Zoo Miami welcomed its first baby sloth bears in 26 years, zoo officials announced Friday.
Kematee, a 4-year-old sloth bear, gave birth to two cubs at the zoo on Dec. 4. They are the first sloth bears born at Zoo Miami since 1998.
According to the zoo, these are the first births for Kematee, who arrived at Zoo Miami in 2021 from the Philadelphia Zoo where she was born.
Hank, the cubs' father, is 11 years old and arrived at Zoo Miami in 2016 from the National Zoo.
Zoo officials said Kematee and the newborns are doing well and bonding in their private maternity den.
"She is demonstrating excellent maternal care," said Ron Magill, zoo communications director at Zoo Miami, "and the hope is to introduce mom and cubs onto their outdoor habitat as soon as the staff is confident that they are able to safely navigate the area which may take several weeks."
Sloth bears are considered a vulnerable species that is threatened by poaching and habitat destruction.