VALDOSTA — It’s his day, and Oscar is here to remind the world to slow down. 

Friday, Oct. 20 is International Sloth Day, and Wild Adventures Theme Park observes the date with Oscar the Two-Toed Sloth.

Oscar has called Wild Adventures home for most of his seven years of life, arriving when he was only 6-months old. According to a sloth’s typical life-expectancy, he will have another 30 years of enjoying peanuts, hanging-upside down and taking long naps at the park. 

Sloths rarely leave their trees, typically only descending from the base of trees once a week, according to Wild Adventures. Sloths are among the slowest creatures in the world and come in six different species: four species of three-toed sloths and two species of two-toed sloths. 

Observing International Sloth Day increases awareness for sloth conservation.

“Sloths, like many of the animals our guests interact with at Wild Adventures, face significant challenges in their native lands,” said Adam Floyd, Wild Adventures public relations manager. “International Sloth Day gives us an opportunity to educate guests about these adorable, slow-moving creatures and support efforts to help them.”

International Sloth Day was created by the Aiunau Foundation, a group that raises funds and operates rehabilitation centers in Columbia that rescue sloths from poachers.

Wild Adventures will accept donations to the Aiunau Foundation Friday through Sunday, Oct. 20-22, via a donation box by Oscar’s exhibit, which is near the entrance of the park. 

Wild Adventures is located at 3766 Old Clyattville Road. 

Terror in the Wild, Fridays and Saturdays, and Kid-O-Ween, Saturdays until 6 p.m. and all day Sundays, continue through October. 

For more information, visit wildadventures.com. 

Kimberly Cannon is a Reporter with The Valdosta Daily Times. Her extension is 1376.