Disney Refocuses Manatee Care at The Seas with Nemo & Friends

Written by Joshua Posted February 10th, 2025

Last month, Lil Joe and Inigo said goodbye to The Seas with Nemo & Friends as they were relocated to Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in the Florida Panhandle. Their departure aligns with EPCOT’s new focus on providing short-term care for manatees, especially younger sea cows.

Florida recorded more than 2,000 manatee deaths from 2020 to 2022. As a result, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared an Unusual Mortality Event. Officials determined that a dramatic decline in natural seagrass was responsible for many of those deaths. Mortality rates have since improved, but not among manatee calves.

Disney hopes The Seas’ new focus will help those young sea cows. Disney World veterinarian Dr. Jen said they can now support more urgent cases. “This helps relieve pressure on overcrowded facilities, supports the [Manatee Rescue & Rehabilitation Partnership’s] efforts, and boosts our contribution to manatee conservation, which is what excites me most about shifting from long-term care to short-term rehabilitation,” she said.

Dr. Geoff, Disney’s Animal Health Director, said manatees will swim in The Seas just long enough to grow or gain weight. “The hope is that no manatee remains with us for too long — usually no more than six to nine months. Our goal is to ensure they are healthy and strong enough for a successful release back into the wild during the winter periods.”

Disney's animal teams work with a manatee in The Seas with Nemo & Friends

EPCOT’s aquarium is perfectly suited for the task. The facility features a medical lift floor (which allows for blood draws and radiographs) and a CT machine. The Sea also has an advanced water system. Divers and chemists ensure the highest water quality, “essential for the health and wellbeing of the animals living at Walt Disney World Resort.”

The manatees are tracked once they’re released back into the wild. Dr. Geoff said, “We get to see, months later, that they’re still out there thriving. That’s the true measure of success for us.”