Bob, the Toronto Zoo’s two-toed sloth, died due to health issues Monday.
The zoo announced the death of the seven-year-old sloth on its Facebook page Friday, and the difficult decision Wildlife Health Care staff made to humanely euthanize the animal.
Bob the sloth was born at the Toronto Zoo in June 18, 2011. He began at the Kids Zoo area and later moved into the Americas Pavilion in April 2017 when he reached maturity.
Wildlife Care staff said over the past couple of months, they had noticed Bob was constantly losing appetite and had lost a significant amount of weight.
Zoo staff, veterinarians and nutritionists said they decided to admit the sloth into the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Health Centre on Sept. 7 to receive intensive supportive care as a last effort to restore his health.
The zoo said they performed several diagnostic tests including a CT scan. They also consulted with many veterinarians at other zoos and animal professionals to provide the best care for Bob.
Wildlife Care staff said despite their efforts, Bob’s health deteriorated quickly in the last couple of weeks. They said a post-mortem examination confirmed severe and irreversible soft tissue mineralization and bone lesions found in the animal.
Toronto Zoo has asked the public to share their favourite memories and photos of Bob the sloth online.