Photo 1

Visitors exploring Asia Trail at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo can now see Khali, a female sloth bear that came from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Khali, 9, is a non-breeding companion for 26-year-old male sloth bear Merlin. In the wild, sloth bears are found in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka. They have a slightly longer snout than other species of bear, and they use it along with their lips to create a vacuum-like seal to suck up insects from holes, cracks and crevices. Sloth bears are listed as vulnerable by the World Conservation Union. In addition to Khali and Merlin, the National Zoo is also home to two other sloth bears, 13-year-old Hana, and her two-year-old cub, Balawat.

Photo Credit: Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date: April 10, 2008

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Photo 2

Khali (right), a female sloth bear, and her companion Merlin splash around in their pool sandwiched between the rocks in their yard along the Smithsonian’s National Zoo’s Asia Trail. Nine-year-old Khali arrived from the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle late last year, but has only recently joined Merlin on exhibit following gradual introductions between the pair. Khali was brought to the Zoo to be a non-breeding companion for Merlin. Sloth bears are listed as vulnerable by the World Conservation Union, although there is no solid estimate of how many remain in the wild. In India, where many sloth bears are found, their numbers are declining mainly due to habitat loss, poaching and the use of the animals for an illegal practice known as “bear dancing.”

Photo Credit: Mehgan Murphy/Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Date: April 10, 2008

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Sloth Bear 1

Chief Veterinarian Suzan Murray interacts through a protective wall with Balawat, the male sloth bear cub born on Jan. 9, 2006 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Balawat, along with other animals, is part of the Zoo’s new Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat and Asia Trail, which opens to the public on Oct. 17. Over the next few weeks, National Zoo staff is helping the animals adjust to their new environments. In addition to sloth bears and giant pandas, the new exhibit will also feature fishing cats, clouded leopards, Asian small-clawed otters, red pandas, and Japanese giant salamanders.

Photograph date: Sept. 15, 2006
Photograph credit: Jessie Cohen, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

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Sloth Bear 2

Balawat, a sloth bear cub born on Jan. 9, 2006 at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, explores his new home at the Zoo’s new Asia Trail exhibit. The Fujifilm Giant Panda Habitat and Asia Trail opens to the public on Oct. 17. Over the next few weeks, National Zoo staff is helping the animals adjust to their new environments. In addition to sloth bears and giant pandas, the new exhibit will also feature fishing cats, clouded leopards, Asian small-clawed otters, red pandas, and Japanese giant salamanders.

Photograph date: Sept. 15, 2006
Photograph credit: Jessie Cohen, Smithsonian’s National Zoo

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