PARK keepers celebrated International Sloth Day yesterday after successfully hand rearing their own over six months.

Keepers at Drusillas Park near Alfriston have hand-reared Flash the two toed sloth since March after her mother died shortly after she was born.

Head Keeper Mark Kenward and Zoo Keeper Gemma Romanis have been primarily responsible for Flash’s care and have been working around the clock to look after the orphaned infant, including night feeds every three hours.

They have both created activity pens in their homes and are currently building a sloth gymnasium at the zoo, designed to encourage muscle development and increase activity, whilst providing additional stimulation.

Mark said: “It’s been tough but we couldn’t be happier with Flash’s progress. This is the first sloth baby born at the zoo so it has been a bit of a learning curve but she now weighs nearly five times her original weight and is a picture of health.”