Rusty the Giant Sloth Faces Consequences for Posting COVID-19 Misinformation on Facebook

Beloved mascot of the Natural History Museum located in Macbride Hall, Rusty the Giant Sloth, used his social media platform to spread misleading and incorrect information about the COVID-19 pandemic. On a post from Tuesday night, the sloth claimed that the disease is “not that bad”, a “liberal hoax”, and that “you are more likely to be frozen in a glacier than to get seriously ill from the virus.”

“We are tremendously concerned with Rusty’s behavior,” said museum employee Emma Hopkins. “At first we didn’t see the harm with him watching Tucker Carlson every once in a while, and we figured it was none of our business when he got really into flat earth. But this is a public health matter, and we are taking it seriously.”

According to Hopkins, the museum has begun monitoring Rusty’s screen time more closely and using parental control features to block Fox News.

Some students have been vocal with their opposition to Rusty’s posts. “Just because he’s gone through an extinction event doesn’t mean the rest of us should have to,” said junior Leslie Johnson. “He’ll be sorry when the stuffed zebras start coughing,” she added.