atlanta zoo
June 19, 2023
Atlanta – June 19, 2023 – Cocoa, 30, Hoffman’s two-toed sloth at the Atlanta Zoo, became a father again on Father’s Day, June 18, 2023, giving birth to a baby with a female Nutella. The baby is 6 years old for the first time. Old Nutella.
Sloths have an unusually long gestation period in the animal kingdom, 11-12 months. However, pregnancy cannot be easily confirmed unless detected by an x-ray or ultrasound. Sloths are notoriously slow-moving, but sloth babies grow at a significantly faster pace than most other mammal babies. They are born with full fur, open eyes, teeth are already present, and they have fully developed claws for clinging to their mother.
The Atlanta Zoo’s sloth care team and veterinarian team also confirmed that Bonnie, another female in the zoo’s sloth trio, is pregnant with a baby due in the next few weeks. Bonnie’s pregnancy was confirmed with X-rays and an ultrasound during a recent physical. The newborn will be Bonnie’s third. Her two children before her, daughters Willow and Raisin, now live at other Zoo Aquarium Association (AZA) accredited zoos.
“We are especially pleased to welcome Nutella babies on Father’s Day,” said Dr. Jennifer Mikkelberg, Vice President of Collections and Conservation. “Among mammals, sloths are unusual in almost every respect. It’s one of the many ways we connect with our visitors to help them understand that we are.”
Native to Central and South America, the Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth is not currently classified as endangered, but wild populations face increasing threats from human activity. In addition to challenges such as habitat loss from illegal logging, hundreds of sloths are electrocuted each year while trying to use power lines to move between fragmented forest areas. The Costa Rica-based Sloth Conservation Project is one of three programs supported by the Atlanta Zoo’s 2023-2024 Conservation Quarterly Plan, with 25 cents of general admission going toward wildlife projects. You can By supporting this program, the Atlanta Zoo is stepping up efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and release wild sloths affected by deforestation and electrocution.
Nutella and cocoa are recommended for breeding by the AZA Species Survival Plan® (SSP), which aims to maintain healthy, genetically diverse and self-sustaining animal populations in accredited zoos. Atlanta Zoo Chief Keeper Lynn Yakubinis coordinates the AZA-wide SSP program for both Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth and Lynn’s Two-toed Sloth.
Nutella and its babies can be seen daily in the zoo’s summer sloth habitat in KIDZone, weather permitting. Plan your visit or learn more at zoatlanta.org.
(Photo: Channing M.)