Folly Farm's pensioner sloths move into new retirement home

Two pensioner sloths have joined a brand-new retirement home to spend their days lazing about.

Over lockdown, Tuppee, 26, and Lightcap, 36, moved into the new, purpose-built home for older sloths in Folly Farm, Pembrokeshire.

The visitor attraction takes in sloths which have "retired" from other zoos, giving them a place to settle and relax.

Sloth keeper, Becky Dyson, said lockdown suited the lazy animals well.

While the zoo was closed during lockdown, the farm's zookeepers like so many others wanted to do some home improvements.

So they built the two-toed sloths a new, bigger retirement home in the Tropical Trails exhibit.

Designed for the more experienced sloth, 'Sloth Forest' has biomass heating and extra places to snooze.

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Becky said: "Like us humans, sloths are prone to aching muscles and creaking joints as they get older. Our new sloth retirement home has lots of warmth, cosy places to cuddle up and plenty of humidity."

Some of the new features include softer flooring made out of cocoa fibre soil and branches that are close together so it is easier for them to climb.

Sloth Keeper Becky Dyson said the duo have not been too fazed by the lockdown way of life

"We all know how important it is to keep active as we get older and sloths are no different. We've spaced things like their feeding stations and sleeping boxes a bit further apart in Sloth Forest to encourage them to keep moving around," Becky continued.

"But as we all know, sloths aren't famous for being active. They spend a lot of time cuddled up together in their boxes.

"Lightcap is a sweetheart, she's really curious and always interested in what we're doing so we're pretty confident she'll love meeting our visitors when the experience is up and running.

"Tuppee is a typical grumpy old man, but he's definitely softened since Lightcap moved in a couple of years ago. They enjoy each other's company and we often find them cuddled up together."

She added: "As you might expect, Tuppee and Lightcap weren't really affected by the lockdown. Sloths aren't exactly known for being party animals so the 'stay at home' order didn't bother them at all."

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