Such an event had not been observed at Hellabrunn Zoo for three years. A few days ago, a sloth was born there, as representatives of the Munich Zoo reported on Thursday. The gender of the newborn remains unknown for now, as in the first weeks of life, sloth babies press tightly to the mother’s belly. Thus, being under reliable protection at a high altitude, they spend most of the day asleep.
According to external signs, it is practically impossible to determine the gender of sloths, zoo representatives explained. They decided not to rush with a medical examination, since females reach sexual maturity by three years, and males by four to five years. So that the mother and baby could calmly enjoy the first days of life, the administration decided not to disturb them unnecessarily.
Sloths spend most of their lives asleep
Sloth babies usually begin to independently explore the environment at the age of three to five months. In natural conditions, according to information from the Munich Zoo, they remain near the mother for one to two years. The female engages in raising the offspring alone; however, the male does not need to be separated from the baby. Thus, the small family consisting of three individuals is located in the rhinoceros pavilion.In the wild, two-toed sloths live in the tropical forests of Central and South America. Like many other species of animals and plants, they suffer from deforestation and the associated loss of habitat. Sloths spend almost their entire lives in trees, hanging on branches. Their lifespan is up to 40 years, of which they sleep for about 34 years.
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