WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An adorable, furry baby Hoffman’s two-toed sloth has made its debut at the Florida zoo.
Zookeepers at the Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society has been monitoring the baby sloth and its mother, Wilbur, since witnessing the birth early on the morning of January 23.
“This happened right before my eyes while we were on 24-hour watch,” said Kelly Fad, the zoo’s general curator who also witnessed the birth. “The hanging mother literally scoops down and helps the baby get onto her body. She starts cleaning and the nursing started within a few hours.”
Wilbur, the last sloth born at the Palm Beach Zoo 21 years ago, and her partner Dustin are part of a professional scientific breeding program called the Species Survival Plan. It manages the sloth population under human care because their genetics could contribute to wild populations in the future, zoo officials said.
Fad says Wilbur and Dustin were compatible in a way she compared to dating apps for people.
It turned out that they were a perfect match.
“We work together with other zoos. There is a species survival plan coordinator so we can find the best genetic matches,” she said.
The goal is to “coordinate and work together so that we can help the retention of these boys 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.
Zoo officials are waiting to identify the sex of the baby sloth before deciding on a name.
“The gender is often a little difficult to determine,” Fad said. “The mother’s name is Wilbur, which is typically a male name. And that’s because it’s not always easy to say. That’s why we like to give it a few weeks to really know for sure what the gender is 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 attentive and the baby remains closely connected to mom for a while. ”
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Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale.