Celebrating sloths!

It’s International Sloth Day and we’re hoping you’ll hang out and discover more about this wonderful species!

Here at DZC we have Reggie and Flo, our Linne’s Two-Toed sloths, who have been paired as part of a European Studbook Breeding programme.

Native to the tropical forests of northern Southern America, this arboreal species are well adapted to living life upside down!

Although listed as least concern on the IUCN Red List, they are decreasing in number, as not only are they losing their habitat, but they’re also vulnerable to predators, including the Jaguar, Caiman and Harpy Eagle. Certain adaptions, such as their large claws, sharp canines and camouflaging themselves in the trees due to an algae on their fur, allows them to defend themselves.

Another risk is having to cross roads, separating their forests.  These highways are one of the main reasons why sloths have to come to ground and they are extremely susceptible to being killed by traffic.

Thankfully, there are conservation efforts ongoing to make sloth bridges across these busy roads to help them cross safely above.