National Aviary celebrates birthdays of its 2 sloths

PITTSBURGH — The National Aviary celebrated the birthdays of two of its resident sloths, Vivien and Wookiee, on Thursday, drawing nearly 300 guests to the event.

Vivien, a Linnaeus’s Two-toed Sloth, turned eight years old, while Wookiee celebrated his 25th birthday, marking a quarter of a century. The celebration took place in the Helen M. Schmidt FliteZone™ Theater and Tropical Rainforest habitat, where guests enjoyed sloth-themed activities and learned more about these unique animals.

“Our animal care team is very intentional about fostering opportunities for our animals to engage in their natural behaviors and for guests to see them do so,” said Christa Gaus, Senior Manager of Animal Programs at the National Aviary.

Vivien spent her birthday resting in her habitat, enjoying nutritious treats provided by the staff. Meanwhile, Wookiee, who is thriving in his golden years, received special enrichment in the form of balloon-shaped objects filled with his favorite foods like carrots, flowers, lettuce, and sweet potatoes.

Guests had the opportunity to sign a large birthday card for Vivien and Wookiee, participate in sloth-themed crafts and attend talks by Aviary experts. The event concluded with a special appearance by Valentino, another Linnaeus’s Two-toed Sloth, who used his natural ability to grasp a paintbrush and add his signature to the birthday card.

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