Lake Forest Parks & Recreation Brochures Fall 2017 | Page 73

MEET HAZEL, THE ADORABLE TWO-TOED SLOTH! The WDC recently became home to a two month old baby sloth named “Hazel." She was born developmentally challenged, but is quickly learning how to be a sloth and has become the curator’s “third daughter” as she typically goes wherever he goes (usually in a “Snugli”). Creature Feature: Hazel Each day, the curator encourages her to climb, hang, and "be a sloth" in her play pen. When given the opportunity, she opts for curling up in her favorite blanket and taking a long nap. Thankfully, she has been making progress each day and we hope to get her into her permanent exhibit in a few months. Hazel came from a veterinarian with a practice in Florida who specializes in exotic animals and has been working with two-toed sloths for many years. He heard about the WDC’s renowned reputation of providing their animals with exceptional care and enrichment and thought a sloth would do really well here. Hazel has done just that! She is currently on goat’s milk and a dry diet of cooked brown rice, sweet potatoes, and a “sloth mash” loaded with vitamins and calcium to help her grow strong bones. We will eventually add more food items to her diet. Hazel has already gained quite a fan club and we are now developing a special “Sloth Encounter” where you can sign up for a 15-20 minute experience interacting with Hazel and her “papa” (the curator of the WDC). All proceeds will benefit Hazel by covering the costs for her food, vet care, supplies, and a new outdoor cage for the summertime. A portion of the proceeds will benefit conservation efforts in Central and South America where sloths are native to. Denizens of the canopy, these amazing creatures only venture down to the forest floor when they have to go to the bathroom (which is only once a week!). They will also leave one tree to find another tree that has more appetizing fruit or to find a mate. Being a slow moving creature, they are easy targets for apex predators like Harpy Eagles and Jaguars. But somehow, they find a way to survive. For more information on setting up your special “Sloth Encounter,” please contact Rob Carmichael, aka “Papa Sloth,” at [email protected]. w w w. LF Pa r k s a nd Re c . co m 71