After you create your sea creature , keep tabs on it in the virtual ocean . © DISNEY
HERE ’ S WHO YOUR SEA CREATURE SAVES By designing a sea creature , you ’ re helping to save these fascinating endangered species :
Whales : Beluga whales live in the Arctic Ocean ; blue whales live in every ocean except the Arctic . Both are in danger and need our help .
Fish , turtles , manatees , and coral , too : Parrotfish and hawksbill sea turtles live near coral reefs , which can include staghorn coral . You can find manatees at The Seas with Nemo & Friends at EPCOT , and also in many warm bodies of water ( Florida loves its manatees !). These warm-water animals ( coral is an animal , not a plant , despite its appearance ) depend on the right water temperature and water quality to survive .
THE WAY OF WATER Avatar : The Way of Water offers the perfect vehicle for promoting protecting our oceans . We may not live in the Pandoran Ocean , but we do have something in common with Jake and the Na ’ vi : We all need to protect our home .
THE EXPO The program , first seen at the 2022 D23 Expo , didn ’ t premiere on iPhones , but on an interactive booth . After creating a virtual sea creature , you could find it in a lifesize virtual aquarium .
Download your own Avatar : The Way of Water Activity Packet , Created in Partnership with Disney ’ s Science , Animals and Environment .
Mangroves : You might not think of mangroves when you think about ocean creatures that need protection , but these seaside trees have an important , officialsounding job : carbon sequestration . Sounds fancy , but what it means is that these trees ( that look like they belong on the set of Avatar ) pull carbon out of the air and trap it , easing the pace of climate change .
Manta rays : Manta rays — think Mr . Ray in Finding Nemo — live anywhere from South Carolina to Brazil . They might look imposing , but all they really want to do is eat krill and chill .
Sharks and sea lions : Whale sharks and sea lions both have a broad range across the globe . Think all sharks are scary ? Think again : Whale sharks eat shrimp , plankton , and small fish . Sea lions have a more varied diet ; they ’ ll eat all types of squid and fish , and , if the opportunity presents itself , they ’ ll snatch baitfish off a fishing line .