Marvin makes his debut in Caribbean Cove
Abilene Zoo is excited to announce the debut of Marvin, a 10-year-old two-toed male sloth from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana. Marvin arrived at Abilene Zoo in October and is moving into his new home in the Caribbean Cove exhibit this weekend after a 30-day quarantine.
Marvin is a Linnaeus’s sloth, showcased by his darker coloring and larger size. Unable to walk, sloths are tree dwellers and make their home in the rainforests of South America. Linnaeus’s sloths are nocturnal and often sleep up to 18 hours each day. While sloths are not currently endangered, they are being slowly pushed out of the wild and into protected animal reserves as their habitat continues to disappear due to deforestation.
As part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan, Marvin was recommended to join Sadie, Abilene Zoo’s existing sloth, for breeding purposes. As Marvin settles into his new home, and keepers start interacting with him, the goal is to have Marvin join the Zoo’s Up-Close Tour program. Abilene Zoo’s curator, Robert Trejo says, “Our keepers will work with Marvin to build his relationships with humans so that one day in the future guests will be able to meet him up-close, just like they can meet Sadie now. Marvin will serve as an ambassador for his species and will allow us to continue to learn about and preserve sloths for future generations.”
Guests will be able to view Marvin in the Caribbean Cove exhibit this weekend. To purchase tickets visit abilenezoo.org.
