After almost seven months living at The Seas in EPCOT, Mermaid the manatee has been released back into the wild.
Mermaid the Manatee Released Into Wild
Mermaid was rescued from the Homosassa River in February and arrived at The Seas in March. At the time, she was approximately 525 pounds. Her name came from her split tail resembling that of a mermaid.
Disney’s animal care team helped her regain her strength and weight of at least 600 pounds. According to the Cast Member we spoke to, times of year with cold snaps have a higher level of success for a manatee’s reintroduction to the wild and Mermaid was released last Thursday, October 9.
Dr. Mark Penning, Vice President of Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, later shared photos and videos from the release on Instagram. Mermaid was carefully lifted out of her enclosure for a final health assessment then loaded onto a climate controlled truck. She was released back into the Homosassa River.
Mermaid’s rescue, rehabilitation, and release were done in association with the Manatee Rescue, Rehabilitation and Release Partnership and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Guests can still see manatees Tanimura (380 pounds) and Cider (955 pounds). Cider has gained a significant amount of weight since moving into The Seas in February, when she was 750 pounds. Tanimura, a.k.a. Tani, arrived in June and has gained a modest 80 pounds.
Disney changed The Seas from a long-term to a short-term rehabilitation center early this year. Previous resident manatees Lil Joe and Inigo were relocated to the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park.
Guests can view Tani and Cider swimming around their tank from the first or second level of SeaBase Aquarium in The Seas.
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