Baby Manatee Soleil Released After Successful Rehabilitation at EPCOT

Baby Manatee Soleil Returns to the Wild After Rehab at EPCOT

After a successful period of care, Soleil has been released back into her natural habitat. The young manatee first arrived at EPCOT in February, where she underwent a brief but effective rehabilitation at The Seas with Nemo & Friends before being cleared for her return to the wild.

Related – Baby Manatee Soleil Arrives in The Seas Pavilion at EPCOT

After being orphaned, Soleil was brought to The Seas with Nemo & Friends at EPCOT for short-term specialized care. Guests recently noticed her name had been removed from the exhibit’s chalkboard, and Cast Members confirmed the exciting news: Soleil has officially been relocated to Welaka, Florida, for her return to the wild.

This charming town sits along the St. Johns River, a premier location for manatee releases. The area offers an abundance of fresh vegetation and a perfect natural environment for rehabilitated manatees to thrive as they reintegrate into the ecosystem.

While Soleil has returned to the wild, two other orphaned manatees, Tanimura and Cider, continue their recovery at The Seas with Nemo & Friends. Both have made incredible progress in their rehabilitation, showing significant weight gain over the last few months.

Tanimura, who arrived as a 300-pound calf last summer, has grown to a healthy 550 lbs. Meanwhile, Cider, a slightly older manatee who joined the facility in early 2025 at 750 lbs, now weighs in at a sturdy 1,055 lbs. These milestones are a testament to the dedicated care provided by the Disney animal teams as these manatees prepare for their own eventual return to the wild.

Did you get to see Soleil before she was released?

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