The National Zoo is no stranger to great content but this might be their best (non panda related) post.
It’s not just America have a big birthday – big celebration from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo on Tuesday:
“Be kind. Rewind…to 1986. Vlad, our totally tubular two-toed sloth, turns 40 today! 🎉 Small Mammal House keepers threw him an 80s pop culture birthday bash that was awesome to the max. 😎 💜 Inside his Purple Rain(forest) habitat, they placed enticing tulip poplar, elm, sweetgum and sycamore leaves for Vlad to enjoy. As a special sweet treat, he chowed down on some slices of apple, mango, grape, pear and orange, too. 🎂
“Vlad is incredibly patient and easy going,” says animal keeper Kara Ingraham. “He has lived here since 1992 and has charmed so many keepers and visitors over the past 34 years. Vlad prefers food items be put directly into his mouth so that he doesn’t have to move a muscle for his favorite snacks. Oftentimes, he falls asleep with food in his mouth! Vlad is so tolerant of the golden lion tamarins who often share his enclosure, which has earned him the nickname ‘Uncle Vlad.’ He routinely lets them sleep with him in the crate, take food out of his mouth, or ride on his belly when he moves around the exhibit.”
🦥💨 Trying to catch Vlad on the move? Visit right after feeding time. He’s most active around 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. You might be surprised how fast he moves! While sloths sleep up to 18 hours a day, they don’t move in slow motion. Keepers say Vlad can move at “cruising speed,” which is comparable to a person’s brisk walk. During nap time, he’s likely to be nestled in his crate or hammock. These spaces mimic the tree cavities and dense vine tangles wild sloths prefer to snooze in.
🌳🔭 Want to help sloths? Whether you visit their wild habitat or a zoo, admire sloths from a distance. They don’t make good pets and get stressed by being handled during “sloth selfie” photo ops. Instead, enjoy observing their natural behaviors from afar.”