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Historic Dental Surgery Saves Chester Zoo's Sloth, Rico!

4/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Rico, a 25-year-old two-toed sloth at Chester Zoo, made history as the first sloth to undergo groundbreaking dental surgery for toothache. The three-hour operation successfully removed infected tissue and sealed his tooth root. Now on the mend, Rico shows no signs of recurring abscesses, highlighting the ongoing conservation efforts to protect sloths from habitat loss.

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Story summary

Rico, a 25-year-old two-toed sloth at Chester Zoo, made history as the first sloth to undergo groundbreaking dental surgery for toothache. The three-hour operation successfully removed infected tissue and sealed his tooth root. Now on the mend, Rico shows no signs of recurring abscesses, highlighting the ongoing conservation efforts to protect sloths from habitat loss.