The Dever Zoo is celebrating the birth of a 2-Toed Sloth and shared the first photos, which are absolutely precious.
On April 23, 2024, the Denver Zoo took to social media to share the great news and a few more details. Take a look!
Posting to the Denver Zoo Facebook page, we learn a little more about the new baby, including the proud new parents.
Related: Baby Sloth Makes Playful 'Meeps' While Climbing a Rope for a Snack
"New baby alert! We’re delighted to share that our Linne’s two-toed sloth pup made its debut on Friday, April 19," the zoo wrote.
The proud parents are Charlotte and Elliot, and this latest pup joins their already large family.
"This is Charlotte and Elliot’s fourth baby here at Denver Zoo and this healthy birth is a huge conservation win for the slow-moving species," the zoo wrote!
The zookeepers are taking great care of both mama and baby.
"A recent neonate exam confirmed that Charlotte and her adorable new baby are thriving in their Tropical Discovery home," the zoo shared. "And that this little one is strong, heathy and nursing like a pro."
Although the two are bonding and getting to know each other, visitors to the zoo might still be able to see Charlotte and her baby.
"Charlotte has access to the public-facing part of her treetop habitat, so you may be able to catch a glimpse of mama and her tiny bundle during your next visit the Zoo!"
While the care team has been able to keep an eye on the health of mama nd baby, they don't know the little one's sex yet, and they won't for some time.
"A DNA test is needed to determine the sex of this new arrival," the zoo explained, adding "we’re also still deciding on the baby’s name, so be sure to stay tuned for updates!"
The comment section is filled with people sharing their feelings about the little one's arrival.
"That is my birthday and I love the sloths," one person wrote.
"Oh my heart! Welcome to the world sweet baby and congratulations to Mama Charlotte!" another shared.
"Congratulations to the Denver Zoo taking part in conservation work in keeping species alive!" wrote another.
"Why are baby sloths so cute?" questioned someone else.
"Yay! Congratulations to my two favorite sloths," another commented. "Such exciting news! Love this."
Interesting Facts About Sloth Families
According to the Sloth Conservation Foundation , there are a lot of interesting things to learn about baby sloths.
"A baby sloth is fully reliant on its mother to teach it how to survive in the canopy of the rainforest," the foundation explains. "They are fragile yet fascinating little creatures, and here you can learn everything you ever wanted to know about baby sloths!"
When a sloth is pregnant, they gestate for around 11-and-a-half months. "When it’s time to give birth, the mother will usually descend to the lower canopy branches and give birth while hanging upside down," they explain. "In this position, if the baby falls to the ground, it won’t fall far, and the mother can climb down to retrieve her young."
When a baby is born, it instinctively clings to its mother's fur and crawls up to the safety of her chest. According to the Conservation Foundation, the mother then cleans up the baby.
The mama sloth then spends approximately 12 months raising her baby alone as the dad sloth doesn't care for their young at all.
While growing, the baby sloth spends most of its time on its mom's chest. Sometimes, it crawls to her back, but not often.
"As the baby grows, it will begin to move around more and will often take this opportunity to explore what is going on around Mom," the Sloth Conservation Foundation explains.
"At first, this will be reaching out to grab different leaves and branches with two or three limbs, still maintaining a connection with mom, but as the baby slowly gains confidence (and becomes too heavy for mom to carry), they will spend an increasing amount of time next to mom, rather than clinging to her."
We're excited to watch this little one grow!
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