• Vetiranary Medicine
  • ACVCACVC
  • DVM 360
  • Fetch DVM 360Fetch DVM 360
DVM 360
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care
By Role
AssociatesOwnersPractice ManagerStudentsTechnicians
Subscriptions
dvm360 Newsletterdvm360 Magazine
News
All News
Association
Breaking News
Conference Coverage
Education
Equine
FDA
Law & Ethics
Market Trends
Medical
Politics
Products
Recalls
Regulatory
Digital Media
dvm360 LIVE!™
Expert Interviews
The Vet Blast Podcast
Medical World News
Pet Connections
The Dilemma Live
Vet Perspectives™
Weekly Newscast
dvm360 Insights™
Publications
All Publications
dvm360
Firstline
Supplements
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vetted
Clinical
All Clinical
Anesthesia
Animal Welfare
Behavior
Cardiology
CBD in Pets
Dentistry
Dermatology
Diabetes
Emergency & Critical Care
Endocrinology
Equine Medicine
Exotic Animal Medicine
Feline Medicine
Gastroenterology
Imaging
Infectious Diseases
Integrative Medicine
Nutrition
Oncology
Ophthalmology
Orthopedics
Pain Management
Parasitology
Pharmacy
Surgery
Toxicology
Urology & Nephrology
Virtual Care
Business
All Business
Business & Personal Finance
Hospital Design
Personnel Management
Practice Finances
Practice Operations
Wellbeing & Lifestyle
Continuing Education
Conferences
Conference Listing
Conference Proceedings
Resources
CBD in Pets
CE Requirements by State
Contests
Veterinary Heroes
Partners
Spotlight Series
Team Meeting in a Box
Toolkit
Top Recommended Veterinary Products
Vet to Vet
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Advertisement
By Role
  • Associates
  • Owners
  • Practice Manager
  • Students
  • Technicians
Subscriptions
  • dvm360 Newsletter
  • dvm360 Magazine
  • Contact Us
  • Fetch DVM360 Conference
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About Us
  • MJHLS Brand Logo

© 2023 MJH Life Sciences™ and dvm360 | Veterinary News, Veterinarian Insights, Medicine, Pet Care. All rights reserved.

Philadelphia Zoo welcomes 2 sloth bear cubs

February 17, 2023
dvm360 Staff

Vulnerable species are doing well and bonding with their mom in a behind-the-scenes den

Philadelphia Zoo welcomed sloth bear cubs born January 2, 2023, to 10-year-old mom Kayla and 10-year-old dad Bhalu. The cubs are currently not named, and the sex has not been determined.

According to an organizational release,1 this marks the second successful birth of this species at the zoo in the last 4 years, and it’s the first successful pair of cubs of this species born in more than 30 years there.

An inside look at the cute cubs via the camera in their den (All images photo courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo).

Mom to the infants, Kayla.

The mom and cubs are doing well, and their health is being monitored by the animal care team via a camera in the behind-the-scenes den. Kayla is displaying maternal behavior and has been in constant physical contact with the infants since birth.

Fun facts about sloth bears

These one-of-a-kind bears1:

  • Have flexible snouts with protruding upper and lower lips and powerful lungs for dislodging and eating termites and ants underground
  • Can voluntarily close their nostrils to make sure no insects enter their nose
  • Also eat fruits, flowers, and honey
  • Have long, dark shaggy fur with a distinct, cream-colored “U” or “Y” shaped marking on their chests
  • Unlike any other bear species, cubs ride on mom’s back by clinging to her long fur
Advertisement

“Philadelphia Zoo is proud to participate in the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s Species Survival Plan (SSP) for the threatened sloth bear,” said vice president of animal well-being, Rachel Metz. “We are looking forward to sharing the developmental milestones of these amazing bear cubs with our guests.”1

“We are thrilled to start off 2023 with these successful births,” added curator of carnivores and ungulates, Maggie Morse. “This was a collaborative effort from both our expert keepers and our veterinary team. Kayla has been trained by her keepers to do voluntary ultrasounds, so we were able to keep the SSP updated with news of a successful pregnancy.”1

Found in the lowland forests of India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, sloth bears are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their populations are significantly decreasing in recent decades because of habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching.

The cubs will be visible at the zoo in April when mom decides it is time for them to venture out.

Reference

Philadelphia Zoo is thrilled to announce the birth of two threatened sloth bear cubs! News release. Philadelphia Zoo. February 16, 2023. Accessed February 16, 2023. https://www.philadelphiazoo.org/news/philadelphia-zoo-celebrates-conservation-win-with-birth-of-two-sloth-bear-cubs

Related Content:

Exotic Animal Medicine
Maryland Zoo giraffe Willow dies suddenly
Maryland Zoo giraffe Willow dies suddenly
From the lens of a veterinarian: Voyaging to Camp Leakey in a klotok
From the lens of a veterinarian: Voyaging to Camp Leakey in a klotok
Oakland Zoo mourns the death of an African Elephant
Oakland Zoo mourns the death of an African Elephant

Advertisement

Latest News

Managing wounds in pet patients

Spectrum of care: protocols to support pet owners’ budgets

How to support women while still running a successful business

The Vets expands to Raleigh, NC

View More Latest News
Advertisement