The new sloth bear cubs at San Diego Zoo have finally been named! Born to their mom, Shala, the two siblings are named Shehani and Kumar.
Shehani and Kumar were born in early December, but they did not make their first public appearance until February. Their mom, Shala, is a first-time mom. The two cubs will likely spend time with their mom for about two years then become more solitary.
Sloth bears originate in Sri Lanka, Nepal, and India. These bears look a bit different from regular bears, having shaggy greyish-black coats with cream marks. Their interesting features include their fluffy ears, nostrils that can close completely, and missing front teeth. Similar to anteaters, sloth bears use their mouths to suck up termites and ants.
Currently, sloth bears are considered a vulnerable species; however, years before they were endangered, and thanks to conservation groups like San Diego Zoo, their population has gone up.
San Diego has a long history with sloth bears, welcoming the species in 1940. Since 1957, the zoo has bred 25 sloth bears. The zoo breeds two types of the species: the Indian and Sri Lankan sloth bear; however, the difference between the two is almost nonexistent.
After recently going to the San Diego Zoo, I was not able to see the sloth bear cubs; although, I got a slight glimpse of one that might have been Shala. Despite the failed sighting of the cubs, there were many other animals with babies, such as the orangutan and porcupine.
I highly recommend people visit the San Diego Zoo not only for the sloth bears, but to support their mission of preventing endangerment and the extinction of animals.
