Snuggling comfortably in his mother's fur, newborn Atty was welcomed to the world just two days ago, as his namesake turned 100. The Linne's two-toed sloth is the first to be born in Scotland, with his birth hailed as a 'major milestone' by keepers at Edinburgh Zoo.
First of Its Kind in Scotland
The tiny creature, native to the tropical forests of South and Central America, arrived on Monday to first-time parents Feira and Nico. Named Atty in honour of Sir David Attenborough, who celebrated his 100th birthday just days earlier, the baby sloth will spend the next six months clinging to his mother and sampling food directly from her mouth.
Zoo Keepers Celebrate
Head keeper Jess Brown said his arrival was 'groundbreaking' not just for the zoo, but for Scotland. She added: 'Seeing a sloth baby clinging to mum for the very first time has been so special for the whole team and we can't wait for visitors to see little Atty. He is already showing plenty of personality and visitors might spot a tiny face peeking out from mum's fur. Nico and Feira are both beautiful animals and a fan-favourite with our visitors, so we're confident he'll be a big hit.'
The zoo confirmed that mother and baby are 'currently resting', but visitors will be able to visit the sloth house from 2pm on Wednesday. However, opening times for the enclosure may vary over the coming weeks as the pair settle in.
