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Location

The location of the Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica is important to note due to the high rates of orphaned sloths in danger. The sanctuary was opened after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Limón, Costa Rica (Sloth Sanctuary About Us 2). This left forests demolished and sloths either dead, or without a habitat. The location of the sanctuary has been a popular spot for sloths to encounter danger as there is an influx of deforestation. Sloths are left without homes and vulnerable to machine injury due to the deforestation tactics in close proximity (World Wildlife Foundation Sloth: Threats 1). Sloths move very slowly so their defense tactics are not in line with that of a feline (LiveScience Sloths: The World’s Slowest Animals 1). Sloths live over 30 years and only slowly descend to the ground once a week, therefore, they cannot move away quickly from the danger of impending deforestation (LiveScience Why Sloths Leave the Trees to Poop 1).

Why is there a need?

Sloths are an endangered species. With deforestation rates extremely high, Sloths are without homes, therefore are susceptible to human interference like getting hit by a car or even stolen to be domesticated by humans. Deforestation is directly related to climate change. Climate change is a result of deforestation, but it also affects the inner-workings of the animals that inhabit these forests. As temperatures rise, the sloth’s metabolic rate decreases and causes the body to enter into a hibernation rate. As hibernation rate goes into effect, the sloth cannot digest their food or move at a rate as fast as they could outside of hibernation. Hibernation causes the sloth to perform at a rate that is not sustainable to avoid predators, or find food to survive (NCBI The Metabolic Response of the Bradypus Sloth to Temperature 1). Over 200 sloths are currently living in the Sanctuary in Costa Rica (CNN Saving Sloths in Costa Rica 2). The sloths that inhabit the sanctuary are usually healing from injury or without a mother. A sloth without its mother cannot live long, especially since predators in the Costa Rican rainforest are abundant. A baby sloth needs its mother for nearly six weeks before it can let go of its mother’s body (LiveScience Sloths: The World’s Slowest Animals 1). The sanctuary was opened in 1992 with Buttercup as the first inhabitant, when she was found without a mother and malnourished. She was orphaned after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Limón, Costa Rica (AGU 100 Tectonics 1).

Notable Sloths

Buttercup is the 27 year-old Bradypus three toed sloth that was rescued. She is now the official ambassador of the sanctuary and is the main tourist attraction which provides revenue. Buttercup was found in 1992 after an earthquake and was orphaned. She was a baby so she was essentially raised in captivity and could not be released back into the wild. She is a permanent resident of the sanctuary due to her ailments (Costa Rica Experts Meet Buttercup the Sloth 4). There are a few others who are also permanent residents, however, if there are no ailments that would hinder survival, the sloths are set back into the wild. The sanctuary has helped over 500 sloths on the registered biological reserve since 1997 (Sloth Sanctuary About Us 2). The sloths are set free after they are rehabilitated which is the ultimate goal of the sanctuary.