Sam Trull Archives - The Sloth Institute

The Sloth Institute featured in La Republica!

Sam Trull — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 09:07:15 +0000

Dolly arrived with injuries from an electrocution when climbing on the cables.

Dolly, a lazy two-fingered sloth, attends every week to an acupuncture appointment where they play spa music and she gets to eat her favorite leaves during the treatment.

After six weeks of somewhat unusual therapy, she is recovering movement of her arm, but her hand still needs a bit more help.

“We are seeing progress, and as long as we want to continue, and Dolly is willing to do so too, the specialist said she will continue to donate her time,” said Sam Trull, the co-founder of the Sloth Institute in Manuel Antonio.

Dolly was discovered with large burns on her body after an electrocution with a transformer, but the damage to her arm was not as deep as in other similar cases.

“Basically the options were to amputate a healthy arm, or find a way for the arm to fully function again,” said Trull, who also cares for sloths abandoned by their mothers or injured by dogs.

In about six months, the animal could be released back into the wild if she responds to the acupuncture treatment recommended by Constant Boshoff of the Rafiki center.

Although acupuncture treatments are relatively new with wild animals, it has already been successful in helping a Congo monkey recover from partial paralysis in the Animal Rescue Zooave.

The original article can be found here.

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“Finding Freedom” – A Sloth Conservation Comic

Sam Trull — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 01:37:04 +0000

“Finding Freedom” is a brand new sloth conservation comic based on true stories from the Sloth Institute!

This is a collaboration project between TSI’s leader Sam Trull and cartoonist Vivian Nguyen.

You can start following the new comic on Instagram by following @findingfreedom_aslothstory and catch up on all the adventures!

Chapter 1 - "Slow Searching"

Chapter 2 - "Eat & Greet"

Stay tuned for more!

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Sloth Making His Way Across A Canopy Gap

Sam Trull — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 18:25:05 +0000

Have you ever seen a sloth travel between trees? Now you can! Our amazing leader Sam Trull captured this amazing video of a three-fingered male getting himself across a canopy gap in the jungle. Wow!

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Make a Difference, TSI’s Elementary School Sloth Challenge kickoff begins!

Sam Trull — Mon, 03 Oct 2016 02:10:29 +0000

Jane Goodall says, “What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make”. Teachers of the world make a difference each and every day by inspiring our young. One of our three missions at The Sloth Institute Costa Rica is Education; through education we hope to assure the well-being of sloths not only here in Costa Rica but on this planet. And by helping the sloth, we help preserve trees and the forest; for without a tree or the forest, not only would sloths become endangered but so will many other species of animals.

We are thrilled to have so many teachers signed up to participate in our 2016 Elementary School Sloth Challenge when we celebrate International Sloth Day the entire month of October. Inspired by Ms. Yang’s 1st grade class at West Point Elementary, The Sloth Institute through the many teachers who have signed up to participate, hopes to help inspire and educate young children about wildlife conservation. By educating our young about the importance of conservation of wildlife and the forests, we help ensure that our planet will be preserved in the future. Help us celebrate by sharing this with all the teachers you know. Teachers who have signed up will be receiving Sloth/Wildlife Information (Sloth Facts, How to be a Responsible Sloth Tourist, Why Taking Sloth Selfies is not a Good Idea and Why it’s Important not to Support the Pet Trade) throughout the month to share with their classrooms. You can still sign up as late as 5pm PST on October 3rd.

Here is the schedule for the month:

Week 1 Lesson:
Sloth Facts; Activity: Sloth Coloring Page or an activity of the teachers choosing

Week 2 Lesson:
Being a Responsible Sloth/Wildlife Tourist; Activity: The Pledge (stay tuned for more information on The Pledge!)

Week 3 Lesson:
Why Taking Sloth (or any other wildlife) Selfies is not a Good Idea; Activity: Discuss ideas on how to enjoy the wildlife without disturbing them

Week 4 Lesson:
Why the Pet Trade is So Bad; Activity: Come up with an anti-pet trade slogan and drawing (this can be submitted for a chance to win a 15 minute Skype session with Sam).

Thank you for your support and for teaching our young ones. And don’t forget, make a difference! #slothlove

Illustration by Autumn Ashley

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We WiSH for a Better World for Sloths!

Sam Trull — Fri, 16 Sep 2016 02:11:50 +0000

Here at The Sloth Institute, we work tirelessly every day to make positive differences in the lives of the sloths of Costa Rica. From helping orphaned and injured sloths get a second chance at a life back in the wild, to conducting in-depth scientific studies that teach us things like what sloths eat, how they navigate a complex environment, and what diseases they most frequently acquire. To help us accomplish these goals we are building a Wild Sloth Health (WiSH) lab where we can efficiently collect and analyze samples and evaluate the many hours of behavioral data that we collect every day.

The WiSH lab is not only needed to complete our investigations but it also represents our hopes, dreams and wishes for the sloths that we work with every day. We WISH for a world where all sloths can be happy, healthy and free. But without your help we can’t make this happen, so now we want to know: What do you WISH for sloths?

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Elementary School Sloth Challenge 2016

Sam Trull — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 12:04:48 +0000

CALLING ON ALL YOU AMAZING TEACHERS/ADMINISTRATORS/COUNSELORS!

A fun and interactive way to inspire kindness to animals and the environment

The Sloth Institute (TSI) is excited to announce our celebration of International Sloth month this October with our 2nd annual Elementary School Sloth Challenge. Last year’s campaign was quite special and the teachers who participated expressed that it was a very special experience for the kids.

Throughout the month of October there were weekly lessons and activities that taught students all about sloths, meanwhile inspiring kindness to animals and the environment.

Lessons included:

Sloth Facts
How to be a Responsible Sloth Tourist
Why it’s Important Not to Support the Pet Trade

We will share some fun ideas for an activity (such as a sloth coloring page which we will provide) and a few other fun things! Students are then encouraged to come up with an anti-pet trade campaign to submit by October 31st. The winning campaign will receive a 15 minute Skype call with the Co-Founder and Sloth Director of TSI, as well as author of Slothlove, Sam Trull, featuring some special appearances by our sloths!

Here is what Ms. Yang, the teacher of last year’s winning class, had to say about the experience:

“Today was such an amazing and educational experience! My students were so happy, they said it was the best day of their lives!”

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The Sloth Institute and Toucan Rescue Ranch Partner to Help Orphan Sloths

Sam Trull — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 01:16:46 +0000

Collaboration focuses on releasing hand-raised orphaned sloths back into the rainforest

June 13, 2016: (Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica)

The Sloth Institute (TSI), located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica announces its collaboration with Toucan Rescue Ranch (TRR) to begin a Sloth Release and Education Program at TRR to enhance its Sloth Release and Education Program. TRR’s release site is located in Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, which is one-hour from their rescue center. This release site has 40 acres of rainforest where 16 sloths have already been released by TRR. TSI is excited to further this release program with the release of hand-raised orphaned sloths.

The collaboration, in alignment with TSI’s mission of the conservation and well-being of sloths, focuses on a 3-part release plan of hand-raised orphaned sloths back into the rainforest.

We are very excited to be able to share what factors we have learned and are learning that contribute to hand-raised orphaned sloths successful re-entry into the rainforest”, said Sam Trull, co-founder and Sloth Director at TSI. “The sloths at TRR will begin their journey into TSI’s Soft-Release Program. Fitted with tracking collars, the sloths will be tracked around the clock to collect behavioral data, locational data and health status information; critical for the replication for other orphans to have a chance at going back home to the rainforest”.

“Our hope with this collaboration is to better learn how to prepare orphaned sloths brought to our center for eventual re-entry into the rainforest” said Leslie Howle, Founder/Owner of TRR. “There is a critical need to give these orphaned sloths a second chance at life and with The Sloth Institute’s assistance we are so excited to be a part of the sloths journey back to the jungle where they belong.”.

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A sloth tries on her tracking collar for the first time which allows researchers to find her in the rainforestTrull, who spent more than a decade working with primates, began her study of sloths three years ago. “Sloths are not a primate species but are very similar and endearing because of their human like qualities and are in danger”, said Trull. Howle who has spent over 12-years working with Costa Rican wildlife and nine-years with sloths, is excited to enhance their release site and see sloths off into their journey to be wild. Trull and Howle have been sharing sloth information for the past two years.

About The Sloth Institute of Costa Rica

The mission of The Sloth Institute Costa Rica is to enhance the well-being and conservation of wild and captive sloths through research and education. TSI is also dedicated to collaborating with sloth rehabilitation programs to assist with the release of hand-raised orphaned sloths. TSI is located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. For further information or to donate to this project, email info@theslothinstitute.org.

About Toucan Rescue Ranch

The Toucan Rescue Ranch (TRR) was established in 2004 by Leslie Howle and Jorge Murillo as a rescue center for toucans and other birds. TRR quickly expanded to owls as well. In 2007, a baby sloth, Millie, arrived and was solely in Leslie and Jorge’s care. Millie is initially what transformed the Toucan Rescue Ranch into to a wildlife rescue center. TRR focuses on the rescue, rehabilitation, research and release of Costa Rican wildlife. We provide care for confiscated, sick and injured animals. For further information, or to donate to this project, email info@toucanrescueranch.org or visit www.toucanrescueranch.org.

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Ellen and Kermie: Update from the field

Sam Trull — Thu, 21 Apr 2016 04:07:34 +0000

It’s always fun getting updates from my research team in the field these days. One person per sloth tracking them through the jungle every night. What are Ellen and Kermie up to?!? Ellen almost never comes back to the release cage anymore. She prefers being in the jungle. She spends her entire night climbing, foraging and interacting with other wild sloths. Just before dawn, usually around 3-4am she heads to one of her preferred sleeping spots (often at the top of a palm tree) and disappears into the tree…making her extremely hard or almost impossible to spot by anyone that may pass by.

Kermie has been using the cage much more…going out every night as soon as possible and then eventually coming back to go to bed. But finally this past week he spent almost an entire week outside! First he chose an ok sleeping spot in the nook of a tree about 5 meters high….I was a little concerned because it wasn’t very high and he wasn’t as well hidden as he should be. But amazingly the next day…after a night of exploration…he chose an amazing sleeping spot twice as high and completely hidden in the canopy of a water apple tree! That was definitely one of my proudest moments for Kermie. He really is learning out there. After about a week of sleeping in that spot and hanging out in that area he made his way all the way back to the cage and chose his old familiar sleeping bag for a night.

This gradual process of helping Ellen and Kermie figure out how to live in the wild…is going so well so far! None of this would be possible without our amazing supporters! Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for helping Ellen, Kermie and all the other sloths who will be next…live the life they were meant to live. In the jungle!!!

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Sloth Institute director Sam Trull to present “For the Love of Sloths” Thurs, April 21, 7 pm

Sam Trull — Wed, 13 Apr 2016 18:43:03 +0000

Presentation followed by book sale and signing of Trull’s “Slothlove,” plus Living Conservatory tour

In recent years the world has fallen in love with sloths. Their sleepy rise to fame has led to appearances in children’s movies, on t-shirts and on social media, but one woman in particular knows all too well how special they are. Sam Trull, director of the Sloth Institute in Costa Rica, will give a free presentation entitled “For the Love of Sloths” in the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences’ WRAL 3D Theater, Thursday, April 21, 7 p.m. The talk will be followed by the sale and signing of Trull’s new book, “Slothlove,”and a late-night stroll through the Museum’s Living Conservatory, home of the Museum’s own popular sloth.

In her talk, Trull will share how her world changed forever when she gave up her comfortable life in the United States for the wilds of Costa Rica and how after almost 20 years of working with animals, sloths captured her heart. “Slothlove” is a stunning 100-page art-and-photography book that takes us on an inspiring and intimate visual journey into the world of sloths and features photos taken by the author. Woven between the images are unforgettable stories of heartbreak and survival, as well as interesting facts about these intelligent, elusive and beautiful creatures.

Immediately following the talk and brief Q & A, the audience will be invited to take a walk through the Museum’s Living Conservatory (4th floor), where a two-toed sloth has lived for the past 15 years. During the day, the sloth stays tucked in his enclosure at the top of a tree inside the Living Conservatory, but the likelihood of seeing him is higher from 8 to 9 p.m. Copies of “Slothlove”will be for sale in the Acro Café, adjacent to the Living Conservatory, during the same time. Trull will also be on hand to answer questions and sign copies.

About the Author

After receiving her B.S. in zoology from North Carolina State University, Trull went on to earn a Master’s in primate conservation from Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom. Over the last three years, she has logged more than 15,000 hours working with sloths and has become dedicated to their survival and conservation. In August 2014, Trull co-founded the Sloth Institute Costa Rica, with a vision of enhancing the welfare and conservation of sloths through research and education. In addition to her conservation efforts, Trull has practiced photography since 2010. Her photos have been published by BBC One, BBC Earth, The Washington Post, Good Morning America, The Huffington Post, The Tico Times, La Nación (Costa Rica), Indy Week, Our State Magazine and others. Trull and the sloths were featured in an episode of the BBC One series “Nature’s Miracle Orphans,” which aired on PBS stations around the United States.

About the Museum

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences (11 W. Jones St. and 121 W. Jones St.) in downtown Raleigh, is the state’s most visited cultural attraction. It is an active research institution that engages visitors of every age and stage of learning in the wonders of science and the natural world, drawing them into the intriguing fields of study that are critical to the future of North Carolina.

Hours: Mon.- Sat., 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sun., noon-5 p.m.

Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the Web at www.naturalsciences.org.

Emlyn Koster, PhD, Director; Susan Kluttz, Secretary, N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources; Pat McCrory, Governor.

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