Hoffmann's two-toed sloth Archives

THE SIX-YEAR-OLD SLOTH PASSED AWAY ON WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 24, DUE TO HEART DISEASE – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is reflecting on the impact that Bean, a Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth who lived in The Loft, made on members, guests and staff. Bean passed away on Wed., Sept. 24 after a short illness.

Last week, Bean lost her appetite and was ‘off,’ so she went to the Zoo’s veterinary hospital for supportive treatment and bloodwork, which revealed kidney disease. By Wednesday, her kidney levels had improved due to her care team’s support, but Bean unfortunately passed away unexpectedly that evening. On Thursday, a necropsy (an animal autopsy) revealed significant heart disease, which did not present heart-specific symptoms that would lead to heart testing in such a young sloth.

Bean was born on May 14, 2019, in Monkey Pavilion, which used to sit where the Zoo’s playhills are now. A guest favorite from the start, she was the first sloth born at the Zoo in 15 years, and she was born in view of a few lucky visitors who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

In her first few months, she allowed guests and staff to feed her grapes, which she eagerly took, exposing her adorable bright pink tongue. She was extremely outgoing, appearing on several local television stations who sent crews out to meet her.

When Bean reached maturity, she moved to The Loft, where she quickly connected with guests who could look up to see her as she explored the rafters overhead. The confident and curious sloth had been known to temporarily snag a guest’s hat or two from her overhead vantage point.

“Sloths have a reputation for being slow, but Bean was pretty fast when she wanted to be,” Jackie Watson, senior animal keeper in The Loft, says. “I loved when she’d climb right in front of our ‘Welcome to The Loft’ sign, like she was our guests’ official welcome sloth. People would always ask with excitement, ‘Is that sloth real?’ and then we’d get to tell them all about her and her species.”

She had an endearing mischievous and adventurous side, but her keepers will remember her as focused, self-aware and incredibly intelligent.

“It’s my passion to connect people with animals, and Bean made my work easy,” Jackie says. “She had such a knack for it that I could sit back and watch her work her magic, with very little input needed from me. I think she had such good energy because she had good boundaries. If a group of guests wasn’t interacting with her to her preferences, she wouldn’t hesitate to just leave. I aspire to her level of genuine connection, intelligence and spunk.”

Bean’s intelligence was groundbreaking. She knew how to enter a crate voluntarily, position herself for visual health checks, and she was close to perfecting a cooperative blood draw – unheard of in sloth care as far as her care team knows.

She was also the only sloth in the Zoo’s history to perfect painting. Keepers fixed a paintbrush to a stick that Bean could hold in one hand while she hung upside down. They would hold a canvas near Bean, and she would paint on the canvas and receive her favorite snacks – hard-boiled eggs and primate biscuits — as rewards for participating. Many guests over the years enjoyed painting sessions with Bean, or purchased artwork created by Bean to support the Zoo’s animal care.

“When she first moved to The Loft, I started training her to paint so we had more opportunities to bond,” Cassie Spero, senior animal keeper in The Loft, says. “A couple of months later, she was swiping a paint brush on canvases, my hands, and often her face. We bonded so much that whenever I was training a skunk, owl, or porcupine, she would wake up, climb to wherever I was, and hang down from the ropes to interrupt my other training sessions. Bean helped shape my career, and I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to get to know her.”

In addition to painting sessions, Bean was part of countless marriage proposals, birthdays, anniversaries and just-because special encounters inside and outside of The Loft. She loved the sunshine, and Bean’s team worked to extend her rope system outside to the front porch of The Loft so she could enjoy it frequently.

“On sunny days, we’d open up the doors and I’d hang out with her in the sunshine,” Alia Cooper, senior animal keeper in The Loft, says. “Her body would totally relax while she soaked up the sunshine, and I loved getting to tell people about her as they walked by. People would come to The Loft to see her, and she opened the door for people to stay and learn about reptiles and smaller animals that they might not otherwise visit.”

Bean made a lasting impact and will be deeply missed. Her father, Bosco (33), her half-sister, Olive (9 months) and Olive’s mom, Asyan (10), live in Scutes Family Gallery.

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2025, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #2 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Of the 237 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for to fund animal care, conservation, Zoo operations and improvements.

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO AND CMZOO PARTNER TO CELEBRATE CHILDREN”S COLORADO SPECIAL GUEST AND SLOTH MOM, AYSAN – Although the Colorado Springs community has widely celebrated baby sloth Olive’s birthday and development since she was born in December 2024, it’s time to celebrate her mom, Aysan (pronounced ICE-on)! In partnership with Children’s Hospital Colorado, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is throwing a birthday party for Aysan on Fri., July 25, 2025 – and you’re invited!

All the activities are free, and advance Zoo tickets are required for members and the general public. They’re available at cmzoo.org. If timed advance tickets are sold out, get rideshare tickets at cmzoo.org/rideshare. They’re always available and they’re $5 cheaper than peak-time tickets (they’re still free for Zoo members)!

Aysan’s 10th Birthday Party
Fri., July 25
10 a.m. to noon
Scutes Family Gallery (inside and outside!)
Advance daytime admission to the Zoo is required and limited.

10 a.m. to noon
-Learn about sloths from the amazing team of docents at booths near the sloths.
-Make a birthday card for Aysan!
-Visit the Children’s Colorado photo booth – complete with animal photo props!
-Participate in healthy activities, led by our partners at Children’s Colorado.

10:30 a.m.
Get to know the sloth family during a special sloth keeper talk.

11 a.m.
– Help sing happy birthday to Aysan, and watch a special guest from Children’s Colorado meet Aysan up-close.

“Aysan has been an incredible first-time mom to Olive for the past six months, and we’re excited to welcome everyone to the Zoo to celebrate her double-digit birthday,” Amber Callen-Ward, lead keeper in Scutes Family Gallery, says. “Olive is growing up big and strong, thanks to Aysan’s patient and nurturing mothering style. Aysan even lets Olive eat food right from her mouth.”

Aysan moved to CMZoo to support a breeding recommendation by the Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth Species Survival Plan. She was introduced to Bosco, the Zoo’s long-time male sloth, in June 2023.

With Olive’s birth in December 2024, Bosco, a 33-year-old male Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, became a second-time dad. His first daughter, 6-year-old Bean, lives in The Loft at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Sloth babies will cling to their mothers for the first several months of their lives, separating only for a few moments to explore the branches around them. Despite getting closer and closer in size, sloth moms are impressive climbers, even with a baby on board.

The birthday party is open to all members and guests with advance tickets to the Zoo, which are available at cmzoo.org. Summer daytime admission sells out fast, so don’t wait long to make your timed ticket reservation! If timed advance tickets are sold out, get rideshare tickets at cmzoo.org/rideshare. They’re always available and they’re $5 cheaper than peak-time tickets (they’re still free for Zoo members)!

About Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Cheyenne Mountain Zoological Society was founded in 1926. Today, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, America’s mountain Zoo, offers comprehensive education programs, exciting conservation efforts and truly fantastic animal experiences. In 2024, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was voted #5 Best Zoo in North America and CMZoo’s Rocky Mountain Wild was named #2 Best Zoo Exhibit in North America by USA TODAY’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. It is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s goal to help guests fall in love with animals and nature, and take action to protect them. Since 2008, CMZoo’s Quarters for Conservation program has raised nearly $6 million dedicated to frontline conservation efforts around the world. Of the 237 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few operating without tax support. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo depends on admissions, membership dues, special event attendance and donations for funding.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO – In the lush atrium in Scutes Family Gallery, a family of Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths explores the treetops to onlooking guests’ delight. Aysan (pronounced ICE-on), a first-time mom, expertly traverses ropes and branches with her adorable 6-month-old baby, Olive, in tow.

Although the Colorado Springs community has widely celebrated Olive’s birthday and development since she was born in December 2024, it’s time to celebrate Aysan! In partnership with Children’s Hospital Colorado, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is throwing a birthday party for Aysan on Fri., July 25, 2025 – and you’re invited!

Aysan’s 10th Birthday Party
Friday, July 25
10 a.m. to noon
Scutes Family Gallery (inside and outside!)
Advance daytime admission to the Zoo is required and limited.
(Schedule is subject to Aysan’s choice to participate or not.)

10 a.m. to noon
– Learn about sloths from the amazing team of docents and their biofacts at booths near the sloths.
– Make a birthday card for Aysan!
– the Children’s Colorado photo booth – complete with animal and sloth photo props!
– Participate in healthy activities, led by our partners at Children’s Colorado.

10:30 a.m.
– Get to know the sloth family and fun facts about sloths during a special Sloth Keeper Talk.

11 a.m.
– Help sing happy birthday to Aysan, and watch a special guest from Children’s Colorado meet Aysan up-close and give her birthday ‘cake.’

Just like human babies meet milestones over their first year, Olive is hitting all the marks that show keepers she’s growing well, including eating solid foods, exploring branches next to Aysan and taking food from her keeper team – showing she’s building trust with them. Learn more about a human baby’s first-year milestones and health checks from our partners at Children’s Colorado here.

Aysan moved to CMZoo to support a breeding recommendation by the Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth Species Survival Plan. She was introduced to Bosco, the Zoo’s long-time male sloth, in June 2023.

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Get to know the newest little star in Scutes Family Gallery! Born on December 18, Aysan’s baby sloth is already capturing hearts. This sweet baby has been spending quality time bonding with mom in Scutes Family Gallery, where guests can now catch a glimpse of the cuddly duo as they share precious moments together.

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CHEYENNE MOUNTAIN ZOO WELCOMES SLOTH BABY – Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is thrilled to announce the arrival of a New Year’s baby: a Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth. Some call sloth babies ‘pups,’ ‘infants,’ or even ‘slow-bies.’ Everyone can agree to calling this wee one ‘adorable.’ With its dark brown eyes and a perfect pinkish-brown furless face, its cuteness is out of this world.

The baby, born on Dec. 18, seems strong, and has been learning to traverse Mom’s tummy. While its mom, Aysan, hangs upside down, her baby sprawls right-side-up on her belly, with its four long limbs wrapped around her torso.

“I love the way it lifts its head out of her chest fur and slowly looks around, just kind of taking it all in,” Amber Callen-Ward, lead keeper in Scutes Family Gallery, says. “Aysan has been a great first-time mom, grooming the baby by licking its face, which is so sweet. She and the baby have been bonding well. The baby is nursing, clinging to her and taking little bites of solid foods we offer.”

The two-week-old sloth is already trying pieces of plantain, romaine lettuce, zucchini and cucumber, but gets its main source of nutrients from nursing.

9-year-old Aysan’s care team knew she was pregnant. Thanks to their trusting relationship with Aysan, and Aysan’s voluntary participation in her own health care, they had been monitoring the baby’s development via ultrasounds and x-rays for the past few months.

Aysan moved to CMZoo on a breeding recommendation by the Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth Species Survival Plan, with Bosco, the Zoo’s long-time male sloth, in June 2023. Sloth gestation typically lasts 11 to 12 months, so some things can happen quickly for sloths!

Bosco, a 32-year-old male Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, became a second-time dad with this baby’s arrival. His first daughter, 5-year-old Bean, lives in The Loft at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Bean and Bosco are visible to guests who might need to process this baby excitement with a sloth visit right away.

While mom and baby bond for the first month or so, they’ll be behind the scenes in Scutes Family Gallery. Once they are visible to guests, CMZoo will share that news. The baby’s sex has not been identified, and there are no plans for a name yet. Stay tuned to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s social media channels for sloth pup-dates!

Mark the calendar for World Sloth Day and a celebration of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths on Sat., Oct. 19. That’s when Scutes Family Gallery and The Loft keepers will host special sloth meet-and-greets and other sloth-inspired activities. The Zoo will close early at 3 p.m. to prepare for Boo at the Zoo, but guests can enjoy a memorable morning and afternoon with Bosco, Aysan and Bean.

Hoffman's two-toed sloth, Bosco — Hoffman’s two-toed sloth, Bosco

Bosco, the gentleman of the group, is Aysan’s companion in Scutes Family Gallery. He’s also Bean’s dad. Bosco is 32 years old, and although he’s slowing down in his old age, he has always been a model of patience. Bosco is known for his considerate nature, typically waiting for his female companion to finish her training sessions with keepers before joining in.

“Bosco is just the best,” Amber Callen-Ward, lead keeper in Scutes Family Gallery, says. “When we ask them to come down for a voluntary husbandry training session, you’ll see him watching Aysan decide if and when she’ll join us. If she doesn’t come down, he’ll make his way over to us. If she moves to us quickly, he watches and waits until she’s finished training and then comes over.”

At 9 years old, Aysan is a very confident sloth. She’s quick to approach and interact with people and has mastered training sessions, including important behaviors like nail trims, targeting in specific locations, voluntary injections and even ultrasound training.

Sloth Aysan hanging upside-down — Hoffman’s two-toed sloth, Aysan

“Aysan is a really fast learner and just fast, in general,” says Amber. “She is comfortable in her environment and she knows she’s in control. We’ve been working on ultrasound and x-ray behaviors that will allow Aysan to voluntarily participate in her health care. Even cold-to-the-touch ultrasound gel does not faze her during training.”

Aysan and Bosco live in the atrium in Scutes Family Gallery, and Bosco’s daughter, Bean, lives just down the walkway, in The Loft. Bosco has darker markings than Aysan and Bean, who have similar light brown and blonde coloration. They all like fruit and vegetables. Bean, just like her dad, prefers less-sweet snacks, like cucumber and sweet potato. Aysan likes grapes, peaches and pears best.

The youngest and most mischievous of the bunch, 5-year-old Bean, is known for her curiosity, intelligence and food motivation. Bean, who was born at CMZoo in 2019, is a favorite among visitors – proven by her status as the top-requested encounter animal in The Loft.

“She’s almost always up for an encounter, and she is surprisingly quick when she’s motivated by her favorite snacks,” Jackie Watson, senior animal keeper in The Loft, says. “She has access to a huge rope and rafter system in The Loft, so make sure you look up next time you visit. She’s probably right above your head!”

While sloths are undeniably adorable, their ‘cute and cuddly’ reputations can be problematic. It’s crucial to practice ethical tourism when visiting sloths’ native homes.

“It’s important not to hold them,” Jackie says. “Sloth-holding opportunities are becoming increasingly popular. The people offering them might have good intentions and talk about conservation, but they sometimes don’t have the knowledge to do these types of encounters and consider the choices of the animals in their care.”

Hoffman's two-toed sloth, Bean — Hoffman’s two-toed sloth, Bean

Sloths that live in reputable and accredited organizations in human care were once considered untrainable because of their ‘slow’ reputations. CMZoo’s three sloths buck those outdated views daily, especially Bean. Having mastered crate, target, x-ray, and injection training (she also paints from time to time), Bean is moving on to voluntary blood draw training.

“Bean has shown us consistently that she’s capable of more,” says Jackie. “We’re working on training her to hold onto a stick and then keep her arm still for blood draws, which is a significant ask. We respect their autonomy and build relationships based on trust and positive reinforcement. We’re taking it slowly (no sloth pun intended), and I really believe Bean could make history with this training. She’s already helping sloth caretakers advocate for voluntary training and husbandry care for sloths by showing what she has learned.”

Don’t miss the chance to celebrate and learn about these fascinating creatures at World Sloth Day. All activities will be available in Scutes Family Gallery and The Loft on Sat., Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., including two special demonstrations:

10:30 a.m. Keeper Talk and Meet-and-Greet with Bosco and Aysan in Scutes Family Gallery
2 p.m. Meet-and Greet with Bean in The Loft

Advance daytime admission is required and available at cmzoo.org. On World Sloth Day (and on all days CMZoo is hosting Boo at the Zoo), the Zoo will close for daytime admission at 3 p.m. The Zoo reopens for Boo at the Zoo at 4 p.m. Boo at the Zoo requires separate admission. Details are available at cmzoo.org/boo.

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Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, Aysan, has spent the last few months adjusting to her new life, and her new roommate, in Scutes Family Gallery. Aysan came to CMZoo to join 31-year-old male sloth, Bosco, on a breeding recommendation. As an older sloth, Bosco is very familiar with keepers and guests, and he has helped Aysan come out of her shell.

Aysan is interested in training, especially when her favorite snacks are involved, and is currently working on voluntary injection training. Because keepers have built a trusting relationship with Aysan, she allows them to touch her back and stomach and has already voluntarily participated in x-rays. This training is especially important should Aysan become pregnant in the future.

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There’s a new face in Scutes Family Gallery! Aysan (ICE-on) is an 8-year-old female Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth who came to CMZoo to join 31-year-old male Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, Bosco, on a breeding recommendation.

Aysan and Bosco have settled in nicely together, and have even been seen touching noses and calmly interacting. Aysan’s keepers are working on building a trusting relationship with her and making the tree-filled atrium a comfortable new home for her.

Guests can see Aysan right away. Often, Bosco is on the right side of the atrium and Aysan is on the left side. To tell the sloths apart, look at their nails. Bosco prefers his nails to be longer than Aysan.

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Bean, our 4-year-old Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, isn’t just a caramel-colored, upside-down smiling face. She’s an avid explorer and an A+ student with an enviable nap schedule. While sloths are only active for about 4 to 6 hours every day, Bean makes the most of her waking hours. She is very smart and eager to train with her keepers, often offering a behavior before keepers ask.

Trained behaviors like target training and ‘hang out,’ a cue that asks Bean to hang from her back legs and stretch down, are important for daily exercise, mental stimulus, routine health checks, and building trust with keepers. Because she picks up on things quickly, the sky is the limit for Bean’s training in the future.

When Bean isn’t in training mode, she is actively exploring her indoor and outdoor spaces, using ropes or the rafters. Bean is very curious and creative; you may notice some pink and blue spots on Bean’s fur from recent paintings she participated in for enrichment.

While sloths are adorable and look perfectly snuggle-able, the best way to love them is to observe them from a distance or up-close with respect for their personal space, under the supervision of professional keepers. You can find Bean taking a nap under her heat lamp, exploring The Loft’s highest perches, snoozing in her hammock, hanging out under her tree or training with her keepers.

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