Sunset Zoo Introduces New Sloth Bear Arrival

Sunset Zoo has welcomed a male sloth bear named Kartick. He arrived in December 2025, and the zoo announced the addition this week.

The new sloth bear is intended as a mate for Tess, the park’s resident female. Zoo staff hope the pair will breed in coming seasons.

Origins and transfer

Kartick was born in 2017 at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington. He moved to the San Diego Zoo in 2019.

San Diego arranged his transfer to Sunset Zoo. He arrived after a required quarantine period to rule out transmissible disease.

Conservation context

The move followed a recommendation from the Sloth Bear Species Survival Plan. The plan operates in cooperation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Experts selected Kartick for his genetic suitability. The sloth bear population has fallen by nearly 50 percent over the past three decades.

Introducing the pair

Staff staged careful introductions after quarantine. They first swapped bedding so each bear could become familiar with the other’s scent.

Next, keepers swapped dens to further acclimate the animals to each other’s surroundings. The process is slow to reduce the risk of injury.

Breeding timeline

Sloth bears typically breed from May through July. If successful, cubs are born between December and January.

Individual details

Keepers describe Kartick as larger than Tess. He has round, fuzzy ears that distinguish him from his intended mate.

Tess’s sister, Molly, recently had cubs in December at the Smithsonian Zoo. Staff consider that a hopeful sign for the species.

The Sunset Zoo new sloth bear arrival underscores conservation work. Staff say careful management supports long-term species recovery.

Photo courtesy of Sunset Zoo. Reporting by Bethaney Phillips for Filmogaz.com.