What’s cuter than a Hoffman’s two-toed sloth? A baby Hoffman’s two-toed sloth, of course — and a zookeeper at Palm Beach Zoo was lucky enough to witness the new sloth mom welcome one into the world on Jan. 23.
The new baby may not have been a surprise, but it was still a welcome sight for both zookeepers and visitors. The sloth mom, named Wilbur, had been moved into a special, climate-controlled space a few weeks ago in preparation for her delivery. Daddy sloth Dustin also has a home at the zoo, but he was allowed to remain in his original habitat. (Sloths have a reputation for being lazy, and the dads don’t do much to help that perception: They play no part in the raising of young, apart from the mating.)
Dustin and Wilbur had been paired up by zoo researchers as part of their Species Survival Plan, a breeding plan that matches the most genetically viable animals in an effort to produce offspring that can help the general population thrive. Hoffman’s two-toed sloths are currently a species of least concern and animal conservationists are hoping to keep it that way.