HONOLULU — The Honolulu Zoo announced on Monday that Harriet, the zoo’s female Linnaeus’ two-toed sloth, died on Oct. 26 due to the progression of kidney disease.
Honolulu Zoo Director Linda Santos stated that veterinary, curator and keeper staff decided to euthanize Harriet after several months of intensive treatment for her kidney disease.
“Harriet was a lovable sloth and a very good mother,” Santos stated in the release. “She allowed staff to work with her and her offspring and enjoyed being hand-fed healthy treats, including her favorite mountain apple grown on zoo grounds. The zoo staff, visitors and viewers of the live sloth cam will all miss her dearly.”
Harriet arrived at the Honolulu Zoo in December 2013. She was introduced to her new mate, Quando, in February 2014. Harriet and Quando became a valuable breeding pair as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan. The duo produced seven offspring at the Honolulu Zoo — six females and one male. Their breeding success provided zoo staff with valuable hands-on experience in the pregnancy, birth and rearing of sloths, and provided zoos with data including videos of live births, as there is very little documentation of sloth births. The zoo staff was also able to publish an article, “Observations of Reproduction in the Captive Linnaeus’ Two-toed Sloth at the Honolulu Zoo,” in the Animal Keepers Forum magazine in May 2023.
Harriet’s exact age is unknown; however, based on her breeding history (she had previously given birth before arriving at the zoo), she was over 14. The life expectancy of a sloth is 15-20 years.
Quando, daughters Opine and Leo, and son Pono are housed in the sloth exhibits near the Honolulu Zoo entrance.