July 11, 2025

Thank you to everyone who has supported this campaign thus far! We are very excited to move forward with modifications and building habitat spaces for all our new friends from SeaQuest Roseville. If you have visited the Zoo recently you may have seen a sizeable habitat being built in the Primate Conservation Center.

All new Reticulated Python habitat!

Our reticulated python is getting a massive upgrade—and it’s nothing short of spectacular!

This custom-designed habitat offers plenty of space to stretch out and explore, with pools for soaking and thermoregulating, just the way he likes it. The entire enclosure is designed with clear, open viewing, so guests can spot him whether he’s gliding through the water, coiled in the sun, or tucked into a favorite hideaway.

Built with both his natural behaviors and guest experience in mind, this new space provides the enrichment, comfort, and visibility that a snake of his size and status deserves. We can't wait to show you the finalized project and introduce this big old snake to his new home!

Veterinary Exams for All!

After arriving from SeaQuest, the rescued animals were carefully cycled through thorough veterinary evaluations. Many received x-rays, updated vaccinations, and treatments for internal parasites. While some records were provided by SeaQuest staff, many were incomplete or missing altogether, so our team conducted full assessments to ensure each animal's needs were met. As animals cleared quarantine, they were slowly introduced to shared habitats. Keeping everyone safe—from our animals to our guests (and even their pets at home)—means making sure no "cooties" are passed along. It's all part of providing responsible, compassionate care.

Quarantine Days

Quarantine is boring—it looks boring, it sounds boring… because it is boring. Cement walls, cinder blocks, and mesh might not make for the most exciting visuals, but there’s a reason for it: everything in quarantine has to be easily sanitized. Every animal rescued from SeaQuest has to spend at least 30 days in these holding areas before they can join the rest of the zoo. For a majority of these animals - the space in quarantine, though small, was more space than they had access to in the mall in Roseville. From there, they must pass multiple health checks, including clean fecal tests and screenings to ensure they aren’t carrying any contagious illnesses. It may not be glamorous, but it’s absolutely essential for protecting our animals, our guests, and even your pets at home.

When SeaQuest Roseville closed its doors in February of 2025, over 1,400 animals were left in need of urgent rescue and lifelong care. As an AZA-accredited facility committed to the highest standards of animal welfare, the Lake Superior Zoo stepped up to provide sanctuary—but we need your help.

Among the new arrivals are:

A reticulated python, one of the world’s longest snakes, that needs a spacious, climate-controlled indoor habitat with room to stretch, soak, and thrive.
A tegu, a large South American lizard with unique needs for heat, humidity, and enrichment.
A capybara, the world’s largest rodent, who needs a large, enriching outdoor space—complete with a deep, naturalistic pool for swimming and cooling off in the summer sun.
Several parrots—intelligent, social birds who deserve a safe, stimulating outdoor aviary where they can enjoy sunshine, fresh air, and room to fly.

These animals have already experienced more than their share of instability. Now, we have the opportunity to give them what they’ve always deserved: safety, dignity, and a nurturing environment where they can truly thrive.

But we can’t do it without you.

Your donation to the New Beginnings campaign will go directly toward creating these habitats—spaces that meet AZA standards for enrichment, space, and care. With your help, these animals will not only survive—they’ll flourish.

💛 Join us in turning rescue into refuge.
💚 Donate today and help give them a new beginning at Lake Superior Zoo.

Celebrate Wildlife. Support Rescue. Be Part of the Art.

As part of our fundraising campaign to support the rescued animals from SeaQuest Roseville, the Lake Superior Zoo is proud to unveil a stunning mosaic tile wall featuring a 100-tile mural of capybaras in their lush, natural Amazon habitat. Surrounding this central mural are individually available tiles, each offering you the opportunity to add your name—or the name of someone you wish to honor—to a permanent piece of art at the Zoo.

These one-of-a-kind tiles will be sourced locally in Minnesota and hand-painted by renowned Duluth artist Karin Kraemer in her signature Maiolica style—a vibrant, in-glaze painting technique full of color, movement, and life. Karin draws inspiration from the everyday beauty of the natural world, making her the perfect artist to bring this rainforest-inspired mural to life. Each tile she creates celebrates nature, care, and community—the very values this campaign embodies.

Your tile will not only become part of a breathtaking public art installation, but it will also directly support new, species-appropriate habitats and veterinary care for neglected animals who now call Lake Superior Zoo home.

Together, we can turn compassion into something permanent—a wall built by hearts, held by hands, and filled with hope.

Your support will help us build and enhance habitats designed specifically for these rescued animals—spaces that provide safety, enrichment, and expert care. Together, we can give them what they’ve always deserved: dignity, compassion, and a fresh start.

Join us in creating New Beginnings at Lake Superior Zoo: Hope After SeaQuest.

Help us turn rescue into refuge. Donate today.

Donation Levels & Recognition

🐾 Supporter ($25–$99)

Personalized thank-you email with rescue updates
Exclusive LSZ Sticker

🌿 Advocate ($100–$299)

All Supporter Perks
Commemorative Capybara footprint

💌 Guardian ($300–$499)

All Advocate perks
Donor name featured on a tile in the "New Beginnings" Tile Mural by local artist Karin Kraemer

🐍 Protector ($500–$999)

All Guardian perks
Invitation to a private Capybara Party at the Zoo, featuring staff insights on the rescue

🦜 Hero ($1,000–$1,499)

All Protector perks
Set of 4 personalized tiles in the mural
Personalized video message

🛖 Champion ($1,500+)

All Hero Perks
Private feeding or enrichment experience with Danny the Capybara

🌟 Presenting Sponsor ($5,000+) [One Available]

All Champion perks
Prominent recognition as the lead sponsor on the "New Beginnings" Tile Mural by local artist Karin Kraemer
Custom experiences and additional acknowledgements tailored just for you

Lake Superior Zoo Animal Care and Veterinary Staff on location at SeaQuest Roseville on March 5th

Videos & More!

See the SeaQuest Roseville Rescues featured on The Lift on WDIO

Parrots

Danny the Capybara

Reptiles

New Beginnings at Lake Superior Zoo: Hope After SeaQuest

By Lake Superior Zoological Society

New Beginnings at Lake Superior Zoo: Hope After SeaQuest