Denver Zoo's Wookie The Sloth Celebrates 2nd Birthday

Wookie the sloth celebrated his second birthday at the Denver Zoo on Sunday, April 11, according to a Facebook post from the zoo.

Wookie is the zoo's youngest sloth.

"Happy birthday Wookiee! From itty bitty unnamed sloth, to a full grown Animal Ambassador, it’s amazing how much sloths grow in just two years," read the post. "In fact, Wookiee has been considered an adult sloth for a whole year now, and weighs in at nearly 15 lbs!"

Wookie, who is a Linne's two-toed sloth, was born on April 11, 2019. His mother Charlotte Greenie and her mate Elliot also gave birth to his older sister, Baby Ruth, in January 2018, reports 9NEWS.

The sloth received his iconic name in a contest in anticipation of his birth in 2019. A donation of at least $1 was required to vote on his name. People had a choice of Lando, Wookie, and Kylo.

The zoo told 9NEWS they raised over $10,000 for conservation through the contest.

Angie Mayhew, the widow of Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca in Star Wars, joined the Denver Zoo in announcing the name in a YouTube video.

Linne's two-toed sloths are found in rainforests in South America primarily in Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil.

Photo: Getty Images