INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Zoo has six new inhabitants after they took in a group of adorable young sloths from a wildlife rescue center in Panama.
The sloths come from the Panamerican Conservation Association, which generally works to re-release as many sloths as possible, according to the zoo. But sometimes, the zoo says those sloths are in need of long-term care, as is the case with the babies that are now residing at the Indianapolis Zoo.
PHOTOS | Baby sloths at the Indy Zoo
Zoo officials say many of these babies were orphaned at a very young age and some of their mothers died due to injuries after storms or domestic dog attacks. The new sloths at the Indy zoo range in age from one to three years old.
The zoo says the sloths' main threat is forest fragmentation, which causes them to migrate into more urban areas where the risks become greater.
The six new sloths at the Indianapolis Zoo are in a behind-the-scenes area where new-to-the-zoo animals are kept in quarantine to ensure they're healthy before being introduced to the other animals they will be living with. The babies will get regular wellness checks and be worked with daily on feeding and training.
The zoo hopes to have the new sloths in the MISTery Park for guests to meet later this summer.
