Splashdown at the Minnesota Zoo: Loggerhead Sea Turtle Moves In
A new resident of the Minnesota Zoo is making a big splash in more than one way. Snooki, a 310-lb. loggerhead sea turtle, recently arrived from the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in North Carolina.
After being stranded on the New Jersey shoreline in 2016, Snooki received expert care – and had many fans – at the North Carolina center for nearly a decade. Due to a medical condition, she could not be returned to the ocean.
Snooki now has a forever home at the Minnesota Zoo, where she will be the largest sea turtle in the Zoo’s history.
“We are excited to bring Snooki’s charisma and popularity to Minnesota, as well as navigate the challenges of housing and caring for such a large turtle,” says Christoph Noetzli, the Minnesota Zoo’s Curator of Aquariums.
In fall 2024, Noetzli reached out to several rescue organizations to offer a home to a non-releasable sea turtle.
Kathy Zagzebski, Executive Director of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center, thought Minnesota would make a great match for Snooki’s big needs. She was already familiar with the Zoo’s expertise, having placed a green sea turtle here years ago.
Minnesota Zoo aquarist Nicole Williamson assesses loggerhead sea turtle Snooki upon her arrival at the Minnesota Zoo on October 27, 2025.
Aquarist Nicole Williamson, left, Sea Turtle Hospital Executive Director Kathy Zagzebski, and Curator of Aquariums Christoph Noetzli closely monitor Snooki as she adjusts to her home at the Minnesota Zoo.
To see where “our diva” would live, Zagzebski visited the Zoo and was wowed by the 250,000-gallon Atlantic Reef habitat, which is 50 times the size of Snooki’s home at the center.
Atlantic Reef will also provide Snooki with neighbors of every shape and size, including sand tiger sharks, green morays, grouper, jacks, and pompano fish. The stimulating natural environment will support her wellbeing and sea turtle behaviors.
“She will have access to depths she hasn't seen before in many years and lots of room to swim around,” Noetzli says. “And staff here have decades of experience taking care of a variety of sea turtle species, including many individuals with Snooki’s medical condition.”
“I’m thrilled with the space and with the team,” Zagzebski says. “And as a Midwesterner myself, I know the impact of seeing ocean animals in a place far from the ocean. People will be inspired and captivated by her.”
Loggerhead sea turtles are found in oceans worldwide – but endangered or threatened everywhere they live. Zagzebski says Snooki will be an unforgettable ambassador for sea turtles and spread the message of how we can protect them from boat strikes, net entanglements, disturbance of nesting sites, and other human activity.
And even more so, she sees Snooki as an emblem for all ocean animals that are threatened by plastic pollution and climate change.
“Sea turtles are so dependent on a healthy ocean to survive,” Zagzebski says. “As we say, if you save sea turtles, you save the rest of the world.”
Snooki in her former home at the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center in North Carolina. The nonprofit center’s mission is to conserve and protect marine turtles, rescue and rehabilitate sick and injured sea turtles, and provide public education.
From Stranded to Thriving
After her rescue by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, Snooki was transferred to the Sea Turtle Hospital, a rehabilitation facility authorized by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Sea turtles are protected by the Endangered Species Act, and by law, must receive specialized care from expert staff.
At the hospital, she was diagnosed with positive buoyancy disorder. This disorder, also known as “bubble butt syndrome,” cause air to build up under a sea turtle’s shell and prevents them from diving to reach food sources on the ocean floor.
A CT scan revealed two fractures in Snooki’s spine due to unknown causes. Traumatic injuries like that can cause buoyancy issues, Zagzebski says.
Snooki is a mature adult of at least 34 to 44 years. Loggerheads can live between 70 and 80 years.
“If she wasn’t injured, she would be a nesting female contributing to the survival of her species,” Zagzebski says.
Unfortunately, no treatment was effective for Snooki’s condition and the Sea Turtle Hospital‘s veterinarian declared her non-releasable.
The global pandemic and other factors delayed her finding a home until now. The center continued to provide her expert care and twice increased the size of her environment in her time there.
Pounds of Personality
Snooki is a standout for more than her size.
“She’s very preferential to certain people,” Zagzebski says. “You wouldn’t think of a sea turtle doing that.”
“Snooki can be sweet or moody. She splashes when she’s happy and splashes when she’s annoyed.”
And she has amazing aim with her flippers. “Despite her tilt in the water, she can deliberately target people and will toss a gallon of water at someone who comes near. I hope the staff in Minnesota are prepared to get wet!” Zagzebski says.
Perseverance and Partnership
Noetzli says it took determination and coordination on the part of the Zoo and the Sea Turtle Hospital to deliver Snooki to her new home. He says that shared commitment is critical to the survival of sea turtles.
“Unfortunately, many sea turtle rescues are deemed too injured to be released back into the wild,” Noetzli says. “Accredited zoos and aquariums like the Minnesota Zoo can provide a permanent home for these rescued sea turtles, where they can get top notch veterinary care, the perfect diet, and peace from any predators.”
“And it’s very important that zoos and aquariums who give homes to rescued sea turtles take the opportunity to teach the public about these amazing animals and their endangered status in the wild.”
It was a nearly year-long process to be issued a permit from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, he says. Then Snooki received medical clearance to move, and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center initiated a fundraising campaign for her flight to Minnesota. Generous donors and fans supported her move and bid her the fondest farewells in North Carolina.
At long last, Snooki landed at St. Paul’s Holman Field on October 27. With the help of animal care and health staff, specialized equipment, and a stretcher designed just for heavyweight sea turtles, Snooki was gently lowered into the waters of her new home – and promptly made a big splash.
Snooki will live behind the scenes for several weeks while she adjusts to her new environment.
Follow @mnzoo on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to the Zoo’s newsletter for the announcement of Snooki’s public debut.
Support Expert Animal Care at the Minnesota Zoo
Welcome Snooki to the Zoo when you purchase a commemorative sea turtle plush. Not only will you receive your own pint-sized version of the Zoo’s newest animal, but your purchase includes a donation to the Minnesota Zoo Foundation that will help the Zoo provide outstanding care to animals like Snooki. Get your sea turtle plush today!
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