TAMPA, Fla. (WSVN) — Busch Garden officials are welcoming the birth of two adorable baby sloths!
The newest Hoffman’s two-toed sloth was born on March 24, while the Linne’s two-toed sloth was born on April 2.
The four-week-old baby Hoffman’s sloth weighed in at 6.6 ounces at birth. "After noticing that the baby was not nursing regularly, the animal care team made the decision to hand-nurse the baby via syringe every two hours. The baby is currently healthy and under 24-hour watch," the park said.
Linne’s Two-Toed Sloth weighed in at 19.4 ounces at birth. "The 3-week-old baby Linne’s sloth was born to first-time mother, Daisy, and father, Mario. The baby is currently healthy and being cared for by its mother with the animal care team monitoring closely," the park added.
Sloth births are part of Busch Gardens’ partnership with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’, Species Survival Plan. The park said the mission of the SSP is to cooperatively manage species populations within AZA-accredited facilities.
Guests will soon be able to see both baby sloths in a few weeks at the Jambo Junction, also known as Busch Gardens’ home to animal ambassadors who represent their counterparts in the wild.