The Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo took in a boarder this week. Zoo Curator/Supervisor Ashley Burdick said a two-toed sloth arrived Wednesday from Dodge City.

“We are working with Dodge City and the Wright Park Zoo,” Burdick said. “They closed their facility and plan to rebuild from the ground up. This will take two or more years to accomplish, so today we took in their two-toed sloth, Lucia. on loan. She is currently living with our tamandua, Enzo.”

“We are also hoping once she settles in to incorporate her into education programming and meet-and-greets if she will allow it,” Burdick said.

Lucia and Enzo are both off-exhibit for now because it is too cold to go outside most days. 

A portion of the City of Great Bend’s Quality of Life sales tax is earmarked for the zoo, and next year those funds are slated for adding a sidewalk and fencing to the area of the zoo that houses those animals. 

Earlier this year, the Wright Park Zoo announced it would close to the public until further notice after Sept. 18. At that time, the zoo announced it was working to find temporary nurturing and safe facilities for its animals. A Siberian tiger named Shakira was permanently moved to the Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary in Genevieve County, Missouri.