A couple of loved-up two-toed sloths have been reunited at Folly Farm just in time for Christmas, after spending almost a year apart. Tuppee and Blackcap, both in their 20s, previously lived together for many years at Paignton Zoo. In March this year, Tuppee moved to Pembrokeshire to live at Folly Farm, but due to an infection in her claw Blackcap could not travel with her soul mate.

Since then, the pair have lived apart while Blackcap’s claw healed, until they were finally reunited. The sloths are now looking forward to a Christmas curled up in front of a roaring heater in their enclosure, and the keepers are hoping that Tuppee can get used to sharing his home again after enjoying the bachelor life.

Verity Hadley, sloth keeper at Folly Farm, said: “It’s great to see Tuppee and Blackcap back together again, they’ve become the Kylie and Jason of Folly Farm!

“We’re hoping that absence has made the heart grow fonder and that the spark between them will be rekindled now they’re sharing a home again. I think that Blackcap will bring a feminine touch to the enclosure and will keep Tuppee on his toes. With Christmas just around the corner, we’re all hoping that he will try to sneak a cheeky kiss under the mistletoe.

“Tuppee will have his work cut out to try and impress Blackcap. I think the perfect sloth date would be in front of warmth of the heater, and would definitely include asparagus and red cabbage, as they’re Tuppee’s favourite foods.

“At the moment, if they were on Facebook their relationship status would be ‘It’s complicated’, but we’re hoping that Tuppee will show Blackcap his softer side and doesn’t put himself in the friend zone after growing used to not sharing his food and forgetting how to act in front of a lady. You never know – we could hear the pitter patter of tiny Tuppees soon with any luck!”

Reaching an average weight of 8kg, sloths have a life span of around 20 years in the wild, but can live for up to 30 to 40 years in captivity. Originally from Central and South America, they spend most of their lives hanging upside down from trees, and are usually solitary creatures in the wild.

Verity continued: “We’re all really looking forward to getting to know Blackcap, and hope that she’s going to be a good influence on Tuppee because he can be a bit mischievous sometimes.

“He loves fruit and goes out of his way to steal the bats’ food from time to time, as they share an enclosure. It’s like a scene from Mission Impossible - he climbs over to the bats’ feeders and hangs from one arm to drop down and steal the fruit! He also likes to climb through the bats when they’re hanging in a cluster rather than going around them, so he definitely has a naughty side.

“Hopefully Blackcap will be able to keep him in check and make sure he doesn’t misbehave too much, and that he can play it cool and finally settle down with his girl.”

If you would like to adopt a sloth this Christmas, Folly Farm has launched the perfect gift for animal lovers with the chance to adopt an animal from its zoo in Pembrokeshire. For £39, the gift includes a day entrance ticket to Folly Farm, an adoption certificate, a fact sheet, a soft toy and the adopter’s name displayed on a thank you board at the animal’s enclosure.

Other animals up for adoption include donkeys, giraffes, goats, lions, meerkat, owls, penguins, pigs, rhinos, sheep and zebras.

For more information and updates on the new additions at Folly farm visit www.folly-farm.co.uk or visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FollyFarm/