Contributed by the Central Florida Zoo
Sloth Update: We regrettably share that Dumpling, one of the sloths received at our facility on April 24, has passed away. Dumpling was one of a select group of animals who arrived at the Zoo in critical condition. While the past 11 days had been a series of ups and downs, Dumpling continued to struggle with digestion and gastrointestinal (GI) issues, and took a sudden and rapid downturn Monday morning.
This has been an incredibly difficult week for our team, as everyone involved in caring for these animals can attest. As previously stated, sloths have a tendency to hide any signs of extreme illness until it is often too late for reversal, at which point, their condition can decline very rapidly and without advance warning. In addition, their metabolisms work so slowly, it could potentially take many weeks for any pre-existing issues to manifest.
Dumpling’s death reflects that this is a day by day situation here for the remaining sloths in our care. Thank you for your continued support.
