The Oregon Zoo’s rainforest area has welcomed a new resident.
Berry, a 6-year-old Linne’s two-toed sloth, made her debut last week. Zoo staff say she’s settling in quickly even though sloths aren’t known for their speed.
“Berry made herself right at home in the branches of a tree,” said Marcus Jason, who oversees the zoo’s rainforest area.
If you can’t find her, Jason recommends looking up because Berry likes to spend her time resting high in the trees.
“Sloths can nap up to 20 hours a day, and when they do move it’s pretty slowly,” he said.
Berry came to the Oregon Zoo from Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey. Her move was recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan, according to a press release from the Oregon Zoo.
Linne’s two-toed sloths are not endangered, but their numbers are in decline. Native to South American rainforests, the biggest threats they face are habitat loss from deforestation, hunting and the illegal wildlife trade, according to the zoo.
Berry’s not the Oregon Zoo’s first Linne’s two-toed sloth. Josie, who is 12 years old, lives behind the scenes as an ambassador animal. She was taken from the wild and sold into the exotic pet trade. A woman gave Josie to the zoo when she realized that the sloth’s health was declining.
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