When
Disney Cruise Line
When Disney unveiled its new island getaway in the Bahamas — Disney Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point — it was more than just another tourist attraction. In partnership with their Animals, Science, and Environment (ASE) division, they initiated an extensive conservation effort that merged wildlife biology with cutting-edge technologies such as radio telemetry and 3D printing.
Although Disney Lookout Cay debuted in June 2024, preparations for the project began much earlier, with the ASE Conservation team involved right from the beginning. An important choice made early on was that Disney would limit development to just 16% of the island’s total area.
“We planned to keep much of the crucial habitats, like forests, undisturbed for the creatures that were already residing there,” said Lauren Puishys, a Conservation & Science Technician with Disney’s ASE team.
“We conducted an environmental impact assessment prior to starting any construction,” Puishys stated. This subsequently evolved into an Environmental Management plan aimed at studying the bird population on the island and ensuring their protection.
The team identified key zones on the island that would remain untouched based on where birds were nesting, migrating, or foraging – all gathered through on-the-ground fieldwork. “You’re collecting every bird you see, every bird you hear, and you’re just writing this down to make observations about how many of these birds are in this region,” Puishys said.
One species soon stood out for its significance—the magnificent great lizard cuckoo. “These birds are quite loud but also incredibly impressive-looking,” Puishys noted, describing them as ‘highly intelligent.’ To monitor their population movements across the island and pinpoint nesting locations, however, Puishys and his team integrated traditional methods with modern techniques.
In this scenario, the team resorted to 3D printing technology to closely examine the bird species in question, followed by using radio telemetry to map their locations on the island.
“I require a particularly distinctive bird,” Puishys remembered informing her coworker, Jose Dominguez, who was part of Disney’s ASE Behavioral Husbandry unit. Despite his expertise in designing numerous enrichment objects for Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park, he wasn’t specifically experienced with avian models. Therefore, he reached out to other specialized groups within Disney known for their work with birds.
Disney boasts teams who are impressively skilled in 3D modeling with the help of CAD programs and software such as Blender. As Dominguez recounted, “They responded with enthusiasm saying, ‘Absolutely, I’d be thrilled to work on this.'”
For several months, they worked together, perfecting the model via frequent Zoom meetings. “Lauren gave her feedback on whether it was too large or required an additional toe, stuff like that,” explained Dominguez. “Ultimately, we achieved our ideal model form, which is the magnificent lizard-cuckoo.”
The model was created using PLA, a biodegradable plastic derived from plants, as mentioned by Dominguez, who stated that this material is commonly employed by Disney for “behavior-based enrichment” initiatives. Following the printing process, the model received an application of weather-resistant exterior paint consistent with those utilized throughout their facilities. This involved applying an ultraviolet-stable acrylic paint designed for outdoor use followed by adding a transparent protective layer atop it.
The result? A dummy bird along with audio recordings of actual birdcalls. It proved effective and was put into use.
We positioned it below the speaker, and it featured two distinct call recordings,” Puishys explained. “At some stage, a real great lizard cuckoo responded repeatedly to these sounds… It was genuinely attempting to interact with the model, which was astounding to witness.
We have infrastructure installed above properties, including rooftop setups on buildings and cellular towers designed specifically for capturing those signals.
Lauren Puishys, a Conservation and Science Technician with Disney’s ASE team
In conclusion, a bird came near the decoy, and Puishys was prepared. “I stayed hidden among the trees where the cuckoo couldn’t spot me but still within view of the dummy. So, when the moment arrived, I simply stepped into the open, and the bird found itself ensnared in the net.”
The team then fitted a solar-powered radio telemetry tag onto the bird to monitor its movements. “This device includes tiny solar panels along with an antenna, emitting a radiofrequency at 434 megahertz,” explained Puishys. “To capture this signal, we’ve set up equipment across various locations atop structures like buildings and cellular towers. This setup is specifically designed to detect the signal from the tag, each of which carries a distinct identifier consisting of an eight-character combination of numbers and letters specific to that particular creature.”
Due to the tags and the non-intrusive installations made across the island, Puishys can monitor bird movements directly from her desk in Florida.
We retrieve all the information from the cloud using an API key via the company, and then I can download it all onto my desktop utilizing RStudio,” she explained. “This has been operational since before construction began, and currently, we’ve accumulated more than 35 million data points related to this project.
We’ve been using it since the pre-construction phase, and currently, we have more than 35 million data points linked to this.
Lauren Puishys, a Conservation and Science Technician with Disney’s ASE team
The information is gathered via a meticulously organized network of points distributed throughout the island, with approximately 25 such points positioned roughly 400 meters away from each other.
Moreover, the information gets saved onto these nodes before being transmitted to the sensor station for processing. This processed data is subsequently uploaded through a cellular network, enabling the team to retrieve it from any location. This accessibility spans all the way to Puishys’s desk in Florida, marking this as the largest dataset gathered yet by the ASE team concerning a land-based creature.
For Puishys, the most exciting part isn’t just the success of the project – it’s how early they were brought in. “I honestly think our involvement as a Conservation team in the development of Disney Lookout Cay was our biggest leap,” Puishys said. “It kind of blew me away… and it was a big part about why I was so happy to join the team and help out with the project.”
The hope is that this approach – one that blends science, tech, and collaboration – becomes a template for future projects. “We hope that it worked out well enough that we can kind of be an example or a good model for other construction projects moving forward,” Puishys said.
You might also like
- OLED, mini-LED, LED – which TV type is best for energy efficiency?
- Hear it from a Property Brother: There is one eco-friendly smart home innovation that could potentially rescue you.
- What is the process for recycling Nespresso coffee pods? Find out what occurs backstage.
Enjoying this article? To read more stories like this one, follow us on MSN by tapping the +Follow button at the top of the page.
