WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An adorable, furry baby two-legged Hoffman sloth has made its first appearance at a zoo in Florida.
Zookeepers at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society have been monitoring the baby sloth and its mother, Wilbur, since witnessing the birth in the early morning hours of Jan. 23.
“This happened right in front of my eyes while we were on 24-hour vigil,” said Kelly Fad, the zoo’s general curator who also witnessed the birth. “The hanging mother is actually scooping and helping the baby up onto her body. She started cleaning and feeding started within hours.”
Wilbur, who was the last sloth born at the Palm Beach Zoo 21 years ago, and his mate Dustin are part of a professional scientific breeding program called the Species Survival Plan. It manages the sloth population in human care because their genetics may contribute to wild populations in the future, zoo officials said.
Fad said Wilbur and Dustin were matched in a way he compared to a dating app for humans.
As it turns out, they are the perfect couple.
A baby sloth is seen with its mother at the Palm Beach Zoo Conservation Society, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Fla. AP
“We work with other zoos. There are custodians, species survival plan coordinators so we can find the best genetic match,” he said.
The goal is to “coordinate and collaborate so that we can help the conservation of these men and have the best possible genetics and diversity in managed care.”
Male sloths do not play any role in raising babies, so Dustin remains in his native habitat at the zoo.
Zookeepers have been monitoring the baby sloth and its mother, Wilbur, since witnessing the birth. AP
Zoo officials are waiting to identify the baby sloth’s gender before deciding on a name.
“Gender is often quite difficult to determine,” says Fad. “The mother’s name is Wilbur, which is usually more of a boy’s name. And that’s because it’s not always easy to tell. So we like to give it a few weeks, and really be able to know for sure the gender before we start the naming process.”
But the public is now welcome to visit the baby sloth.
“We are excited for guests to witness the development of this unique little baby,” said Renee Bumpus, Chief Animal Conservation Officer. “In the meantime, Wilbur is very concerned, and the baby will stay close to the mother for a while.”
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