Some of you might read this story and comment “slow news day?”
You’re either not a fan of animal stories or are making a joke about this one, since it involves a sloth – and a baby one at that.
On Sunday, a new bundle of joy was born to proud parents Charlotte and Elliot at the Denver Zoo. This is great news, and even better news? The baby sloth – whose name and gender have not yet been identified – will make their public debut at Bird World at the Denver Zoo on Thursday!
The baby and her mom are happy and healthy. The zoo says the “baby clung to Charlotte immediately after birth” and “will remain attached to her almost exclusively for at least six months.”
Clingy? Maybe, but scientists say that’s just what sloths do.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: What kind of baby is the Denver Zoo having?!
The baby is Charlotte and Elliot’s first, and was the subject of intense speculation by some folks in the Denver community as the Zoo launched a social media campaign that used mysterious ultrasound images to tease the new arrival.
If you plan to visit Charlotte and the baby, the Zoo has a caveat: the view could be impaired by the “foliage or Charlotte’s embrace.”
And if the concept of not being able to see a baby annoys you because its too busy clinging to its proud mother, then you’re missing the point of a baby sloth birth.
Now for the science stuff: Charlotte, Elliot and the soon-to-be-named baby are Linne’s two-toed sloths that are found in the rainforests of South America.
They’re a nocturnal species that spend 15 to 20 hours a day sleeping, and are most active about an hour before sunset to about two hours before sunrise.
