06/16/2025
Just a friendly reminder that TOMORROW (June 17th) is the last day to submit a donation and name for the Sloth Naming Contest.
We've already had some great names submitted, so don't miss out on your chance to name our baby sloth!
👉 https://www.mmzoo.org/slothcontest for all the details on how to submit your name(s) and links to make a donation to be entered.
Don't forget to include your name suggestion in the "in memory/honor of" section when donating on our website!
We can't wait to see what other names are submitted today and tomorrow!
MILL MOUNTAIN ZOO: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 6, 2025
🦥 Welcome to the Slow Lane: Mill Mountain Zoo Introduces New Baby Sloth!
Roanoke, Virginia — Mill Mountain Zoo is thrilled to welcome its newest (and slowest!) resident—a very young, male sloth who just celebrated his very first birthday! This adorable animal marks a special moment for the Zoo as he joins our growing family of animal ambassadors and becomes part of our conservation education efforts.
In just the short time since he arrived, he has already begun stealing hearts with his calm demeanor, inquisitive eyes, and leisurely charm. The Zoo’s animal care team works closely with him each day to help build a positive and trusting relationship with him, and to ensure that he continues to adjust well to his new surroundings and routine.
“We are so excited to introduce this sweet little guy to our community,” said Niki Voudren, Executive Director of Mill Mountain Zoo. “Sloths are incredible animals with unique adaptations, and we look forward to using his presence here to inspire curiosity, conservation, and a love for wildlife.”
To celebrate his arrival, Mill Mountain Zoo will be launching a Sloth Naming Contest where the public can submit their most creative, meaningful, or just plain fun name ideas. Details are available on the Zoo’s social media and website at www.mmzoo.org/slothcontest.
Guests are able to see the new sloth in his habitat near the Zoo Choo Train Station. Keep an eye out for updates—and for those slow, sleepy movements that make sloths so endearing.
Come say hi to our newest bundle of fur and help us give him the warmest welcome (and the perfect name)!
🦥 Help us pick the perfect name for our newest (and slowest!) star
To celebrate this milestone of our new Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, Mill Mountain Zoo is also launching a community naming contest! This laid-back bundle of cuteness has been winning our hearts since day one—and now it’s time to give him a name as unique as he is.
🐾 Contest Opens: June 1, 2025
🐾 Submit Name Ideas by: June 17, 2025
🐾 Public Voting: June 20, 2025 – July 1, 2025
🐾 Winner Announced: July 2, 2025, at Zoobilee - Mill Mountain Zoo’s 73rd Birthday
How It Works:
1. Donate $1 and Submit Your Name Idea
Visit www.mmzoo.org/slothcontest or Guest Services at the Zoo and donate $1 to enter your name suggestion and tell us why you think it fits! Be creative, thoughtful, or totally adorable—just keep it family-friendly.
2. Top 3 Finalists Selected by Zoo Staff
Our animal care team will choose three names that best fit our young sloth’s personality.
3. Vote for Your Favorite
The public will vote on the final three names—so rally your friends and family! Each vote requires a $5 donation, with no limit to the number of votes you can cast. All proceeds will directly support the care and enrichment of our sloth and other animals at Mill Mountain Zoo.
4. The Winning Name Will Be Revealed on July 2 at Zoobilee - Mill Mountain Zoo’s 73rd Birthday
Bonus Points If:
🐾 The name has a fun tie-in to nature, conservation, Roanoke, or Central/South American culture
🐾 It reflects the sloth’s adaptations and characteristics
🐾 It’s just plain adorable
Let your imagination hang out (just like our sloth does)! 🦥💚
For details and to enter, visit www.mmzoo.org/slothcontest.
Come celebrate with us, cast your vote, and be a part of Mill Mountain Zoo history as we name our slow-moving superstar!
Sloth Facts – Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)
🦥 Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Sloths are famously slow-moving, which helps them conserve energy and avoid detection by predators in the wild.
🌿 Upside-Down World
They spend nearly their entire lives hanging upside down from trees—even eating, sleeping, and giving birth while suspended!
🌙 Night Owls of the Rainforest
Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths are nocturnal, meaning they are most active at night. During the day, they love to snooze—up to 15 hours!
🌧️ Rainforest Residents
Native to Central and South America, these sloths live in tropical rainforests from eastern Honduras to western Ecuador.
🦥 Two Toes? Not Quite!
Despite their name, they actually have more than two toes! The “two-toed” name refers to their two front claws—not their toes. They have sharp claws that help them grip tree branches.
🥗 Leaf It to Me
Sloths are herbivores, mostly eating leaves, fruits, and flowers. Their slow digestion can take up to a month to fully process a meal!
🍼 Born to Climb
Baby sloths cling to their mothers for the first several months of life, learning how to climb, feed, and navigate their arboreal world.
About Mill Mountain Zoo
Mill Mountain Zoo is governed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and accredited by the Zoological Association of America (ZAA), demonstrating excellence in animal welfare, safety, and ethics on a national level.
All animal residents at the Zoo are critically endangered, vulnerable, threatened, or non-releasable due to injury, captive birth, or owner relinquishment. The Zoo participates in national and international Species Survival Plans, humane research, and conservation programs.
Located at the top of Mill Mountain, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mill Mountain Zoo overlooks the City of Roanoke. Founded in 1952, the Zoo is a 501(c)(3) non-profit operated by the Blue Ridge Zoological Society of Virginia, Inc.
Mill Mountain Zoo is dedicated to promoting an appreciation and understanding of wildlife and habitat preservation through quality exhibits, educational programs, and collaboration with other animal conservation organizations. The Zoo upholds three core beliefs: excellence in animal care, conservation management of endangered species, and fostering science education through its animal collection.
