This little two-toed sloth was born to an elderly sloth couple just a month ago at the Philadelphia Zoo. Keepers had assumed the parents were well beyond breeding age when the little furry friend appeared. Despite her age, mama sloth is proving to be an attentive and capable parent.

Eating dinner upside down

The feisty Vancouver Island Marmot is Canada's most endangered mammal with only an estimated 30 living in the wild in 2003. However, institutions like the Calgary and Toronto Zoos launched aggressive breeding and release programs that have since bolstered the wild population to 200 or more. These pups were born at the Calgary Zoo on June 30th and the Toronto Zoo just welcomed a litter this week!

Photo credits © Oli Gardner

Three little pups peer out of their nesting box

Caring for new zoo borns is pricey, particularly so for large carnivores, and times three when you have triplets! Well now you can help feed and care for the Akron Zoo's three adorable jaguar cubs through their Care for a Critter Program. Besides the fact that you will be assisting conservation efforts for an endangered species, it also makes a great gift for that zoo/cat lover in your life as the sponsorship package includes a 12-inch plush jaguar, a photo of the cubs, a certificate of sponsorship, a jaguar fact sheet, your name on the zoo’s website and two tickets to the zoo’s Care for a Critter Appreciation Day on September 19, 2009 (if you don't live in Ohio, maybe you can donate the tix to someone in the area).

Silkie chickens most likely originated in China where they were bred for their fluffy plumage, as well as their remarkably calm temperment and bright blue meat and bones. While the blue meat is considered unappetizing in Western culture, in Asia it is often considered a delicacy (like eating a Smurf!). This tiny chick entered the world last week at Zoo Basel's children's zoo.

Keepers at the Smithsonian Zoo closely watched female Przewalski’s horse Brandy for the past several weeks as they realized a birth was imminent. The foal was seen nursing soon after its July 9th birth. The mother and offspring are bonding well.

Przewalski’s horses are critically endangered—only a few hundred reintroduced animals live in protected areas in their native China and Mongolia. The National Zoo is at the forefront of Przewalski’s horse conservation, which includes detailed reproductive studies of the herd at CRC, leading the Przewalski’s Horse North American Species Survival Plan and using GIS technology to study their movements in the wild. Many more pics after the jump...

Photo Credit: Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian's National Zoo

The Belfast Zoo welcomed a new baby Malayan tapir on June 22nd. Tapirs may look like pigs with mini elephant trunks but they are actually most closely related to horses and rhinoceroses. The zoo is currently having a naming contest for the little girl. May we suggest Schnozzy or Schnozzella?

Schnozzella does her best "Blue Steel"

Sooky the koala was born in January of this year at the San Diego Zoo and is now making regular appearances with mom. These pictures were taken on Sunday and if I lived within driving distance of the SD Zoo, I would be sure to check this little girl out soon!

Jao Chu (JOW-chew), a 3-year-old endangered clouded leopard at the Smithsonian National Zoo, gave birth to a cub at 5:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon. Staff had been on a pregnancy watch for several days. Mother and cub are doing well. The cub’s sex will not be confirmed for about one week.

Tiny head... not so tiny claws!

The birth represents the second time Jao Chu and 3-year-old Hannibal have produced offspring. Jao Chu gave birth to two male cubs March 24—Sa Ming (SAH-meeng), “brave warrior,” and Ta Moon (TAH-moon), “mischievous child.” Lots more photos after the jump.