THE adult female sloth at Jersey Zoo has died after a piece of chewed food became stuck in her airway, Durrell has confirmed.
In a statement, the Zoo said: “We are heartbroken to announce the sudden and unexpected death of our much-loved female sloth Terry.
“The postmortem examination identified a piece of chewed food lodged in her airway; however, further results are still pending.”
The female died less than a year after giving birth to Jemma.
Her death follows that of the Zoo’s 23-year-old male, Rio, who was put to sleep in January due to a pre-existing health condition.
The pair had been part of the breeding programme for Linne’s two-toed sloths, a species native to the rainforests of South America.
The Zoo said the sloth house has been closed until further notice and that keepers are closely monitoring ten-month-old Jemma as she adjusts to life without her mother.
“Terry was much loved by staff, members and visitors and will be hugely missed,” Durrell added. “We appreciate everyone’s kindness and understanding during this time while we process this sad news.”
