goodall’s pioneering research on chimpanzee behavior, research that transformed scientific perceptions of the relationship between humans and animals. Today, the Institute is a global leader in the effort to protect chimpanzees and their habitats. It also is widely recognized for establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development programs in Africa, and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots, the global environmental and humanitarian youth program, which has groups in more than 120 countries. For more information, please visit www.janegoodall.org.