THE INFANT SLOTH AT ZOO ATLANTA HAS A NAME!

The infant Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth at Zoo Atlanta now has a name. Meet Rolo!

The name was selected by the Zoo’s Sloth Care Team from among just under 2,000 submissions entered by the public between October 24, 2024, and November 1, 2024. The name “Rolo” remains in keeping with the infants’ parents’ sweets-themed monikers: Rolo is the son of mother Nutella and father Cocoa. Born August 9, 2024, he is the pair’s second offspring and was the first male sloth born at Zoo Atlanta.

Sloth pregnancies and infant development are unusual among many other mammals in the animal kingdom. Born following a gestation period of 11 to 12 months, infants develop at a notably more rapid pace than do most other mammal babies. They are born fully furred, with their eyes open and teeth already present, and have fully developed claws for clinging to their mothers. Rolo can be seen with or near Nutella at the Zoo’s Brazilian Outpost section of the Orkin Children’s Zoo.

“We are excited to be able to associate a name with this special infant. For our Members and guests, a name can help make a connection to an individual, and a connection to an individual can lead to a connection with a species,” said Gina Ferrie, PhD, Vice President of Collections and Conservation. “We look forward to watching Rolo grow up as he helps us tell the story of these fascinating animals and their place in wild ecosystems.”

Native to Central and South America, Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths face mounting threats in the wild. In addition to challenges such as habitat loss for illegal logging, hundreds of sloths are electrocuted each year while attempting to use power lines to travel among fragmented forest patches. Based in Costa Rica, the Sloth Conservation Project, which works to rescue, rehabilitate, and release wild sloths impacted by deforestation and power line injuries, is a program that has been supported by Zoo Atlanta’s Conservation Fund.

Rolo’s name also highlights Zoo Atlanta’s conservation commitment to supporting companies using only sustainable palm oil in candies and other products. Zoo Atlanta is one of only a small number of zoos to pursue and attain membership in the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil™ (RSPO). The Zoo and many other accredited zoos are vocal advocates for encouraging the use of only sustainable palm oil, supporting only companies who use sustainably produced oil, celebrating corporations making the switch to sustainable, and raising public awareness of the necessity for informed shopping.

Plan a visit or learn more at zooatlanta.org.

(Photo: Channing Milchuck)