‘Adorable’ sloth born at zoo in Rhode Island, officials say. Why birth is significant

A zoo in Rhode Island welcomed an “adorable” newborn animal and says the birth could help the “survival of a species.”

Roger Williams Park and Zoo & Carousel Village announced the birth of a baby Linne’s two-toed sloth, according to an Aug. 9 post on Facebook by the Providence-based zoo.

The baby boy was born on July 27 and weights under 1 ½ pounds, Vicki Scharfberg, the zoo’s director of marketing and public relations, told The Providence Journal.

McClatchy News reached out to the zoo on Aug. 10 for more information about the birth and was awaiting a response.

The baby is resting and sticking close to his mom, Fiona, officials said.

Staff and veterinarians at the zoo are “keeping a watchful eye” over the newborn and his mama as they bond, the zoo said.

The “little one” is growing and getting stronger as he’s given supplements, being monitored and getting the love he needs from Fiona, the release said.

Although the sloth is not named yet, the zoo said this birth is part of a program called Linne’s Two-Toed Sloth Species Survival Plan to make sure the species survives, the zoo said.

Even though the animals aren’t listed as endangered, they are facing a decrease in their numbers as they lose their rainforest habitat and are hunted for their meat in Brazil, according to Denver Zoo’s website.

Two-toed sloths weigh anywhere between 9 and 19 pounds and grow to be between 21 and 29 inches long, the Providence zoo’s website said. They sleep about 15 to 20 hours a day and “only travel 41 yards per day” to conserve energy.

This story was originally published August 10, 2023 at 5:35 PM with the headline "‘Adorable’ sloth born at zoo in Rhode Island, officials say. Why birth is significant."