Sponsor a sloth in our Sanctuary OR REHAB!
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You can help give a better life to the unreleasable sloths in our Sanctuary...
and a better chance of healthy recovery & release to our rescued sloths in our Nursery, Clinic, or Rehabilitation Center! Babies and juvenile sloths are one of the most frequent of animal species we receive at the wildlife clinic. Electrocutions and getting run over by cars are some of the most common reasons that they need to be rescued. The current rehab cages need to be expanded, so that they are sufficiently large & natural enough to provide the very best learning environment. A weaned orphaned sloth needs a chance to grow into an independent sloth before facing the dangers of the wild on their own. The small rehab cages were designed for short-term residents, (wild adult animals brought in as a result of electrocutions, dog attacks, etc.) not for long-term 'patients' like orphaned sloths. For 3-fingered sloths, they can take about 1 year to grow up... and for 2-fingered sloths, they can take up to 2 years to be ready for independence! Our last pre-release stage 'open' enclosure, ("bootcamp") is huge and natural, but it still needs improvement & maintenance to truly simulate a well-forested environment where they can practice climbing through more kinds of trees. Then the Big Release! Which involves a GPS tracking program, and all the resources needed to make sure the sloths are on the way to a successful life, wild and free! |
Sponsor a sloth
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Raising the FIRST 3 Orphans IN OUR PROGRAM
Pelota, Ellen, and Kermie. Three of the cutest, sweetest, and most special two-toed sloths you will ever meet. Their story is one that we know is making scientific history and providing vast amounts of knowledge about sloth behavior that hadn’t existed earlier.
What makes these three so incredibly special and unique is that they were brought to KSTR as orphans and were successfully hand raised by an amazing group of volunteers led by the “sloth mama”.
Pelota, the oldest of the three, was brought in at around 3 months as was Ellen. Each weighed approximately 600 grams or 21 ounces, a little over a pound! Little Kermie, was brought in as a newborn barely weighing ½ pound. Through great care, KSTR simulated a safe and healthy environment, one that included plenty of climbing structures, yummy sloth food and lots of comfort for the orphans; the three not only flourished but became inseparable.
What makes these three so incredibly special and unique is that they were brought to KSTR as orphans and were successfully hand raised by an amazing group of volunteers led by the “sloth mama”.
Pelota, the oldest of the three, was brought in at around 3 months as was Ellen. Each weighed approximately 600 grams or 21 ounces, a little over a pound! Little Kermie, was brought in as a newborn barely weighing ½ pound. Through great care, KSTR simulated a safe and healthy environment, one that included plenty of climbing structures, yummy sloth food and lots of comfort for the orphans; the three not only flourished but became inseparable.
Ellen, Kermie and Pelota hanging together at the KSTR Rescue Center
All three of these orphans found their way to KSTR having been orphaned and abandoned by each of their mothers near Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, home to many sloths. It is unclear why this may have happened, oftentimes mothers are attacked by a predator or have been electrocuted and the babies are left to die (baby sloths, much like human babies, are totally dependent on their mothers for their survival).
Two-fingered sloths typically spend up to two years with their mothers learning how to be wild. Three-fingered sloths spend between 6 months and 1 year with their mothers learning to be wild. This time allows for the young to gain weight to stay warm, to learn how to find good shelter, what to eat, how to climb and to learn about predator avoidance.
Eventually the baby sloth residence, was no longer a viable residence option for the growing threesome. And with hopeful plans in play for their eventual release, the day came when the three needed to “spread their wings”. They were placed outdoors, starting with a few supervised hours at a time, in a rehab cage, outfitted with branches and sloth hammocks to begin their transition, until eventually they were able to spend all of the day and night alone but together.
Taking them for walks in the jungle is not enough practice at this stage in their life - and it’s not practical with nocturnal animals that are already learning to be independent (two-fingered sloths are very active at night!).
This is the process we have continued with so many sloths who have come after these 3 - and what led to the development of the "Bootcamp" pre-release area!
Two-fingered sloths typically spend up to two years with their mothers learning how to be wild. Three-fingered sloths spend between 6 months and 1 year with their mothers learning to be wild. This time allows for the young to gain weight to stay warm, to learn how to find good shelter, what to eat, how to climb and to learn about predator avoidance.
Eventually the baby sloth residence, was no longer a viable residence option for the growing threesome. And with hopeful plans in play for their eventual release, the day came when the three needed to “spread their wings”. They were placed outdoors, starting with a few supervised hours at a time, in a rehab cage, outfitted with branches and sloth hammocks to begin their transition, until eventually they were able to spend all of the day and night alone but together.
Taking them for walks in the jungle is not enough practice at this stage in their life - and it’s not practical with nocturnal animals that are already learning to be independent (two-fingered sloths are very active at night!).
This is the process we have continued with so many sloths who have come after these 3 - and what led to the development of the "Bootcamp" pre-release area!
Ellen, Kermie and Pelota
The Boot Camp Enclosure
This is our last stage to helping the sloths on the road to release (which was dubbed "bootcamp").
Not only do the sloths benefit from this pre-release area (about the size of a football field), but other animals can also practice here such as orphaned anteaters, birds, porcupines, and adult sloths that need some climbing practice before their return to their habitat.
It is a huge and natural open space, and KSTR is immensely grateful for the volunteers & donors who helped build it...
but we still have a lot of improvements to make to truly simulate a well-forested environment where they can practice climbing through more kinds of trees.
And LEADING UP to the bootcamp stage, we really need to improve the enclosures we can offer the young juvenile sloths who still need to wear their 'training wheels'!
The current rehab cages need to be expanded, so that they are sufficiently large & natural enough to provide the very best learning environment. They were designed for injured wild adult animals that just need a chance to recuperate before being set free, rather than SLLLLLOOOOOOOWWWWW slothy babies and juveniles that need a long time to develop into confident young adults.
Not only do the sloths benefit from this pre-release area (about the size of a football field), but other animals can also practice here such as orphaned anteaters, birds, porcupines, and adult sloths that need some climbing practice before their return to their habitat.
It is a huge and natural open space, and KSTR is immensely grateful for the volunteers & donors who helped build it...
but we still have a lot of improvements to make to truly simulate a well-forested environment where they can practice climbing through more kinds of trees.
And LEADING UP to the bootcamp stage, we really need to improve the enclosures we can offer the young juvenile sloths who still need to wear their 'training wheels'!
The current rehab cages need to be expanded, so that they are sufficiently large & natural enough to provide the very best learning environment. They were designed for injured wild adult animals that just need a chance to recuperate before being set free, rather than SLLLLLOOOOOOOWWWWW slothy babies and juveniles that need a long time to develop into confident young adults.
As for Kermie, Ellen & Pelota's story....While there are instances of adult sloths being released back into their original habitat, this was one of the first times in Costa Rica that hand-raised orphaned sloths were released back to the wild. And, from the information that is known, the first in the world where hand-raised orphans were released with GPS tracking collars.
This is where we also need your assistance, as we need to continue our tracking and release programs with the other young sloths that we are rehabilitating.
Three Fingered Sloth at KSTR eating cecropia blossom, photo by Craig Price
The Release!
THE RELEASE!
GPS tracking backpacks/collars, specially designed for sloths are an essential part of our Sloth Release program. Information provided by these collars will not only help KSTR keep track of the sloths to gauge their health, happiness and safety but will lend valuable information for publications and studies on setting standards for how to raise and release orphaned sloths. GPS technology is constantly developing and this is only the beginning of the kinds of studies we could do to learn more about sloth conservation.
There is so much still to discover about sloth behavior and ecology, as very little is yet known. We are always striving to learn more about the sloths in the Pacific region.
GPS tracking backpacks/collars, specially designed for sloths are an essential part of our Sloth Release program. Information provided by these collars will not only help KSTR keep track of the sloths to gauge their health, happiness and safety but will lend valuable information for publications and studies on setting standards for how to raise and release orphaned sloths. GPS technology is constantly developing and this is only the beginning of the kinds of studies we could do to learn more about sloth conservation.
There is so much still to discover about sloth behavior and ecology, as very little is yet known. We are always striving to learn more about the sloths in the Pacific region.
Please play a part in helping us maintain and keep this species alive. For Pelota, Ellen and Kermie. For all baby sloths.
KSTR is actively pursuing fundraising and volunteer assistance with the Sloth Project. We are aiming to raise $50,000 total; a $100 per person donation would help towards this attainable goal. Smaller or larger donations are always welcome. If you are aware of any corporations that might also be interested in a sponsorship, please let us know.
KSTR is actively pursuing fundraising and volunteer assistance with the Sloth Project. We are aiming to raise $50,000 total; a $100 per person donation would help towards this attainable goal. Smaller or larger donations are always welcome. If you are aware of any corporations that might also be interested in a sponsorship, please let us know.
To learn more about how you can help, please donate above or contact Jennifer Rice at jennifer@kidssavingtherainforest.org.
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