Virginia Aquarium temporary exhibit will feature new animals, including a sloth

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center announced a new, temporary exhibit featuring new animals, including a two-toed sloth.

"Survival of the Slowest" is set to open to the public on October 5. The aquarium says the exhibit will feature animals that have adapted to their environments despite being "small, slow and weak."

In addition to the sloth, the exhibit will feature tortoises, hedgehogs, a tarantula and more.

The aquarium said that some of the unique evolutionary traits that guests will learn include camouflage in tortoises, nocturnal adaptations of sloths and "sit-and-wait" tactics of snakes.

Virginia Aquarium members will get a sneak peek of the exhibit at a private opening on October 4.

The exhibit will run until January 4, 2026, the aquarium said. The exhibit will be presented by Little Ray's Exhibitions, which is the largest exotic animal rescue organization in Canada.