Elderly Two-toed Sloth Dies at Smithsonian’s National Zoo

Ms. Chips, a two-toed sloth and longtime resident of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, died overnight Jan. 2. She was 46 years old. The median life expectancy for female two-toed sloths in human care is 15 years old.

Ms. Chips was born at the Zoo March 2, 1972. She lived the majority of her life at the Small Mammal House in a multi-species exhibit with other sloths, tamarins and armadillos. She shared her current exhibit with coppery titi monkey Mo and screaming hairy armadillo Dylan Keepers remember Ms. Chips as a gentle and sweet sloth, though she preferred to keep to herself instead of interacting with the other animals she lived with.

Visitors to the Zoo and still see 31-year-old two-toed sloth Vlad at the Small Mammal House and 9-year-old Howie at Amazonia.  

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SI-6-2018