SAN ANTONIO – Something special is happening at the San Antonio Zoo that animal lovers will not want to miss.
The zoo announced that Aluna the sloth is expecting a baby and shared that pregnancies for two-toed sloths can last up to 12 months. When Aluna’s baby arrives, it will already have its eyes open, a full coat of fur and claws strong enough to cling to its mother for safety.
Partner: Sol
Birthdate: Born on Valentine’s Day (February 14, 2023).
Famous Moments: Gained viral attention for sitting on Santa’s lap during her first holiday season and traveling as an ambassador animal for outreach events like Zoo To You at the Texas State Capitol.
Diet Favorites: Known for munching on sweet potatoes, yellow squash, and fresh leaves.
In the wild, sloths have unusual ways of finding partners because they spend most of their time alone high in the rainforest canopy in Central and South America. Female sloths use high-pitched calls to attract mates across long distances, while male sloths mark their territory using scent glands or by rubbing against tree branches. When more than one male responds to a female, the males may compete by slowly hooking their claws while holding on to tree branches.
Mating between sloths is quick, often lasting less than one minute and usually happens upside down in the trees. Male sloths often try to mate with several females in their area, while females usually have only one mate per cycle.
Female two-toed sloths, like Aluna, carry their baby for 10 to 11.5 months before giving birth high up in the trees. Sloths almost always have a single baby or pup, at a time. After birth, the pup holds tightly to its mother’s fur, riding on her chest or stomach for protection and warmth while nursing.
Within one or two weeks, the baby sloth will start to sample leaves directly from its mother’s mouth, learning what is safe to eat. After about five to six months, the young sloth becomes independent and the mother will often leave her usual feeding area to the pup.
The San Antonio Zoo says more updates about Aluna the sloth and her baby will be shared soon.