Joy at Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo Over Sweet Sloth Offspring

It is still well hidden in the soft belly fur of the mother, but already so big that it can be observed with a little patience. Whether it is a female or a male will only become apparent when the young one separates from the mother.

Two-Toed Sloths Doze Up to 20 Hours a Day

For the parent couple, which can be found in the birdhouse, it is already the 14th offspring. The sloth mother takes good care of her young, which is nursed for about six months. But it is already nibbling on vegetables like celery or lettuce every now and then.

Two-toed sloths doze up to 20 hours a day. This saves them energy, as their plant-based diet provides little of it. In the rainforests of South and Central America, they have developed amazing adaptations to their slow-paced life, said zoo director Stephan Hering-Hagenbeck: "Sloths spend their lives hanging upside down from branches. Thanks to the crown, which runs on their belly, rainwater can drain well. In addition, algae grow in their fur, which provide them with both camouflage and a snack."

(APA/Red)

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