New habitat offers two-toed sloths a ‘better sense of being’ at Edmonton zoo

The sloths at the Edmonton Valley Zoo have moved to a new home within the facility. Connor Hogg has the details.

A couple of Edmonton Valley Zoo residents are enjoying hanging out in their new digs.

Luna and BB Cop, the zoo’s two two-toed sloths, recently got a significant habitat upgrade and appear to be adapting well to the change.

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“This is really exciting, to have this space for them and to be able to put in the work to make it much more of a naturalized, immersive exhibit,” said Trevor Hickey, an animal care crew lead at the zoo.

“It gives them a much better sense of being, giving them the natural behaviours that they would have in the wild.”

Luna, 37, and 10-year-old BB Cop are both Linnaeus’s two-toed sloths, which are native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

Their new larger enclosure was designed to mimic the rainforest canopy, complete with dense vegetation and a built-in misting system to keep things moist – all at eye level for visitors.

Hickey said it’s a major upgrade from the sloth’s former home in the nocturnal wing, where they lived with the bats and, on occasion, the zoo’s prehensile-tailed porcupine.

“People love sloths, they love to see them, and in this space, they’ll be able to see them a lot better than they would be able to see them in the nocturnal wing,” Hickey said.

While the new habitats' natural and full-spectrum UV lighting makes it easier to spot the sloths, visitors are unlikely to see them doing much during the day.

“They might not be as active, as it’s the middle of the night for them,” Hickey said. “But it’s a beautifully well-lit exhibit that you’ll be able to see them a lot.”

Luna and BB Cop will be watched closely as they adjust to their new locale, but Hickey said everything looks good so far.

“We’ve found them pooping at least once,” he added. “They poop about once a week, give or take, so that’s a good indicator that they’re eating and that things are still moving.”