WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An adorable, furry baby Hoffmann’s sloth has made its debut at a Florida zoo.
Zookeepers at the Palm Beach Zoo and Conservation Society have been monitoring the baby sloth and its mother, Wilbur, since they witnessed the birth early on January 23rd.
“This happened right in front of my eyes as we monitored her 24 hours a day,” said Kelly Fudd, the zoo’s general curator who attended the birth. “The hanging mother literally scoots down and helps the baby up onto her body. She starts cleaning and within just a few hours her feedings have started.”
The last sloth born at the Palm Beach Zoo 21 years ago, Wilbur and his companion Dustin are part of a specialized scientific breeding program called Species Survival Project. Zoo officials say the human-managed sloth population is managed because the sloth’s genetics could affect its future population in the wild.
Fudd likens Wilbur and Dustin’s match to a dating app for humans.
As it turned out, they were a perfect match.
“We work with other zoos. We have keepers who are species survival plan coordinators so we can find the best genetic match,” she said.
The goal is to “coordinate and work together to help protect these animals and achieve the best possible genetics and diversity in managed care.”
Dustin will remain in his original habitat at the zoo, as the male sloth will not be involved in raising the baby.
Zoo officials are waiting to determine the sex of the baby sloth before deciding on a name.
“It’s often a little difficult to determine gender,” Fudd says. “My mother’s name is Wilbur, which is generally a male name. That’s because it’s not always easy to tell. So before we start the naming process, we spend a few weeks making sure we know the gender.” We want to be able to know more about it.”
But now the public is welcome to visit the baby sloths.
Chief Animal Welfare Officer Renee Bumpass said: “We look forward to our guests witnessing the growth of this unique little baby.” “During that time, Wilbur will be very attentive, so the baby will stay closely attached to mom for a while.”
