Farewell scheduled for dolphins at Minnesota Zoo

6:41 AM, Aug 17, 2012   |    comments
Photo courtesy Minnesota Zoo
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APPLE VALLEY, Minn. - The Minnesota Zoo announced plans for the public to say goodbye to their dolphins, Allie and Semo.

The Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are moving this fall to allow for $4 million in repairs to the Discovery Bay building at the zoo.

The zoo will host a "Dolphin Open House" from Sept. 1-9. Zoo visitors will be able to view Allie and Semo in an informal setting and sign a card for the dolphins.

The dolphins will continue their current training sessions until August 31.

More information about the dolphins final weeks at the Minnesota Zoo is available at mnzoo.org.

The zoo says repairs to the Discovery Bay building will take at least a year. The tank will be empty as repairs are being made. After that, zoo officials say there will likely be a temporary exhibit of rays and fish until a larger exhibit can be funded and built.

Zoo officials won't say where Allie and Semo are going. They say they will provide details and status updates on how the dolphins are doing after the move is made.

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