New baby sloth at Topeka Zoo, Kansas

On November 20 there was a new arrival at Topeka Zoo in Kansas, USA. A little baby for sloths Jackie and Mocha! See more pics here.

Did you know:

A Hoffmann Sloth like this one (Choloepus hoffmanni) has a gestational period of 11.5 months. This is relatively long compared to other sloth species: the pale-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus tridactylus) has a gestational period of 4.5 months and the pygmy three-toed sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus) is 6 months. On average, all sloth species give birth to one baby every year.

Babysloth Topeka

From the Montreal Biodome: baby sloth ultrasound

From CBC News Montreal:

“A six-year-old sloth, who became a favourite at Montreal’s Biodome during her rehabilitation from a broken leg suffered as a youngster, is now an expectant mother. The sloth underwent an ultrasound this week, a video of which was released on YouTube. …Few two-toed sloths births have been documented, according to the Biodome, but the gestation period is around 11 months.”sloth-ultrasound-biodome