Bradypus variegatus - Three-fingered sloth and Choloepus

T
here is a special place on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. A
place where a plot of land gave light to a dream that one couple
had in the 1970’s. In 1991 a deadly earthquake destroyed the
riverboat and bird watching tours they had created. During
the rebuild they added a hotel and soon after their dreamed
morphed with the delivery of an injured sloth named
Buttercup. Little did Judy and Luis know that this little
three-fingered bundle would change the direction of the rest
of their lives.
It continued to grow and word got around about where to
take an injured sloth for rehabilitation. Serving both the
Bradypus variegatus - Three-fingered sloth and Choloepus
hoffmanni - Two-fingered sloth, this sanctuary has saved the lives that
would have been otherwise forgotten.
Spring / Summer 2014
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LIVE OUT LOUD – Philanthropy
By Danell Lynn
Can a journalist ask for a more
serendipitous moment than arriving at the
Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica with a sloth-in
a box-that needs rescuing?
To explain this I will have to go back, way
back, to a fifth grade science project. I was
that kid…in science club, recycling club,
Young Authors, and a track and field
athlete…but it was in science class where I
wrote my first report on the rainforest. It
was here that I fell in the love with the
gentle spirit of the sloth and learned of the
devastation that was occurring in their
natural habitat. Between the Jason Project,
Science Club, and the book Ferngully by
Diane Young, I became a lifelong lover of
the rainforest and the species it housed.
When most children’s favorite animal was a
dog, horse or guinea pig, I longed to one day
meet a sloth. It was my favorite animal for
more than 20 years before I marveled at
three-toed and two-toed sloth’s in the wild.
And at the Sloth Sanctuary a childhood
dream became a reality when I got to meet
Buttercup!
It was November and I had just spent 5
days at a yoga retreat in the southeastern
mountains. I had only planned this first leg
of my trip, everything else I wanted to let
the adventure guide me. I did have travel
Spring / Summer 2014
books
and had recently
read about a woman
named Judy and a life of dedication
to saving sloths. The day before departure
from the yoga retreat I called the Sanctuary
to see if they had any of their hotel rooms
available for tomorrow night. I was
honored that I spoke directly to Judy and
booked for the next day. At this time I had
seen a few sloths in the wild during my
hikes but none up close. I looked forward
to learning more about the work she and
her belated husband had begun over 20
years ago that has rescued over 500 sloths.
On my day of departure my truck to take
me out of the mountains and to my taxi was
late. Easy to stay patient in Costa Rica, so I
poured another cup of tea and sat in a
rocking chair overlooking the treetops and
down at the Caribbean. Quiet bliss, then
there was a blast charge and the power
went out, this happens sometimes so I
thought nothing of it, that is until the owner
came up to talk with the manager. Then I
am told, “looks like you are part of a plan,
you will share your taxi.” I wondered if he
would split the price with me…then half
way down the hill the owner jumped out at
an electrical pole and loaded sloth into a
box – this was my passenger. It was
amazing even in the pain of electrocution
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he looked to be smiling. I stared into the
box the entire ride to the Sanctuary and
once we arrived the taxi driver help load
my arms with my most precious piece of
cargo. I walked up the steps to check in and
ended up walking in a lunch and
Judy knew right away what the box meant.
They jumped up ushered me to a table to
set him down, I filled out the intake form
and then they took him away. Then I just
stood there for a moment, Judy said, “thank
you.” And I said, “ your welcome, um…I am
Danell we talked yesterday. I am actually a
guest staying at your hotel tonight.” We all
laughed, wow what an entrance.
Humanity has become the hardest part of
the sloth’s life and due to roads and
electrical lines many
will come to the
sloth recovery
shelter in pretty bad
shape. Through
rehabilitation,
research and
science the group
strives to promote
and foster
awareness of sloths
and educate of their
importance to
the Costa Rican
environment.
Within the
sanctuary
you can take
your pick of the
tour to best fit
your budget and
desire to learn.
The Insider’s Tour
will take you behind
the scenes into the sloth nursery and the
slothpital for $150. It includes the
“standard” tour but also goes to the
specialty shots of infants and incubator
babies. There are two times for this tour
and they are limited to only 6 people so if
you are considering it book early. The
other is aptly named The Buttercup Tour
providing you a
one-hour
canoe ride
where wild
sloths will
accompany
your travel. It
is also an
introduction to the
world of the sloths
through natural history and you
will get to meet some of the permanent
residence that could not be placed back into
the wild.
(-tip- if you would like to
possibly pet the sloth
during the tour
(depending on the
sloths moods that day)
but just in case do not
wear any sunscreen or
bug spray and you just
might get to rub a belly)
For more information
or to know how you can
help make a difference:
www.SlothSanctuary.com
June is Save the Sloth
Month, considering a
summer purchase, help
save these amazing
creatures.
Noteworthy – The Sloth
Santuary and B&B Hotel
are Motorcycle friendly and
welcome all 2-wheeled travelers.
And While there visiting-Judy
shared with me her new copy of
Dom Giles – Gone Riding that
has a section in the Costa Rica
chapter about this lovely place!
*important to note that due to the rescue that I brought in, journalism and my educational reach for the Sloth it was a special
situation. Before the passing of a possible new law in Costa Rica that prevents the holding of rescue animals. The picture is a
uniquely special moment that I truly thank Judy for and the timing before it is outlawed-it is not part of the tour nor do they allow
holding – this was a rare moment*