Thousands of people were enchanted by Zoo Atlanta’s newly born Hoffman’s two-toed sloth a few weeks ago. So much so, many of those animal lovers wanted a role in naming the 4-month-old mammal.
Zoo Atlanta offered that chance when its sloth care team opened the naming rights up to a vote on March 5. The public chose from six names —Blossom, Willow, Bean, Fern, Clyde and Rio—earlier this month. The sloth care team promised to reveal the gender and chosen name of the baby sloth by March 19.
On Tuesday afternoon, the sloth’s gender and name were revealed in a video the team posted on Zoo Atlanta’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages. The huge announcement was a part of the zoo’s #TakeoverTuesday on Facebook. Nearly 15,000 votes came in for the little one.
“And without further ado! Meet …”
The team announced the sloth is a girl named Willow.
“If it was a boy his name would’ve been Bean,” one of the sloth care team members said in the video. “Make sure to come later this spring to see Willow out in her habitat,” another team member said at the end of the 1-minute video.
Dozens of Facebook users chimed in with congrats and adoration for Willow.
Willow’s mother and father, Bonnie and Cocoa, have another offspring, an older sister named Raisin, born in 2015, who currently lives in another zoo.
Kimberly Eldridge wrote "YAY!!! My daughter was so excited that she named a baby sloth!"
Ashlie Massey was one of many who talked about Willow being "adorable."
Zoo Atlanta’s Facebook video announcement had received more than 300 likes, 72 shares and more than 3,000 views by Tuesday afternoon.
Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths are native to Central and South America. They are not classified as endangered, but their populations are threatened by habitat destruction and the pet trade.
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