International Manatee Day Celebrated Sept. 7 at Epcot

This year's International Manatee Day will be celebrated on Saturday, September 7, 2013 at The Seas with Nemo & Friends pavilion at Epcot. Here you are a few more information regarding this special occasion:

Special activities are designed to help Guests learn about manatees and how they can help protect them, including finding out that manatees belong to a group of aquatic, plant-eating mammals called sirenians. They also will learn that actions all of us can take to keep waterways clean, such as recycling plastic bottles and used fishing line, can protect these majestic mammals.

Did you know?

• Sirenians can only be found in a few places, including Florida, South America, Africa, and Australia.
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends at Epcot is a designated rehabilitation site for rescued manatees (and sea turtles too) until they are well enough to be returned to their habitats.
• The Seas participates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other facilities and conservation groups, in the Manatee Rehabilitation Partnership.
• Rescued manatees Lou and Vail make their home at The Seas. The marine mammal team said that Lou and Vail will be celebrating International Manatee Day too, by eating fruits and vegetables from local farmers markets!
• Fun Fact: History tells us that ancient sailors—and maybe even Christopher Columbus—mistook manatees for mermaids.

We hope to see you at Epcot this Saturday! We'll be at the park to learn more about these magnificent animals.