Bear Necessities: Meet the Sloth Bears at the Columbus Zoo

The sloth bears are, without a doubt, a fan-favorite for both Columbus Zoo and Aquarium guests and staff alike. Whether they are interacting with enrichment or simply taking a nap, they are captivating! Let’s meet the sloth bears at the Zoo, Randhir and Heiderose, and give you an inside look into what caring for these animals looks like.

Heiderose

Heiderose (female) is 12 years old and has been part of the Columbus Zoo family for 6 years. She has a leg injury from when she was a cub that resulted in her knee unable to bend. Because of this, she often uses that leg as a head prop and can be seen often resting her head on that foot. Her leg doesn't slow her down, though! She often climbs up into the trees and looks out to see what’s happening around the Zoo. She also climbs up high to take a snooze out of Randhir’s reach!

Randhir

Randhir (male) is 11 years old and has been part of the Columbus Zoo family for 8 years. He really enjoys investigating and interacting with different objects that he finds in his environment, including sticks and wood wool. He also enjoys spending time lounging by the windows and in the mulch bed in the habitat. Guests often say he looks similar to a human in a bear suit just relaxing!

Sloth Bear Training

Randhir and Heide are trained separately so that they can focus solely on the training and not each other, even though the relationship between the two is a good one. Both bears know a variety of cooperative care behaviors, including voluntary blood draws, an open mouth behavior, injections, and scale training. Heiderose has also been recently ultrasound trained which allows her to present her belly up to the metal mesh screen when her team needs her to!

Primary sloth bear keeper Carrie Ritchie said, "Randhir is always ready to go. Even if he doesn’t feel very motivated for training, he will still give all the behaviors that the team asks of him. Heide, on the other hand, must know what kind of treats she will be getting before she deems it worth her time!"

Randhir will train for just about anything he is offered. His favorite is a peanut butter and honey mixture, but Heide is a lot pickier. Her favorite is an avocado and honey mixture (she really loves avocados!). Both bears are also trained for emergency recall in which they are rewarded with a peanut butter, honey, and superworm sandwich.

Memorable Moments

Ritchie said, "There are so many fun memories from working with the sloth bears. Watching them get enrichment that they absolutely love, which is anything that involves food and bugs, to training break throughs, and more."

Here are some of the sloth bear keepers' favorite moments from working with Randhir and Heiderose:

When the bears receive boomer balls that have been filled with treats and bugs for enrichment, they will lay on their backs and balance the ball on their feet as they turn it and suck out the treats.
Randhir loves to throw toys around. He does this not only to get treats, but also for pure fun! Keepers have witnessed him standing up on his hind legs and repeatedly picking up a ying-yang ball and throwing it down for fun.
Ritchie said, "Whenever sloth bears are unsure of something, their response is to stand up and blow forcefully at it. There have been quite a few times when we’ve either walked by with a novel item (or sometimes things they have already seen) and they can be quite dramatic. They end up blowing at us and we get a face full of air and spit."
Bonus fact: This blowing behavior was captured and is now used for a few behaviors, including and playing the harmonica! His Care team believes he holds a tune a bit better than any of them ever could.
Randhir arrived here first and won everyone over very quickly with his antics. Heiderose worked her way into everyone’s hearts as well with her no-nonsense attitude. They make the perfect sloth bear pair.

The dynamic duo of Heiderose and Randhir at the Columbus Zoo embodies the charm and resilience of sloth bears, captivating visitors and keepers alike with their unique personalities and endearing behaviors. From Heiderose's determined spirit to Randhir's playful antics and love for exploration, their bond and individual quirks make them unforgettable ambassadors for their species, leaving indelible memories for all who encounter them at the Zoo.