A Cincinnati couple rescued a baby sloth in Costa Rica following a huge storm earlier this week.
Dirk Morgan and his wife own a lodge in Costa Rica. A panicked guest told them about a baby sloth trapped in between two rocks on the beach, and Morgan jumped into action. It appeared that the sloth was blown onto the beach during the storm.
“The sun had only been up for about an hour after a stormy night and high tide. We ran down to find it before it died and scared off a couple of dogs who were about to run up on it.
It appeared the adorable two-toed sloth had survived high tide, a huge storm, and some threatening dogs. He might be tiny, but the little guys a survivor. As soon as he saw his rescuers approaching, the sloth started crying out. The Morgan’s took the sloth, washed the salt water and sand from its eyes and gave him a cozy cardboard box. Once he was clean and dry, the sloth was much happier.
Since there were no adult sloths in sight, the couple brought the baby to a local animal rescue called Tranquility.
Two-toed sloths are shy and nocturnal creatures who spend most of their lives upside-down. While this little guy needed human intervention in a big way, it’s usually best to leave them alone. They don’t naturally interact with humans and can find the experience stressful. Read here for more information on how wildlife selfies (including sloths) are harmful to the animals.