The world’s oldest sloth has died, according to LiveScience. Ms C, a Hoffmann two-legged sloth who lived at Adelaide Zoo in Australia, was 43 years old.
She was put to sleep after her caretakers realized she was ill on June 2nd. She had a number of age-related health issues, as would be expected from an animal thought to be the oldest of its kind. “Ms C’s handling was very aggressive and was unlikely to delay the inevitable so the hard decision was made humbly,” said one of the curators. zoo, Phil Ainsley, in a statement. She had lived at Adelaide Zoo since birth.
The average lifespan of a Hoffmann two-legged sloth in the desert is 12 years, and in captivity, 31 years. Miss C’s male companion at the zoo, Al G, died in 2015 at the age of 26. At the time of her death, she was the only surviving sloth in Australia.
Hoffmann’s two-leaf sloths are native to the tropical environments of Central and South America. In the wild ditch, two peaks like Ms C mostly live in tree canopies, just making their way down to the ground from time to time to poop.
The year has been a tough one for zoo keepers. Elly, the world’s oldest black rhino died at 46, at the San Francisco Zoo in May.
[h/t LiveScience]