Baby Sloth Born at Brevard Zoo in Florida

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: April 18, 2021 4:55 pm

The baby Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth clings to mom at the Brevard Zoo

Photo Credit: Brevard Zoo

Brevard’s zoo animal care team welcomed a baby Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth on the morning of April 8th 2021. The baby was welcomed to a 15 year old mother, Sammy and 18 year old father, Dustin.

This is the third sloth to have been born at the Brevard Zoo and the first born in over two years.

Currently the baby is yet to be named or sexed and can be seen clinging to its mother’s underside. Mother and child are thriving and have started to emerge for public viewing.’

Keepers were able to monitor Sammy through her gestation due to ongoing training by her keepers. This allowed them to undertake ultrasound exams which she will voluntarily present for.

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Linnaeus’s two-toed sloths make their home in rainforests of northern South America. They are an important part of their natural environment as they swallow the seeds of native plants and then deposit them elsewhere in their feces.

While the baby sloth may look cute staff at the zoo caution against choosing one as a pet.

“Sloths are high-maintenance animals that need professional care, and they don’t belong in the home,” said Michelle Smurl, the Zoo’s director of animal programs. “They have long claws and sharp teeth that they won’t hesitate to use if they’re scared or stressed. If you can’t make the trip down to South America, the best way to get your sloth fix is to visit your local accredited animal care facility.”