Two new sloths hanging out at Virginia Zoo

Long-time zoo favorite had to be euthanized

NORFOLK — Zoo-goers can now see two new sloths on display at the World of Reptiles and Friends exhibit.

Honey, a female, and Mervin, a male, are twotoed sloths estimated to be about 3½ and 4½ years old, the Virginia Zoo said in a Facebook post.

They came to the zoo in 2018 from a private owner and were housed at the Animal Wellness Campus for a period of quarantine and temporary housing while their exhibit was built and prepped, said Ashley Grove Mars, a spokeswoman for the zoo.

They were moved into their exhibit at the World of Reptiles on Monday and the area was opened for guests on Wednesday, she said. They’re in the conser- vatory section, next to the titi monkeys.

One other sloth there, 22-year-old KC, is an animal ambassador behind the scenes. She came from Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Mars said.

For more than 30 years, another two-toed sloth named Dudley called the zoo home. He came from Panama in 1979.

He was euthanized in January last year. He was 38 and dying of kidney disease, officials said. For a while, he was in the former small mammal house and eventually transferred to the animal ambassador program, where he helped educate visitors.

According to their website, the World of Reptiles and Friends has more than 60 species, including an African bullfrog, an alligator snapping turtle and Bolivian gray titi monkey. Saleen Martin, 757-446-2027, saleen.martin @pilotonline.com