Epcot removes manatees following previous dolphin departures
Manatees are no longer permanent residents of Disney World’s Epcot as The Seas with Nemo & Friends evolves.
Epcot management permanently removed the park’s two manatees, Disney shared with Attractions Magazine on Jan. 15, 2025. The manatees were previously part of The Seas with Nemo & Friends, the 5.7-million-gallon aquarium pavilion at Epcot near Orlando, Fla.
Manatees named Lil Joe (a longtime Epcot resident) and Inigo (who just arrived this past fall) now live at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. There, they join the three dolphins who lived at Epcot until last October. Disney relocated Lil Joe and Inigo in collaboration with the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Going forward, guests may occasionally see manatees at Epcot, but as a whole The Seas with Nemo & Friends is transitioning to short-term, critical manatee care rather than permanent residence. The day-to-day operations of The Seas and its indoor ride are not affected by these changes.
At their new home, the manatees will be cared for by a marine mammal expert who previously worked for many years at Epcot. Gulfarium is accredited by the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums and the International Marine Animals Trainer’s Association.
Despite all of its manatees and dolphins leaving the park, Epcot will continue to be home to marine life such as sharks, sea turtles, jellyfish, and, of course, clownfish (aka Nemo), among many others.
Elsewhere in Florida, parks such as SeaWorld Orlando and ZooTampa are also part of manatee rehabilitation programs, with the ultimate goal of returning the animals to their natural habitats in the ocean.
In light of the animal shifts, Epcot temporarily suspended its DiveQuest experience last fall. DiveQuest will return in spring 2025, sans dolphins and manatees.
National Geographic spotlights the animal care at The Seas in both seasons of “Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom” on Disney+.
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