Sloth Bear Names Announced by Woodland Park Zoo

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: April 23, 2022 9:41 pm

Woodland Park Zoo's 3-month-old sloth bear cubs have names on Earth Day! Both names are Hindi: the male cub is Madhu, which means "sweet, honey," and the girl cub is Lila, which means "play, amusement." 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Woodland Park Zoo have announced names for their sloth bear cubs ahead of their public debut in coming weeks. The cubs were born on New Year's Day and have remained behind the scenes bonding with mother Kushali (kuu-SHAW-lee).

The names for the brother, sister duo are Madhu (muh-DOO), which means “sweet, honey,” and Lila (LEE-lah), which means “play, amusement.” Both names are Hindi to represent India, one of several countries where sloth bears live.

Madhu was named following a public pole run by the zoo and Lila by special friends of the zoo.

“Our family has enjoyed and supported Woodland Park Zoo for many years. We visited the zoo as children and now we can share our love for animals and conservation with our eight grandchildren,” said Diane Shrewsbury, a long-time supporter, volunteer and Board member of Woodland Park Zoo.

“We are honored to have the opportunity to name a sloth bear cub. Our hope is to leave behind a better place for future generations and protect all living creatures.”

Woodland Park Zoo's 3-month-old sloth bear cubs have names on Earth Day! Both names are Hindi: the male cub is Madhu, which means "sweet, honey," and the girl cub is Lila, which means "play, amusement." 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo

Recently the cubs have been given their first chances to venture in to the Banyan Wilds Habitat.  “Mom Kushali is steadily gaining confidence in being outdoors with her cubs, so initially they may only be out for short periods,” said Kim Szawan, an animal care manager at Woodland Park Zoo.

“As Kushali becomes more secure outdoors and the cubs gain more footing in navigating the outdoor habitat, visitors should be able to see the cubs increasingly more starting early next week. Meanwhile, the cubs are being cubs—adorable and mischievous!”

Sloth bears are solitary animals and the mother is responsible for all care of the young. As such the cubs do not live with their father, Bhutan (boo-TAHN). 

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Ahead of their first adventures in to the yard keepers recently made some upgrades to the habitat making it more suitable for cubs. This including the building of an artificial climbing structure where the cubs can climb, jump and play. 

Sloth bears are unique among bears in that the mother will carry the cubs on her back for their 6-9 months of life.

These animals come from the grasslands and forests of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Unfortunately this species is now listed as vulnerable to extinction due to conflicts with humans and animals for space and food caused by deforestation, the bear parts trade for use in traditional Asian medicines and fragmented populations.

Learn more about Sloth Bears here - Sloth Bear Fact File | The Animal Facts

Learn more about the Woodland Park Zoo on their website – Woodland Park Zoo

Woodland Park Zoo's 3-month-old sloth bear cubs have names on Earth Day! Both names are Hindi: the male cub is Madhu, which means "sweet, honey," and the girl cub is Lila, which means "play, amusement." 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren/Woodland Park Zoo