Edinburgh Zoo has named one of the first baby sloths born in Britain after the legendary broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough. The baby two-toed sloth, affectionately called Atty, was born to parents Feira and Nico just a week after Sir David celebrated his 100th birthday.
A Tribute to a National Treasure
Atty is the first sloth ever born in Scotland, making this a historic moment for the zoo. The name pays homage to Sir David, who in a 2017 interview with BBC News expressed that if he could be an animal for a day, he would choose to be a sloth. He remarked, 'You know, hanging about upside down, you've nothing to do, in fact sleeping most of the time.'
Early Days for Atty
For the first six months of his life, Atty will cling tightly to his mother Feira's stomach. He will soon begin learning which leaves are safe to eat by sampling food directly from her mouth. Jess Brown, head keeper at Edinburgh Zoo, described the birth as groundbreaking not just for the zoo but for all of Scotland. 'Seeing a sloth baby clinging to mum for the very first time has been so special for the whole team, and we can't wait for visitors to see little Atty. He is already showing plenty of personality, and visitors might spot a tiny face peeking out from mum's fur. Nico and Feira are both beautiful animals and a fan-favourite with our visitors, so we're confident he'll be a big hit.'
Recent Successes at Edinburgh Zoo
This birth follows another notable event at the zoo: the first capybara birth in nearly 20 years. Keepers are closely monitoring the 'babybara,' as the pups are still vulnerable at this stage. Capybara babies, known as pups, weigh around 1.5 to 2.5kg at birth, roughly the weight of a six-pack of Irn-Bru. In the coming weeks, the pup will become more independent and begin grazing. Animal keeper Jonny Appleyard expressed pride in the parents, Luna and Rodney, saying, 'They are such a beautiful species, and the babies are especially adorable! The baby is slowly starting to get braver and explore, so you may well catch a glimpse of them, closely followed by mum. Capybara pups grow up quickly, so we recommend visiting the zoo soon if you want to see the new arrival at their cutest stage.'
The youngster will have its first health check in the coming weeks, at which point keepers will determine its gender and choose a name.
