Cincinnati Zoo Names Sloth Habitat After Oliver Nicholson

Tuesday, October 12, 2021 at 6:08 AM

The Zoo made the announcement on Monday, which would have been Oliver's 2nd birthday.

Photos courtesy Cincinnati Zoo.

CINCINNATI – The Cincinnati Zoo is renaming its sloth habitat after a young boy who passed away earlier this year.

In memory of Oliver Nicholson, the Cincinnati Zoo announced Monday the renaming of its sloth habitat as “The Oliver Nicholson Memorial Sloth Habitat”.

Oliver was only 16 months old when he passed away. He and his twin Atticus were born on October 11, 2019, seven weeks premature. Oliver was diagnosed with VACTERL association, which effects one in 10,000 to 40,000 newborns at random with no known cause.

While at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in January, Oliver received a stuffed sloth which he adored and slept with every night.

After learning that Cincinnati Zoo’s sloth was pregnant, the Nicholson family started a petition to name the baby Oliver.

The Zoo never got to discuss names for the baby sloth, announcing yesterday that it was delivered stillborn.

“We had been in contact with the Zoo and had discussed other ways that we could honor Oliver,” said Nicholson. “This tribute will be lasting and means so much. It gives us a huge bright spot on an especially difficult day and some positive news to share with the 80,000 people who signed our petition.”