As part of changes to The Seas Pavilion at EPCOT, one of the fan-favorite manatees has left as part of a relocation mandated by the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership (MRP) and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services (USFWS). The MRP and USFWS are the agencies in charge of managing the rehabilitation and conservation of manatees throughout Florida, and broad changes are in the works throughout the state. As part of those changes, Lou left EPCOT this morning.
Disney says that they will greatly miss Lou and that they will welcome a new manatee shortly as a companion to Lil Joe – the remaining manatee in EPCOT. Disney says that they look forward to welcoming the new manatee, which will allow Disney to continue to play a critical role in the manatee crisis in Florida. Manatee numbers have been on the decline the past few years, and conservation efforts like those underway at Walt Disney World will be increasingly important.
Manatees at EPCOT
We stopped by EPCOT this morning to see how Lil’ Joe was doing with more tank space. We also wanted to get an updated look at the Manatee module at The Seas Pavilion’s SeaBase. The module features both above-water and below-water viewing areas, along with information about manatees and how guests can help protect the species. Here’s a look around!
To learn more about changes coming to The Seas Pavilion at EPCOT, check out our article below!
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!
