Rescued Sea Turtle Finds a Forever Home at the Minnesota Zoo
You’ve heard of Snooki from Jersey Shore… but have you met Snooki, the newest (and quite possibly coolest) resident of the Minnesota Zoo? Yep, this Snooki’s is a larger-than-life sea turtle with personality to match, and after nearly a decade of care and recovery, she’s finally found her forever home right here in Minnesota.
Snooki’s story began back in 2016, when she was rescued from a beach in Cape May, New Jersey. A spinal injury left her unable to dive, which meant heading back to the ocean wasn’t an option. So instead, she spent years at a sea turtle rehab center recovering, relaxing, and winning everyone over with her charm.
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At a whopping 310 pounds, she’s officially the largest sea turtle the Minnesota Zoo has ever housed. Soon, she’ll make her grand debut in the zoo’s Atlantic Reef exhibit - a massive 250,000-gallon tank that’s basically the underwater version of a luxury resort. It’s also 50 times larger than her previous pool. Talk about an upgrade!
Inside the exhibit, she’ll share the space with stingrays, eels, tropical fish, and other sea turtle friends, plus enjoy deeper waters and plenty of room to explore. Zoo staff say she’s settling in perfectly behind the scenes and will be ready to meet visitors in the coming weeks.
Here's a peek at the beautiful, Snooki:
One thing’s for sure: Minnesota’s newest resident already knows how to make a splash, and I can't wait to meet her.
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Gallery Credit: Ken Hayes
