Bunny

Bunny arrived at Singapore Zoo’s Fragile Forest from River Wonders and has since become one of the exhibit’s most recognisable residents. He was originally identified as female — an understandable mistake, as sloths are not especially cooperative when it comes to obvious anatomical distinctions — and the name remained long after the matter was clarified.

Since then, Bunny has fathered three offspring, and his family continues to attract considerable attention from guests. One of his sons now resides at Bird Paradise, where he appears to be continuing the family tradition of being quietly famous.

Bunny moves at a pace that would test the patience of almost any other mammal. But this extraordinary slowness is, in fact, a highly effective survival strategy. Algae grows on his fur, giving him a faint green tint that helps camouflage him among the canopy leaves.

His claws lock onto branches through a passive tendon system, allowing him to hang for long periods with almost no muscular effort at all. Even his fur grows in reverse compared to most mammals, directing rainwater away while he hangs upside down. Every detail appears engineered for a life spent conserving energy whenever possible.

Bunny is typically calm and unhurried within the Fragile Forest habitat. Keepers have occasionally observed him tolerating, and sometimes unintentionally sharing, food with nearby animals in the exhibit.

During daily keeper talks, guests may spot him resting high in the canopy — although whether he chooses to move is, as ever, entirely his decision. Sloths, after all, are not known for responding particularly urgently to anyone’s schedule but their own.

Bunny's slow, undisturbed life is the standard every sloth deserves. Linnaeus's two-toed sloth is currently classified as Least Concern, but their forest habitat across Central and South America faces increasing pressure from deforestation and illegal wildlife trade.

In South America, sloths are frequently taken from the wild for tourist photo opportunities - a practice that is harmful to animals built entirely for stillness and solitude. Bunny is what it looks like when we get it right.