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Reggie the sloth is Dudley Zoo's most popular animal

Reggie the sloth has been named the most popular animal of 2019 at Dudley Zoo and Castle.

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Reggie the sloth took the top spot

Since arriving at the attraction last summer, the four-year-old Linne's two-toed sloth, has quickly secured lots of fans and was the zoo's most adopted animal over the festive period.

Reggie has settled in well to his new purpose-built enclosure and has now been joined by Goeldi monkeys, Francisco and Santiago.

He has found a favourite nesting box near the rear of his indoor den, where he can be spotted most days – but a digital screen on the outside wall is playing an eight-minute looped film of Reggie moving around his enclosure and tucking into some of his favourite foods.

Louise Curtis, Dudley Zoo and Castle marketing assistant, said: "Reggie has been an extremely popular addition to our collection and we sent out more Christmas gift adoptions for him than any other animal on site, as he toppled our usual fan favourite, Kubwa the giraffe, from the top spot.”

Kubwa the giraffe

Another new arrival, Tommy the Arctic Fox, who joined the attraction with his three brothers in October, was also a hug hit with end of year adopters. The brothers arrived at Dudley Zoo from Highland Wildlife Park, in Scotland, in October – making it the first time the attraction had Arctic Foxes in at least three decades.

Tommy the Arctic Fox

Keepers named the brothers after some of the region's most popular fictional characters from BBC's Peaky Blinders – Tommy, Arthur, John and Finn.

Another popular animal for 2019 was 28-year-old Bornean orangutan Jazz.

Jazz the Bornean orangutan

Ms Curtis added: "Funds raised from our adoption packages support our ongoing conservation programmes, so we are very grateful to the visitors who help us through their purchases.”

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