The long-awaited baby sloth has been born at Beauval
The long-awaited baby has finally arrived! Whoopi gave birth to a baby sloth on Tuesday 22 September 2026, just a few weeks after announcing her pregnancy. Still clinging to its mother’s belly, the newborn is doing well and is already beginning to observe its surroundings with curiosity.
A little ball of fur discovered during feeding time
It was Valentin, one of the sloth keepers, who discovered the newborn during the evening feeding, at around 5.15 pm. A few hours earlier, no baby had yet been visible.
Whoopi was in the small wooden hut set up in her enclosure at the time. As he approached to feed her, Valentin spotted ‘a little ball’ clinging to her. The baby was still slightly damp, suggesting that the birth had taken place that afternoon.
However, there had been no particular signs to indicate the cub’s imminent arrival. In the hours leading up to the birth, Whoopi had behaved as usual and maintained a healthy appetite. Everything therefore suggests that the birth took place naturally and without difficulty.
A baby clinging tightly to its mother
Since its birth, the young sloth has remained firmly clinging to Whoopi’s belly, as is typical for newborns of this species during their first few months.
From the very first hours, the keepers observed it seeking out its mother’s teats, and the first feed was confirmed the very next day. Its activity and its plump little tummy are also encouraging signs for the team, who are continuing to monitor the situation closely from a distance.
To ensure Whoopi and her baby remain undisturbed, no handling is planned at present. The baby has therefore not been weighed or measured. According to initial observations, it is thought to be around twenty centimetres long.
Its sex is not yet known, and it will probably be several months before this can be determined.
The calf is already lifting its head and watching intently what is happening around it
Already very curious about its surroundings
Although only a few days old, the baby is already beginning to show an interest in its surroundings. When Whoopi comes to collect her food, it lifts its head and watches intently to see what is happening around it.
This curiosity is likely to grow as the weeks go by. Young sloths gradually start to touch the branches and take an interest in the food their mother is eating, whilst still clinging to her. It will be several more months before the baby really starts to venture away from Whoopi and explore its surroundings on its own. It will then gradually become more independent, usually around 8 to 9 months.
Whoopi, an experienced mother
This is Whoopi and Manni’s second baby. Whoopi had previously given birth to Flash, whom she had looked after perfectly. Now fully independent, Flash is no longer with his parents: he is currently housed in an area of the South American Aviary not visible to the public, awaiting transfer to another zoo.
With this new birth, Whoopi’s behaviour remains true to form and she is particularly calm. She continues to move about her enclosure as normal and still accepts the presence of keepers nearby. Her appetite has been particularly hearty since giving birth, largely due to lactation.
The teams monitor her diet daily and adjust her rations to her needs. Since August, Whoopi has been receiving three feedings a day instead of two.
As for Manni, he is carrying on with his usual routine. In two-toed sloths, males and females are naturally rather solitary, and the male does not participate in rearing the young.
For the time being, the newborn remains snuggled up against Whoopi’s belly and its fur blends in easily with its mother’s
A pregnancy closely monitored by the teams at Beauval
The birth had been announced in August, following an ultrasound scan which confirmed Whoopi’s pregnancy. The keepers had previously noticed that her belly was gradually rounding out.
In two-toed sloths, the gestation period is particularly long, lasting 10 months. The female usually gives birth to a single young, which measures around 25 cm and weighs approximately 340 g at birth. From the very first moments of life, the newborn remains entirely dependent on its mother: it clings to her belly and follows her wherever she goes.
Over the weeks, the young gradually begin to take an interest in their surroundings and the food their mother eats, before slowly becoming more independent.
Find out more about the two-toed sloth
Can we see the baby yet?
Yes, but you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled! For the moment, the newborn is still snuggled up against Whoopi’s belly and its fur blends in easily with its mother’s.
It’s hard to predict where sloths will go. Whoopi may choose to settle in the little hut provided for her or prefer the heights of the vegetation.
The best time to hope to spot the baby is still in the late afternoon, around 5.00 pm to 5.30 pm, at feeding time. Attracted by the food, Whoopi is then more likely to come down, sometimes offering a better chance to spot the little ball of fur clinging to her belly.
With a little patience and a keen eye, you might be lucky enough to spot it in the Tropical Bird House.
