sloth rescue Archives - The Sloth Institute

Sloths ENdangered or IN Danger?

Sam Trull — Sun, 06 Nov 2016 20:14:35 +0000

In addition, underlying diseases and abilities to adjust to an ever changing world go un-detected without targeted research initiatives. There are active steps we can take towards creating a safer, healthier and happier future for wild sloths in Costa Rica. But first we need to learn, what makes a healthy sloth? What factors affect the health of individual sloths and sloth populations? In order to truly tackle these questions, we recently completed the build of Monster’s WiSH (Wild Sloth Health) lab.

A question I get asked often is “Are sloths endangered?”. While the sloths of Costa Rica may not be categorized as ENdangered, they are still very much IN danger. Every day critical habitat is destroyed and sloths are injured by human encroachment. They can’t run across roads, jump through gaps in the forest or fend off dogs. In addition, underlying diseases and abilities to adjust to an ever changing world go un-detected without targeted research initiatives. There are active steps we can take towards creating a safer, healthier and happier future for wild sloths in Costa Rica. But first we need to learn, what makes a healthy sloth? What factors affect the health of individual sloths and sloth populations? In order to truly tackle these questions, we recently completed the build of Monster’s WiSH (Wild Sloth Health) lab.

As a part of our research, we take various samples from the wild sloths that we are tracking so that we can monitor different health parameters to get an overall picture of the quality of life of certain sloth individuals and ultimately populations of sloths. Everything from weight, body measurements, feces, blood, hair, photos and more can be collected non-invasively to help us paint a clearer picture about baseline sloth health and what factors affect that baseline. With this lab space, we will be able to collect comprehensive knowledge about common sloth diseases in wild populations. We aim to not only investigate the baseline health of ‘normal’ sloth populations, but also correlate this information with habitat quality so that we can make recommendations on how to better develop human encroached areas to improve the health and quality of life for wild sloth populations in Costa Rica before it is too late. This lab is an instrumental part of our ever growing WiSH program providing our team a perfect environment to work, collect, store and analyze samples. In addition, this lab is a space where we can invite visiting researchers to collaborate on important conservation research that will save sloth lives.

We are so grateful to our incredible community of supporters that made Monster’s WiSH lab a dream come true to help us avoid sloths becoming endangered. We look forward to sharing our educational journey as we work every day to save the sloths that we all love.

– By Sam Trull

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Natures Miracle Sloth, Monster’s story continues….by Sam Trull

Sam Trull — Sun, 14 Feb 2016 17:36:24 +0000

After watching the latest episode of “Nature’s Miracle Orphans” on the BBC, you may be wondering “Where is Monster, natures miracle sloth now?”

I am so proud to tell you that Monster is in the process of being released! She is living inside of a large (6x6x6 Meter) soft release cage with her friend Piper. She has been living in this release cage for the past few months getting acclimated to the weather, smells, sounds and food that she will be eating once free. Next week she will be fitted with her very own VHF tracking collar which will ensure that my Sloth Institute research assistants will be able to find her any time of day or night.

Research staff spend hours every single day collecting wild leaves for Monster and Piper to eat so that they know what to eat once outside and free. In about a month the door to her release cage will be opened so she is free to come and go as she pleases. She will be monitored 24/7 by my research staff who will be recording her behaviors, postures, height in canopy, tree species, size of tree etc. Simultaneously we are also monitoring wild three toed sloths at the release site around Monster’s age…so we have comparison data to know if Monster is behaving and eating like a wild three toed sloth….or if she has room for improvement! The wild data is crucial to be able to evaluate Monster’s progress through the process of her soft release.

Her release is considered “soft” because she is gradually getting used to the wild environment while we are still providing food and shelter if she needs it. This allows her to more naturally find her way around her new forest home while she learns where to find food and shelter…something her mother would have taught her had she not been orphaned. Luckily, having been born in the wild, she is still equipped with many natural instincts which will aid her in finding food and shelter and also staying invisible to predators. But if she needs help…we will be there for her!

This entire release project is not only for Monster…we also have her friend Piper (another three toed sloth) and two two-toed sloths (Ellen and Kermie) who are pioneering our long term post-release monitoring project with hand-raised sloth orphans. Eventually these methods will be used to help all of the other orphaned sloths reintegrate back into the wild as well as sloths at other rescue centers around the country. Long term monitoring is essential in determining not only the success of the release but also to learn more about the natural ecology of sloths in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica and the problems they face because of habitat destruction and ultimately how we can prevent sloth babies from being orphaned in the future. The Sloth Institute was originally created to facilitate this dream release program and has now expanded into wild studies and educational programs to help teach the future generation how to save the forests for all wildlife, but especially sloths.

On a more personal note I am SO proud of Monster, natures amazing miracle sloth. She went from a tiny insecure 2 week old miracle orphan who cried herself to sleep, to a confident, 2 year old young sloth who loves nothing more than being high in the trees and searching for leaves to eat. She is gorgeous and she doesn’t need me anymore….which is one of the most bittersweet feelings….I miss the times we spent together in the nursery…but I am so grateful that she has made it this far and finally has that second chance to live a wild life that she so deserves. My dream for the past 2 years has been to see her released into the rainforest canopy. Now that her release is actually happening…my newest dream is to see her with her own baby one day…at that point I think I can actually exhale…knowing that my miracle baby girl has finally made it back home.

#slothlove #borntobewild

By Sam Trull

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“Sharing is Caring”….& meeting Moe the sloth at Cincinnati Zoo”

Sam Trull — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 14:59:41 +0000

Sharing is Caring” – one of the first behaviors you are taught as a small child in pre-school. While a very relevant and great life lesson, my hunch is that pre-school teachers nail this phrase to the board to avoid fights and snotty tear-stained cheeks…not so much for the underlying greater value.

But when you think about it, sharing really IS caring. Caring about something bigger than yourself. This past December I traveled to Cincinnati, Ohio to participate in something much bigger than myself. In an attempt to share what knowledge I have accumulated over the past two years, I presented about sloth rehabilitation during the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council (IWRC) Symposium. In addition to speaking, I was also privy to many amazing talks ranging from how to build a homemade incubator to how to hand-raise, release and post-release monitor bobcats. The amount of knowledge in that conference room was both exciting and inspiring. Meeting people from across the US, I know I have made some lasting connections and I look forward to continuing to work with and share knowledge with other IWRC members. The night of the banquet I was honored with the presentation of the “2014 Susan M. Fosco Scholarship” which provided me with much needed financial assistance to attend the conference. Being one of those people who, “never wins anything” I felt very honored to receive such a special scholarship. Being presented with a fancy plaque at the banquet was pretty fun too!

Also while in Cincinnati, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit the Cincinnati Zoo’s very own sloth, “Moe”. Moe is a female adult Choloepus didactylus; the South American two-fingered sloth species. In addition to visiting with Moe I was also invited to speak about Sloth Rehabilitation to Zoo staff and volunteers in a brown bag seminar the day before the IWRC conference began. The Cinncinati Zoo staff came to my talk with great questions and before I knew it I had been talking for almost an hour and a half! It’s hard getting me to shut up once I start talking about sloths! I spent the rest of the day chatting with Moe’s keepers and meeting other zoo animals. Two days later, I went back to the Zoo again and was able to witness some amazing operant conditioning sessions. Not only is the Cincinnati Zoo committed to taking exemplary care of the animals in their collection, but they have also committed a large part of their budget to helping in-situ conservation efforts as well. Zoo visitors learn about how they can help animals in the wild, making Cincinnati Zoo animals true ambassadors to their counterparts living in their natural environments.

My trip to Cincinnati was short, but impactful. Having the opportunity to not only share knowledge with others in the same field, but also to meet my first American sloth…I feel truly inspired and re-committed to sloth conservation. There are so many people all over the globe working with sloths and wanting to learn more about them and help them in their native forests. I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what is possible and what can be learned about sloths and to be able to bring this passion to others reminds me of what sharing is truly about. #slothlove

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Sloths on the BBC – Our international sloth stars

Sam Trull — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 02:42:01 +0000

After learning that the rescue center where I worked was chosen as the Costa Rican Rescue Center to be featured in the BBC series, “Natures Miracle Orphans”, Hannah, one of our returning volunteers, and I literally ran screaming from the wildlife center and jumped fully-clothed into the pool, pausing only to remove our phones from our pockets. Somehow this gesture seemed like a perfect way to express our pure excitement about this wonderful opportunity; plus, let’s face it, we were really hot and sweaty because we live in the jungle.

Read about BBC’s Nature’s Miracle Orphans Show airing mid-August.

With almost 8 weeks of filming, participating in this series was a huge time commitment. However, towards the end of it, I found myself wishing it wasn’t going to be over. It’s really difficult to put into words how much this experience meant to me and how life changing it has been in many ways. The film crew was exceptional, was always respectful of the animals, and was a lot of fun to be around. Each day was a new and interesting challenge trying to figure out the best way to tell the animal’s stories while making time to film real life events and emergencies as they happened. At first, the process felt a little awkward having strangers around when it would normally be just a few of us taking care of the animals. Eventually though, being followed around by the crew and cameras felt so natural that I started to forget how life was without them. Every intimate moment, whether sad, happy, or scary, became a moment I wanted to share and felt privileged to be able to do so. We welcomed the film crew as members of the family, and I truly felt invested in the final product of the show. I always felt like this was a project we were creating together and that it was a fabulous way to let the world know what we are doing here in our corner of the rainforest in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica.

There is no “average day” and taking care of rescued wildlife, especially orphans, is a 24 hour commitment. My life revolves around what the animals need and most days are filled with feeding and exercising babies, gathering wild foods, observations, medical exams, instructing volunteers and of course rescues and releases. The opportunity to share my passion with the world is rare and precious, and having the chance to invite a diverse audience to ride the same emotional roller coaster that I live on a daily basis is something I will always cherish. I just hope that this series provides the audience with a new perspective on wildlife rescue. It is my goal that we portray these animals not just as cute and cuddly creatures that exist solely for us to have and to hold, but instead that they are amazing creatures with wonderful stories of their own and that they all deserve another chance to be wild.

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I Love Sloths……Join me & Help me Get them back home

Sam Trull — Sun, 24 Aug 2014 01:41:33 +0000

I love sloths

When I wake up in the morning…I think about sloths. When I go to sleep at night…I think about sloths….and throughout the day when not directly working on another project; I am completely engrossed in thoughts about sloths. In fact, just this morning…I shot out of bed with another research idea about sloths and went directly to my computer to start typing. If I could remember my dreams better…I’m pretty sure I would find that I dream about sloths too.

No people, that is NOT an exaggeration.

I realize that this description of my innermost ideas, may sound crazy to some and at the very least unbalanced to others. However, I don’t care because I LOVE sloths! The rest of the world is going wild over sloths and a lot of people, who have never even met one, are throwing around the idea that they adore them. But, I can assure you that my love is pure and is based solely on doing everything I can to save them. They are NOT meant to be pets or to be possessed or owned or spend their days in tiny cages. They are meant to be free and living in the forest as they evolved to live. They should be free to smell the breeze, feel the sun and make their own decisions about their lives.

Sloths are incredibly charismatic animals. They are gentle (when not stressed), beautiful, adorable, unique, smart, playful and just plain cool. They are also particularly vulnerable to the threats that humans impose (roads, dogs, habitat fragmentation, hunting, pet trade) yet they have survived over the centuries because of some incredible evolutionary adaptations. However, these exact evolutionary adaptations are what make them so difficult to care for in captivity and our encroachment on their habitat has lead to their frequent appearance at rescue centers throughout Central and South America.

I met my first rescued sloth orphan exactly 541 days ago. Her name is Pelota and she is now the oldest member of “The Three Amigos”. As soon as I saw her, I fell in love. Clutched tightly to her teddy bear she was fast asleep (it was day time and two-toed sloths are nocturnal). Her caregiver at the time started explaining Pelota’s diet and routine and then she said something that lit a fire inside of me that has yet to be extinguished. “Sloths always die”. My heart sank and I felt sick to my stomach. How could that be? Why? Why do they die? Instead of feeling discouraged…I felt motivated. I wanted to know more…everything I could about sloths. I NEEDED to know more. That night, I went home and like a good 21st century researcher…I started googling. Downloading and reading every paper I could find about sloths I began to learn about their biology and behavioral needs which started to paint a picture of why they are so difficult to hand-raise and maintain in captivity. However, the more I learned the more I realized that the current scientific literature still leaves so many unanswered questions.

Being naturally inquisitive, these unanswered questions are what keep me up at night. I feel an intense obligation and responsibility to not only keep the sloths in my care alive, but for them to thrive and make it back home to the jungle. The thought of “my babies” living the rest of their lives behind the protective bars of a cage makes me nauseous. They deserve more. In order to give them what they deserve I need to learn as much as possible through scientific research as well as work with the numerous other places around the world who care for sloths. Any person who works to save and return sloths to the wild, is a friend of mine and I want to meet them, talk to them and figure out how we can work together to save as many sloths as possible.

A year and a half later, Pelota is thriving with her younger friends Kermie and Ellen and they are my first hand-raised sloth orphans gearing up for their big release. But the process of getting them to this point has been very time consuming and expensive. Even more expensive is studying this process and planning a post-release observational study. The three amigos will be the first hand-raised sloths that I release back to the wild, but they won’t be the last. It is important to learn from this process and use that knowledge to help future rescued sloths. The Sloth Institute was created to seek scientific answers to these burning questions and stop at nothing to give every orphaned or injured sloth the second chance they deserve to be wild.

The sloths that I care for need me. They need me to love them unselfishly and they need me to help them get back home. Are you willing to prove your love for sloths and join me?

Sam Trull
Director and Co-Founder

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