Denver Zoo welcomes new baby sloth Sloan
DENVER (KDVR) — Despite being so sedentary that algae grow on their fur, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s new sloth pup is anything but slow to steal hearts.
The baby Linne’s Two-toed Sloth garnered attention online after the zoo posted about her arrival late in July, asking the public for help naming her.
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The zoo gave voters these three name options to choose from for the baby sloth:
Harper, after Charley Harper, an illustrator who created art for the National Park Service and is known for his colorful depiction of plants and animals.
Sloan, after Sloan’s Lake and its serene beauty and landmark status.
Isabel, or Bel for short. This name was inspired by the San Juan National Forest, which is home to four wilderness areas and many varieties of flora and fauna.
On Monday, the zoo announced that the sloth was officially named Sloan.
“Named after Denver’s own Sloan’s Lake, her name reflects the serene beauty and calm grace of this beloved local landmark,” the zoo said in a post on Facebook.
Despite being so sedentary that algae grow on their fur, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s new sloth pup is anything but slow to steal hearts. (Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance) Despite being so sedentary that algae grow on their fur, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s new sloth pup is anything but slow to steal hearts. (Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance) Despite being so sedentary that algae grow on their fur, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s new sloth pup is anything but slow to steal hearts. (Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance) Despite being so sedentary that algae grow on their fur, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s new sloth pup is anything but slow to steal hearts. (Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance) Despite being so sedentary that algae grow on their fur, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s new sloth pup is anything but slow to steal hearts. (Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance) Despite being so sedentary that algae grow on their fur, the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s new sloth pup is anything but slow to steal hearts. (Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance)
According to the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance website, baby sloths climb onto their mother’s belly and cling on while nursing for four to five weeks.
“Hiding in the mom’s fur provides protection for the vulnerable newborn,” the website states.
Baby sloths will start to eat solid food after 10 weeks and will remain with their mom for nine months before living on their own.
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Most of the rest of the sloth’s life will be spent hanging upside down in trees, according to the zoo website. They sleep for about 15-20 hours each day and often remain motionless even when they are awake, according to the zoo.
They come down to the ground to switch up their food source and go to another tree or to defecate, which the zoo said is not often.
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