Target: Alejandro Grajal, President and CEO, Woodland Park Zoo, Seattle, Washington
Goal: Commit to deforestation-free, transparently humane sloth care and fund rainforest protections as sloths face shrinking, perilous habitats.
Woodland Park Zoo has welcomed a Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth to its tropical rainforest aviary, a reminder that these gentle, slow-moving mammals depend on intact forest canopies for survival. Widespread deforestation strips sloths of food, shelter, and camouflage, leaving them vulnerable to starvation, injury, and human conflict. When forests are fragmented, arboreal animals like sloths are forced to cross open ground or roads, putting them at further risk.
The new arrival highlights a broader responsibility: ensuring that animals in human care are treated with the highest welfare standards while actively addressing the drivers of suffering in the wild. Sloths’ unique biology—slow metabolisms, reliance on foliage, and algae-tinted fur that helps them blend into leaves—means that habitat loss may be especially punishing. Without strong, deforestation-free commitments and clear welfare transparency, institutions can inadvertently appear disconnected from the harms that threaten the very species they exhibit.
To honor the spirit of humane conservation, demand that the zoo’s leadership publicly commit to deforestation-free procurement, expand funding for rainforest protection, publish third-party welfare audits for sloths in its care, and amplify education that helps visitors choose forest-friendly products. Taking these steps would show that celebrated individuals like this sloth are ambassadors for robust, real-world protections—not just attractions.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mr. Grajal,
The recent, widely shared news about a Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth settling into Woodland Park Zoo’s rainforest space underscores an urgent reality: sloths face escalating risks as rainforests are cleared and fragmented. These slow, arboreal mammals depend on leafy canopies for food, safety, and camouflage. When those canopies are reduced, sloths endure hunger, dehydration, and perilous ground crossings.
Zoo visitors look to institutions like yours for leadership that pairs excellent animal care with action against the drivers of suffering in the wild. We respectfully urge you to publish transparent, third-party welfare audits for sloths in your care; adopt a deforestation-free, traceable procurement policy; and allocate a meaningful share of exhibit revenue to rainforest protection initiatives that safeguard habitat corridors for sloths and other wildlife.
Finally, please expand public education around forest-friendly consumer choices and responsible tourism, and advocate with peers and policymakers for measures that reduce deforestation risk. These steps would demonstrate that the zoo’s celebrated residents are more than exhibits—they are catalysts for tangible protections in the places they need most.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Sergiodelgado
