Virginia Zoo Greets Baby Sloth And Needs Assistance Naming Newborn

Apr 20, 2020 by apost team

Unfortunately, entry to the Virginia Zoo is currently limited until things are declared otherwise. Nonetheless, the zoo has been lucky to change the mood by sharing some good news with us.

This new information is literally slow, but it will give you a good reason to smile and celebrate. On 8th March 2020, a Sunday was no regular day as the Virginia Zoo shared the news with the public that it received a new member who happened to be a baby sloth.

The baby sloth whose mom and dad happen to have splendid names: Honey and Mervin, respectively, brought this baby sloth into the world as their first offspring. Naturally, baby sloths weigh anywhere between 12 to 16 ounces at birth. They are uniquely born covered in fur, two toes, long nails, teeth, and with open eyes. The baby sloth was born healthy, according to Dr. Colleen Clabbers, who is the Zoo’s Veterinarian. The infant has been pampered well both its mother and the zoo-keepers’ through constant and gentle nursing and feeding of cooked veggies.

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Like any other birth witnessing the introduction of a new being, a baby sloth’s delivery is magical. The baby sloth often hugs its mother’s fur during birth. They are naturally inclined to hold onto their mothers with a firm grip that holds them securely on the mother’s belly or back. This habit enables the mother to move comfortably with her newborn from tree to tree.

Baby sloths normally will live under the mother’s care for the first two years of their life. After they are old enough to live on their own, the mature sloths will separate from their mothers and move to another territory. They don’t go so far off, mostly just a tree or two away from their mothers’ original habitat.

That’s a lot to learn, right? It doesn’t stop there.The newest member of the sloth family has been looking for a name, and you might just have the opportunity to have the ultimate honor of naming this baby sloth. In the meantime, the Virginia Zoo staff members have been careful not to interrupt the mother and baby sloth as they bond. Due to minimal interruption and questioning, the Animal Care staff do not know the real sex of the sloth. The zoo welcomes any suggestions that lean more towards choosing gender-neutral names.

Do you want to name this lovely creature? Charitable efforts have been recognized, with the most recent being funds raised via a naming auction and channeled to the Zoo’s Emergency Operating Fund. These funds will be geared at keeping the Zoo operational even in the absence of human traffic and visits that have been to a stop recently after the COVID-19 menace was declared a pandemic. The resources will ensure that all animals at the Zoo are protected. The naming auction was set on a Tuesday, 7th April 2020, at 2 pm. The naming auction is going to run until April 21. This period allows participants to air their views on the baby sloth’s name in which the winning name will be announced on 27th April 2020.

Do you have a baby sloth’s name in mind? Would you like to have the chance to name this Virginia Zoo’s sloth? Participate here. If you have any suggestions to make, please let us know. If you’d like your family and friends to have a mention in this, or perhaps learn about this baby sloth, spread the word.