It’s hard to narrow down the cutest of the animals at Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek, but here we give it a try: 

 

LINNE’S TWO-TOED SLOTH 

The zoo received a surprise this winter when Thea and Chip had a baby! Born March 2, this little bundle of joy can be found hanging from mom in the sloth habitat at the Conservation Discovery Center. There will be a fundraiser to help find a new name. It takes 3-4 years for baby sloths to grow up. Sloths live in South America. They may move slow in the trees, but did you know Linne’s two-toed sloths are good swimmers? 

 

ALDABRA GIANT TORTOISE 

The oldest zoo resident is Al, the Aldabra giant tortoise. He’s been at the zoo since 1984 and they estimate his age to be around 80. They aren’t kidding around about the “giant” part. Al is 550 pounds. Don’t let the shell fool you — Al isn’t one to hide. The sociable reptile isn’t fast, but he likes bananas and getting neck scratches from zookeepers. Weird fact: giant tortoises can drink water through their nostrils.  

 

CHINESE RED PANDA  

With their fuzzy faces, fluffy tails and cute whiskery noses, the Chinese red pandas looks like a plush toy come to life. They love to sleep in trees, so you’ll usually find Garnet and Justin hanging out on the branches in the exhibit at Binder Park Zoo. How to tell the two apart? Garnet has a whiter face, while Justin has a little bit of a crooked tail. Red pandas are awake at dawn and dusk in the wild.   

 

RETICULATED GIRAFFE  

Bring some extra cash to buy lettuce and then lean over the rail to entice the tower of giraffes over for a snack (a group of giraffes is called a “tower,” according to National Geographic Kids). The youngest giraffe is Kijana, who was born on May 23, 2017. She was six feet tall when she was born, but you’ll easily spot her because she’s still the smallest giraffe on the savannah. Zookeepers waited a long time to watch Kijana be born — giraffe pregnancy lasts 15 months — but mom Makena wanted some privacy. Everyone was surprised one morning to find Kijana had arrived and was doing well. Kijana’s best friend is her older brother, Hulka, who was born in 2014.   

 

CHEETAH  

The three elegant cheetahs at Binder Park Zoo are sisters: Katie, Madison and Mohini. Early in the morning is the best time to see them. They like to start the day by pacing close to the boardwalk, trying to figure out how to get a zebra breakfast. When that doesn’t work, they get a little exercise by stalking each other and running along the edge of their habitat. If it’s Sunday, they get a special treat of bones. After all of that activity, they like to nap. It can be difficult to spot them sleeping among the foliage because their distinctive spots are more than stylish — the pattern is great camouflage.   

 

SNOW LEOPARD  

Bhutan and Victoria, the snow leopards, have a lot in common with your cats at home. They like to jump and play and wrap themselves up with a long tail. But these leopards are much, much bigger than a house cat. Snow leopards range from 100 to 125 pounds. While his extra-thick fur and large paws make him look fluffy and cute, Bhutan is a lean, mean carnivore machine. So hugs are not recommended. Michigan winter doesn’t bother Victoria, who loves to play in the snow. Her wide feet allow her to walk across deep snowdrifts, like snowshoes. Snow leopards are endangered because of hunters who want their pelts. But no coat is as beautiful as a living snow leopard like Bhutan and Victoria.