A sloth has been born in Scotland for the first time, and the adorable baby has been named in honour of Sir David Attenborough. The Linne’s two-toed sloth arrived at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo on Monday, May 11.
The newborn, named Atty, will spend the first six months of his life clinging tightly to the stomach of his mother, Feira, who is a first-time parent alongside his father, Nico. Keepers chose the name Atty as a tribute to Sir David Attenborough, who celebrated his 100th birthday on May 8. The name nods to a 2017 BBC interview in which Sir David selected the sloth as the animal he would most like to be for a day.
Zoo Staff Delighted by Historic Birth
Staff at the zoo have expressed their excitement over the groundbreaking arrival. Jess Brown, head keeper at Edinburgh Zoo, said: “This is ground-breaking not just for Edinburgh Zoo, but for Scotland. Seeing a sloth baby clinging to mum for the very first time has been so special for the whole team and we can’t wait for visitors to see little Atty.”
Brown added: “He is already showing plenty of personality and visitors might spot a tiny face peeking out from mum’s fur. Nico and Feira are both beautiful animals and a fan-favourite with our visitors so we’re confident he’ll be a big hit.”
Sloth Behaviour and Care
Sloths, native to the tropical lowlands and forests of South America, are known for their slow movements and spend approximately 15 hours each day sleeping. As Atty grows older, he will begin learning which leaves are safe to eat by sampling food directly from his mother’s mouth.
For now, Feira and Atty are resting, but visitors can see them at the sloth house from 2pm on Wednesday, May 13. The zoo advises checking sloth house opening hours upon arrival, as they may vary in the coming weeks.
