Denver Zoo rescues 130 animals from Seaquest Littleton

Denver Zoo rescues 130 animals from Seaquest Littleton

The Denver Zoo rescued nearly 130 animals from SeaQuest in Littleton, which received multiple citations and complaints for animal welfare concerns and injuries to customers since it opened in 2018. SeaQuest recently decided to close its Littleton location, leaving their animals in need of new homes, including a keel-billed toucan, red-necked wallabies, African pancake tortoises, a New Guinea blue-tongued skink and a number of aquatic species. Many of these species are new to Denver Zoo.

(All photos provided by Denver Zoo)

Over the past week, the Zoo led efforts with Downtown Aquarium Denver to help monitor, evaluate, and place the animals, and the Zoo was able provide new, safe homes for many of them. The animals are getting acquainted with their new habitats behind the scenes at the Zoo’s Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Animal Hospital and Tropical Discovery, and the Zoo’s animal care team reports that the new additions are settling in well and will be viewable to guests and members soon.

“We have a number of rescued animals living here at the Zoo and take the responsibility of bringing in these animals very seriously,” said Bert Vescolani, President and CEO of Denver Zoo. “We’re fortunate to have the space, resources, and animal health and care expertise to provide the best possible care for these animals, and happy we could assist in this coordinated effort to give them a great new home.”