Reggie the sloth ready to slowly move into new enclosure at Dudley Zoo

Contractors are revamping the Dudley Zoo’s former tortoise enclosure into a purpose-built pad for three-year-old Linne’s two-toed sloth Reggie. The enclosure is set to open to the public in time for October half-term.

Reggie will be joined in his new home Coppery titi monkeys, Tilda and Frank, and Goeldi monkeys, Francisco and Santiago, to form a new mixed exhibit.

Zoo curator Richard Brown said: “The new enclosure will include indoor and off-show areas, as well as a large outdoor area. There will be glass viewing areas around the sides and UV lighting inside to provide lots of light, plus there will be plenty of climbing ropes and platforms for the new occupants.

“We are also adding a digital screen on the outside wall where we’ll be playing videos of Reggie, so visitors will be able to see him even if he is sleeping when they stop by the enclosure.”

Reggie the sloth has proved a popular addition to Dudley Zoo since arriving in July. The site’s gardeners have had to purchase a variety of hibiscus plants to keep him in his favourite treats – as keepers have discovered he loves the freshly picked flowers.

Pat Stevens, upper primates section leader, added: “We have discovered hibiscus flowers are definitely Reggie’s favourite food and despite having a typically slow nature, he soon appears when we have one and will gobble them up whole in seconds – usually leaving pollen all over the end of his nose in the process.”

Sloths have a low metabolic rate, which means they can survive on small amounts of food and it can also take up to a month to fully digest one meal. Alongside hibiscus flowers, Reggie’s other favourite foods include chunks of sweet potato and green beans.