One thing that sets Disney World apart from other theme parks is that you have a chance to see a LOT of animals in the parks.
The Seas with Nemo and Friends
Sure, Animal Kingdom has an entire SAFARI where you can see animals in habitats similar to their natural ones, not to mention all kinds of walking trails where you can see tigers and gorillas up close. However, don’t sleep on EPCOT because it has one of the largest indoor aquariums in the world and hosts its own share of wildlife, including all kinds of fish, sharks, and our personal favorites, the manatees. Well, a NEW manatee has joined the Disney World family — and we think you’re going to love him.
We visited The Seas Pavilion in EPCOT recently to say hello to all the sea life that lives there and we got to meet the newest addition to The Seas family: a new manatee. In case you didn’t know it, Disney rescues manatees who are ill or injured and rehabilitates them to release them back out to the wild. Many were the victims of near-fatal boat strikes while others fall victim to cold stress. Disney has assisted with the successful rehabilitation of over 15 West Indian manatees to date!
Manatees!
You can often see these manatees in The Seas pavilion, so we thought we’d pop in to say hello. While there, we discovered that Disney has recently rescued a NEW manatee and he has the BEST name: Inigo. As in Montoya. As in The Princess Bride. We love a nerdy reference, y’all. Anyway, he’s got some scars, bless his little manatee heart, so Disney is rehabilitating him. So meet this little guy right now:
Meet Inigo
Inigo has joined Disney’s other manatees, including Lil Joe (who’s a celebrity thanks to Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom on Disney+), at the rehabilitation facility. These manatees aren’t trained, by the way — instead they’re allowed to indulge in regular manatee behvior while they’re monitored to get them ready to go back into the wild.
Hey, Inigo!
Here’s Lil Joe with Inigo (Inigo is the smaller of the two). Now, funny story about Lil Joe. He doesn’t seem to want to return to the wild. A Cast Member told us he’s already refused release two or three times. Lil Joe just wants to stay in The Most Magical Place on Earth, it seems!
Lil Joe and Inigo
Now, you may know that Lou the Manatee also used to be here, but he was recently released to another facility. So the next time you find yourself in EPCOT, be sure to stop by The Seas Pavilion to say hello to Inigo and Lil Joe. The manatees are pure joy to see and are sure to put a smile on your face.
Stay tuned to DFB for more.
I’ve Been a Disney World Fan for 30 Years. This Is My Ultimate Ritual at EPCOT
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People criticize places like Disney parks for keeping animals, BUT the reality is that they provide real services to animals that need the chance to rehabilitate, and they provide homes for animals that would not survive when returned to the wild. It’s great when the animals can be returned to their natural habitat, but I think it’s not only the decent thing to do, but educational for people, to see and understand that some animals are getting a second chance at life after what people or other animals have done to them in the wild. I will never forget seeing turtles at Sea World that wouldn’t survive in the wild anymore due to what poachers and predators had done to them. Maybe some of it has been superfluous for entertainment in the past, but these places also provide a real service.