Epcot: Dolphins in Disney World

In 1985, dolphin dealer Jay Sweeney captured 6 dolphins off the Florida coast for Epcot- Bob, Geno, Tyke, Toby, Christie and Katie.

Ranier, Calvin and Malabar came to Epcot after being passed between a number captive facilities. Ranier was captured from the wild in the Gulf of Mexico in 1988, and was sent to the US Navy, then to Dolphin Connection, then to the Brookfield Zoo, then to Epcot, then to SeaWorld Orlando and then finally to Epcot. Calvin and Malabar were born in captivity. Calvin was sent from Dolphin Connection to Brookfield Zoo, then back to Dolphin Connection, to Epcot, then to SeaWorld Orlando, then back to Epcot. Malabar was sent from Dolphin Quest Bermuda to Epcot, then to SeaWorld Orlando then back to Epcot. These three are the only surviving dolphins, and remain at Epcot to this day. 

In 1993, Epcot also controversially acquired three surplus Navy dolphins for breeding purposes. The dolphins, Nina, Snapper & Noriko, were tipped for release by congress. The move had not been approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service and irked the agency considerably. Noriko was transferred back to the Navy in June 1997, and died that November. Nina went back to the Navy in Oct. 1998, and died just a few years later in 2001. Snapper was transferred back to the Navy with Nina, and is still alive.

After being captured from the wild in 1985, Geno didn’t survive one year in captivity. He was trapped in a pool net and suffocated. 

In 1987, dolphins Christie and Tyke died within 3 days of each other. Christie died of a brain hemorrhage while Tyke died from a fractured vertebrae. Both deaths were believed to have been caused by an “aggressive” tankmate, a male dolphin named Bob.

In 1990, Katie died after a fight with Bob. Disney’s vice president for environmental policy, Kim Murphy told the media, “Bob probably contributed to the 1987 deaths of two other dolphins at the Living Seas,” referring to Christie and Tyke. Although Katie did have an ongoing lung condition at the time of her death, Murphy told the media “these animals didn’t die from disease and physical or biological problems. They died from a blow of some sort.”

Epcot courted further controversy in 1993, when it accepted three surplus Navy dolphins for breeding purposes. The dolphins, Nina, Snapper & Noriko, were tipped for release by congress. The move had not been approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service and irked the agency considerably. Noriko was transferred back to the Navy in June 1997, and died that November. Nina went back to the Navy in Oct. 1998, and died just a few years later in 2001. Snapper was transferred back to the Navy with Nina, and is still alive.

After continued problems with Bob, he was sent to the National Aquarium on a breeding loan in 2003. He quickly developed a severe infection and was euthanized less than a year after arriving at the aquarium.