Check out our Dolphin Weblog, updated weekly.
After much anticipation, two new female Atlantic bottlenose dolphins have arrived at the Minnesota Zoo.
April and Allie arrived at the Zoo from the Dolphin Connection in Florida. They will
join Minnesota Zoo dolphins Semo and Spree on public display after they are fully
acclimated to their new surroundings and caretakers. "This is an exciting time for the Zoo
and we're thrilled to have April and Allie here,” said Marine Mammal Supervisor Diane
Fusco. “Our staff looks forward not only to introducing them to Spree and Semo in the near
future, but to our guests as well.”
April and Allie, who are owned by the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, were brought to the
Minnesota Zoo as a breeding recommendation by a consortium of zoos and aquariums that
manage their dolphins collectively. It is also hoped that the two will become “role models” to
young Spree. Both dolphins are approximately eight feet long and weigh between 400-430
pounds. 
Until they are on public display, you will be able to get periodic updates of April and Allie
by visiting this page. Also you can read April and Allie's bios.
The most familiar of the 37 species of dolphins, adult Atlantic bottlenose dolphins range in
length from 8 to 12 feet and weigh between 400 and 600 pounds. Their sleek, torpedoshaped
bodies are padded with a layer of insulating blubber. Their prominent rostrums or
beaks account for the name “bottlenose.” Bottlenose dolphins inhabit warm and temperate
seas worldwide and may also enter harbor bays, lagoons, estuaries and river mouths. Some
populations can also be found living offshore.
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