Meet Rolo! Zoo Atlanta names infant sloth after thousands of submissions

Infant two-toed sloth
Rolo, the infant Hoffmann's two-toed sloth, lives at Zoo Atlanta. (Caroline Schleimer/Zoo Atlanta)

The three-month-old sloth at Zoo Atlanta finally has a name after nearly 2,000 submissions from the public — Rolo!

Zoo Atlanta’s Sloth Care Team selected the name from a pool submitted between Oct. 24 and Nov. 1. Rolo, a Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth, was born on Aug. 9, the second child of mother Nutella and father Cocoa. According to the zoo, the Sloth Care Team picked Rolo’s name because it fit with the names of his parents.

Rolo is also the first male sloth born in Zoo Atlanta in its 135-year history. His sister, Olivia, who is more than a year old, is moving to another habitat accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to have offspring of her own.



Rolo is also the first male sloth born in Zoo Atlanta in its 135-year history. His sister, Olivia, who is more than a year old, is moving to another habitat accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to have her own offspring.

Rolo’s birth is one aspect of Zoo Atlanta’s various conservation efforts. Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths are native to Central and South America. The zoo’s conservation fund has supported the Sloth Conservation Project in Costa Rica, which aims to rescue wild sloths affected by deforestation from logging and injuries sustained from climbing power lines in the absence of trees.

“We are excited to be able to associate a name with this special infant. For our Members and guests, a name can help make a connection to an individual, and a connection to an individual can lead to a connection with a species,” said Gina Ferrie, vice president of collections and conservation, in a Tuesday press release.

“We look forward to watching Rolo grow up as he helps us tell the story of these fascinating animals and their place in wild ecosystems.”