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.’
“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.”
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.
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!