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Another breeding success for the two-toed sloths!

Speedy & Gonzalez Strike Again! After the first sloth baby in the history of the Styrian State Zoo was born in April 2017, another baby has arrived at the South American House.

Sloth Offspring

Sloth Offspring

Although sloths are known for their slow-motion activities, the Herberstein sloth couple is in a hurry—at least when it comes to starting a family. On June 10, they became parents again. “There’s only a short interval of 14 months between the two births. Considering a gestation period of 7 to 10 months, that’s quite a brisk pace,” notes Zoological Director Dr. Reinhard Pichler.

The sex of the baby is still unknown and will be determined once it detaches from its mother. The baby clings to its mother’s belly, is carried around, and is nursed.

The firstborn, a one-year-old female named Curly, has since been separated from her parents and moved to the adjacent enclosure, where she now literally “hangs out” in her own “teenage room.” This is because sloths are in a state of constant deep sleep—up to 20 hours a day—and spend most of their time hanging upside down from a vine.

The two-toed sloth’s native habitat is the South American rainforest; they are found as far north as Brazil, north of the Amazon River. Their diet is primarily vegetarian, consisting of leaves, buds, fruits, and berries.

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