Zoo de Granby Celebrates Its First-Ever Birth of a Two-Toed Sloth

Granby, January 31, 2025 – On the morning of Monday, January 27, the Zoo staff was met with a delightful surprise: Tica, a 9-year-old female two-toed sloth, had given birth to her very first offspring overnight. This marks a true celebration for the institution, as it sees its efforts in breeding this iconic species rewarded. Over the past 12 months, this is the sixth birth of this species in accredited North American zoological institutions participating in conservation efforts for the two-toed sloth.

A Rare Birth That Supports Conservation Efforts

The breeding of two-toed sloths is part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP) of accredited institutions within the prestigious Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), of which Zoo de Granby is a member. Nearly 79 institutions participate in the program, which includes 158 mature individuals, with an average of five births per year. In addition to the two-toed sloth program, Zoo de Granby also takes part in about thirty other programs aimed at maintaining genetically healthy populations of species that are often at risk in the wild.

Although the two-toed sloth is considered relatively abundant in nature, it remains vulnerable to deforestation in South America, its native habitat, and its reproductive success in zoological settings remains low. "Our teams take great pride in having created the ideal conditions to encourage reproduction in this species. This achievement further solidifies Zoo de Granby’s role as a leading conservation institution in North America " says Chantal Routhier, Curator at Granby Zoo.

A Life That Begins Suspended in the Trees!

The two-toed sloth spends most of its life hanging upside down from branches—it sleeps, eats, reproduces, and even gives birth in this position. During mating, the female remains suspended while the male positions himself between her and her support, belly to belly. After a gestation period of 7 to 11 months (depending on sources), the female gives birth to a single baby. The newborn emerges headfirst and climbs onto its mother’s belly. It weighs between 300 and 400 grams, measures about 25 cm in length, and its eyes are already open at birth.

Weaning occurs quickly, around four weeks, but the baby remains clinging to its mother for approximately five months, during which time it learns which plants are safe to eat. At around six months old, the mother leaves the young sloth, which then continues its life in solitude. In the wild, the two-toed sloth has a lifespan of 15 to 20 years, but in zoological settings, it can live up to 30 or even 40 years.