Your Louisville Zoo continues to work hard to respond to consumer interests while keeping keen focus on guest, staff and animal safety. Out of an abundance of caution for animal and keeper health, we have suspended our behind-the-scenes program to safeguard against COVID-19. Thank you for your patience and interest in this program. We are exploring ways provide virtual experiences and will share information on new opportunities as they are developed.

Slow down with the sloths at the Louisville Zoo!

Linnaeus’s two-toed sloths are here at the Zoo! One-year-old male sloth Sebastian and 1.5-year-old female sloth Sunni are getting acclimated to their new surroundings. They are waiting to meet you in the South America zone near the Chilean flamingos! Hang out with one of the most elusive and fascinating creatures on the planet and hear from the keepers who care for them. More information will be coming in the following weeks including upcoming opportunities for a sloth meet and greet

(special ticket required — expected cost $95 per person, does not include Zoo admission. Features of the experience will be announced soon. )



Notify me when the Sloth Experience goes on sale!



Thanks so much for your interest in our upcoming sloth exhibit and meet and greet experience! Currently, all behind-the-scenes experiences and tours are delayed due to the COVID-19 crisis. We are still working out the details for dates, times and other details of the experience. Right now, we are planning for the experience to occur several times each week once behind-the-scenes tour resume. An additional ticket will be required for the experience. When we have more detailed information, it will be released here and on our social media channels! In the meantime, you can also sign up below to be among the first notified once the experience is available for full registration. Sloth Experience Notificiation Name



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This exhibit is made possible through the Friends of the Louisville Zoo and other generous donors.

About Linnaeus’s Two-Toed Sloths

This arboreal mammal hails from the South America forest canopy. Sloths are nocturnal, solitary and known for their slow movements as well as their tendency to hang upside down in trees. In fact, these sloths eat, sleep, mate and even give birth in this position!

Although commonly referred to as two-toed sloths, did you know that all sloths actually have three toes on their hind legs? The fingers on their front limbs are what differs between species; some sloths have three fingers and some have two!

Two-toed sloths are also a bit larger, reaching 31 inches in length and weighing up to 24 pounds. They have long, brown hair which will stand on edge when they feel threatened. The shape of these hairs allows for the growth of algae and fungi by trapping moisture. This growth can make the sloths appear green which helps to camouflage them in the rain forest canopy.

Sloths enjoy a diet of mostly leaves but will also eat flowers and fruit. Due to their slow metabolism, two-toed sloths have one of the slowest digestive rates for any mammal. Research shows it takes approximately 30 days for them to fully digest what they eat.

The sloth’s natural predators are big cats, snakes and eagles — but their largest threat is loss of habitat due to the rapidly expanding human population.

Sloth Exhibit Press Release 4-17-2020

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