See two sloth bear cubs make their debut at San Diego Zoo

Two sloth bear cubs born at the San Diego Zoo in late 2024 made their first public appearance on Thursday. 

The zoo shared a clip of the cubs emerging from their private den with their mother Shala. The zoo did not share the names of the “shaggy-haired sweethearts,” who were born in early December. The cubs have spent the first two months of their lives bonding with their mother. 

Sloth bears are not related to sloths, according to an information page for the species published by the San Diego Zoo. The zoologist who first named the species did think the bears were related to tree sloths because of their long, thick claws and unusual teeth but later research found that the two animals had no connection. The zoo noted that a sloth bear has more in common with an anteater since both species use their long noses to hunt for food. 

Sloth bears have “rough, unruly hair” around the ears, shoulders and neck, with pale muzzles and flexible noses. Sloth bears also often have white patches on their chests, in the shape of a Y, O or U, the zoo said, and have thick hair that protects them from termite bites. 

Sloth bears typically live in South Asia and the Indian subcontinent, the zoo said. They can climb trees and run faster than humans, but cannot see or hear as well as other bears, relying on their long noses to sniff out food. 

The zoo said it is working with partners in India to learn more about the species and how it can be protected. The species is threatened by habitat encroachment, the zoo said, as well as illegal hunting and capture. The species is considered “vulnerable,” the zoo said. The zoo noted that the new cubs will “play a critical role in helping conservationists learn more about sloth bear ecology.”