Giant Sea Turtle Snooki Arrives at Minnesota Zoo

A giant sea turtle with an incredible backstory, and an even bigger fan base, just made her move to Minnesota, where she’s settling into a massive new forever home at the Minnesota Zoo.

Snooki, a 310-pound loggerhead sea turtle, recently arrived from the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in North Carolina. She now lives in the 250,000-gallon Atlantic Reef habitat at the Minnesota Zoo, marking the largest sea turtle the zoo has ever cared for.

A Long Journey to the North Star State

Snooki’s journey to Minnesota has been years in the making. Back in 2016, she was found stranded on a New Jersey shoreline and brought to the Sea Turtle Hospital, a rehabilitation facility authorized by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. A CT scan revealed two fractures in her spine, and specialists determined that she could not return to the wild.

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During her years in North Carolina, Snooki became an ambassador for sea turtle conservation, inspiring visitors and fans around the country. When it came time to move north, fans sent her off in style, signing four large banners filled with messages of love and good luck.

For now, Snooki will remain behind the scenes at the Minnesota Zoo as she adjusts to her new surroundings. Keep an eye on the zoo’s social media channels for updates on when visitors can finally meet Minnesota’s newest aquatic celebrity.

Funniest, Quirkiest, And Most Awesome Minnesota Township Names

We all know about goofy Minnesota town names like Fertile and Climax, or funny Minnesota lake names like the infamous Scooty Lake or the Dick Lakes (there's a big and little one), but what about Minnesota townships? Here's a look at some of the most interesting township names in the state.

Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper

Tour Minnesota's Fanciest Mini Golf Course - The Centennial Lakes Putting Course

While they won't call it a mini golf course, it kind of is. This 18-hole course boasts all real grass playing surfaces, natural obstacles like sand traps, boulders, and water, just like a real golf course.

The whole course looks and feels like a shrunken golf course, and it plays like one, too! The holes are long! The shortest hole is 57 feet, the longest is 125 feet, and the whole 18-hole course plays 1,662 feet.

This is no ordinary mini golf course!

Take a tour.

Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper