Lincoln Park Zoo Welcomes a New Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth

Chicago (August 26, 2026) – Lincoln Park Zoo is giving a slow and sleepy welcome to its newest resident: a Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth! Solana, an adolescent female, is currently adjusting to her new home at Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House and can be seen with her habitat mate Oro.

Solana is almost two years old and comes to Lincoln Park Zoo from another accredited zoo. She has a breeding recommendation with Oro through the Hoffmann’s Two-toed Sloth Species Survival Plan®. This is a collaborative population management effort among institutions within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The hope is that the two will have babies in the future.

“Getting to know a new animal’s personality is always a highlight of the job for animal care staff, and Solana’s team has noticed that she’s a particularly curious sloth who interacts well with her care team and Oro.” said Curator Dan Boehm. “Just like us, many animals have food preferences and Solana is no different. She loves watermelon and eggplant!”

Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths have a native range spanning Central and South America. They live in the trees of tropical rainforests and deciduous forests. Their large claws allow them to hang upside down from the tree branches where they spend the majority of their lives. Sloths sleep for up to 20 hours a day and often remain still even when awake. Algae grows on the backs of sloths, giving them a greenish hue that allows them to camouflage with their surrounding habitat.

Sloths are solitary animals that mate once per year. After an 11-month gestation period, female sloths typically give birth to one offspring—all while remaining in the trees. Young sloths cling to their mothers for the first five weeks of life and remain near their mothers for their first year.

About Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo inspires communities to create environments where wildlife will thrive in our urbanizing world. The zoo is a leader in local and global conservation, animal care and welfare, learning, and science. A historic Chicago landmark founded in 1868, the not-for-profit Lincoln Park Zoo is a privately-managed, member-supported organization and is free and open 365 days a year. Visit us at lpzoo.org.

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