09-04-2025
More than 1,000 animals find new homes after SeaQuest Roseville closes, files for bankruptcy
Hundreds of animals are finding new homes around the Twin Cities metro after SeaQuest Roseville closed its doors and filed for bankruptcy.
Cisco and Chubbs are two newly acquired wallabys at the Minnesota Zoo.
"They were probably hand-raised by people, so they don't fully understand that they're wallabys," Dr. Anne Rivas, director of animal health at the Minnesota Zoo, said.
They are just two of the more than 100 animals taken in by the zoo after SeaQuest's bankruptcy. The newly acquired animal arsenal also includes reptiles and sugar gliders.
"We've got a sloth and an armadillo that folks can see if they go out on our Tropics Trail," Rivas said.
All the animals are in stable health, Rivas said. Cisco and Chubbs are still working their way out of quarantine. They came in with a few wounds but are gaining weight and healing well.
Over at Sea Life inside Mall of America, tiny spotted garden eels are just a tiny sampling of the roughly 600 animals Sea Life took in, including a shark, rays and other sea creatures.
Those at Sea Life said animal care teams and marine biologists will be giving top notch care. The vast majority of the animals are in quarantine.
"Of the hundreds of animals we got, they arrived in varying conditions. Some were in great condition, good health, others needed a little bit more medical attention," Drew Turner, senior aquarist at Sea Life, said
For most animals, Sea Life and the Minesota Zoo are now their official brand new homes.
"To be able to provide placement for all of these unique diverse animals in a fairly short amount of time and get them there safely and tip top shape, has been really a phenominal effort to get to be a part of," Rivas said.
