HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — “This exhibit is called Under the Canopy, it’s about the rainforest and the animals in it,” said Alex Leclerc of Little Ray’s Exhibitions, behind the traveling show is making a stop at the Connecticut Science Center. “We have a monitor lizard that’s very active we have tortoises too that people love watching, they’re active, they love to move around.”

There’s also giant toads, iguanas and snakes!

But the main attraction is a two-toed sloth called Romeo, an animal born into human care that can’t be released in the wild.

“I think what people really relate to is how slow and kind of lazy they seem to be,” Leclerc said. “They live their life pretty easily, they don’t go too far.”

A special ticket gets guests a special VIP encounter. It’s 30 minutes inside the habitat, where it’s warm and humid.

We feed the food-motivated and curious creature a salad of fresh vegetables which he gobbles-up.

We give his coat a pat, a perk that depends on his mood.

“It’s kind of light,” Leclerc said. “Recently, someone said it felt like a beard!”

Up-close, we can see the long amazing claws and pads that allow him to hang and creep around his branches.

“Their slowness, their laziness is an adaptation,” Leclerc said. “By being slow it helps them conserve energy and by staying still and not really moving and sleeping all day, it helps conceal them from potential predators.”

“There’s an animal for everyone to find interesting,” said Katelyn Rutty of the Connecticut Science Center which will be open extra hours the next two weeks to accommodate families during spring vacation. “Some educators will be on the floor doing activities and special things for the kids, as well.”

It’s an eye-opening outing, spending time with an animal we don’t have the chance to see very often.

“It’s a pretty good opportunity to come and see one up-close, see how they live and see what kind of animals they are,” Leclerc said.

Under the Canopy will be at the Connecticut Science Center through September 3rd.  VIP encounter slots are filling-up fast!

Click here for more information.