Duluth zoo will take in some animals from closed SeaQuest aquarium

The Lake Superior Zoo will take in some of the animals from the recently shuttered SeaQuest aquarium and petting zoo in Roseville and has begun fundraising to cover the costs for veterinary care and transportation to Duluth.

Hundreds of animals are in need of new homes and immediate care after the attraction in Rosedale Center closed last month as the company goes through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

A federal judge on Friday signed off on a motion to allow mammals, reptiles and birds to be transferred to accredited facilities and enlisted the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) to help with the relocation.

“At the Lake Superior Zoo, we believe that every animal deserves a second chance and the best care possible,” Lake Superior Zoo Executive Director Haley Hedstrom said in a statement. “No matter what it takes, we will always be a place of hope and rescue for animals in need.”

Officials from the Lake Superior Zoo will visit SeaQuest’s Roseville location this week to assess the condition of several species and transport them to Duluth. Upon their arrival, they will be given time to rest before undergoing thorough examinations, testing and medical treatment, the statement said.

After assessing the animals' conditions, some may remain in Duluth while others will be sent to other facilities.

“Without our intervention, these animals could face euthanasia — but here, they will not only receive a second chance at life but the highest standard of care," Hedstrom said.

The AZA had also contacted the Como Zoo and the Minnesota Zoo about receiving some of SeaQuest’s animals. Two African crested porcupines will be sent to Como, said spokesman Matt Reinartz.

The AZA is known for its standards when it comes to animal care. The organization, unaffiliated with SeaQuest, called the situation an “animal care crisis” and stepped in to help provide medical care and housing for as many animals as possible, said Dan Ashe, AZA’s president and CEO.

In a different court filing, Matt McKinlay, the trustee to oversee SeaQuest’s estate, told the court the animals needed to be rehomed immediately and that “failure to do so may jeopardize their health and safety,” court documents show.

McKinlay ordered the Rosedale location closed to address the company’s financial crisis, leaving four other SeaQuest locations still operating in other states.

SeaQuest filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December after gross revenue dropped from $27 million two years ago to just over $15 million in 2024. The parent company, SeaQuest Holdings located in Boise, Idaho, also closed five of its 10 locations across the country after reports came to light of animal abuse and neglect, dangerous human-animal interactions and filthy conditions.

A sale of its assets for $80,000 was withdrawn in January, leaving the question about what would happen to the aquarium’s 868 animals that include wallabies, Bengal cats, parrots, sharks, iguanas and hundreds of other exotic species.

Anybody who would like to help the Lake Superior Zoo can donate on the zoo’s website.