See the Sweet New Face at Buttonwood Park Zoo
Just before Labor Day, a newborn baby sloth was welcomed at Buttonwood Park Zoo.
Now you can start spotting the cutest new addition to the family in the Rainforests, Rivers & Reefs exhibit.
The sight of a tiny, newborn sloth clinging to its mother is worthy of an out-loud "aw." This fall at Buttonwood Park Zoo, guests have the chance to see such an adorable sight with the addition of yet another Hoffman's two-toed sloth.
Last June Ziggy joined the sloth family living in New Bedford, and now he's a big brother to 13-year-old female Sandy's and 21-year-old male Bernardo's newest bundle of fur born on Aug. 26.
The tiny new sloth is being well taken care of by mama Sandy, though zoo staff have spotted him (or her) clinging tightly to mama's fur while high up in the trees. They will continue to monitor the baby's growth and progress from afar, while mom and baby bond. Eventually, zoo staff will be able to determine the baby's sex.
To further the bonding between baby and mother, Ziggy is currently living in "Brazil," the habitat right next to "Peru" in the Rainforests, Rivers & Reefs exhibit. This way no "sibling rivalry" will arise between the young sloths and guests can still see all the Hoffman's two-toed sloths currently at Buttonwood Park Zoo.
In case you weren't keeping count, there are now four of these species of sloth in New Bedford. Back in 2018, Bernardo became the first sloth at Buttonwood, followed by Sandy in 2019.
The goal was that Sandy and Bernardo would choose to be mates and welcome more Hoffman's two-toed sloths to the zoo. Clearly, that plan has worked.
So next time you visit Buttonwood Park Zoo keep your eyes peeled for the tiny new arrival, you never know where she and her mother will be hanging out next.