Exploring Nature: 11 Sloth Sanctuaries Around the World - #8 Is Literally Paradise!

6. Toucan Rescue Ranch, Costa Rica: A Multi-Species Approach to Sloth Care

Through including sloth care into a larger animal rehabilitation programme, the Toucan Rescue Ranch in Costa Rica presents a different viewpoint on sloth conservation. Leslie Howle and Jorge Murillo started the ranch in 2004; it first concentrated on saving toucans but soon grew to encompass a range of species, with sloths playing a major role. This multi-species approach offers insightful analysis of ecosystem dynamics and the linked character of wildlife protection. The Toucan Rescue Ranch distinguishes itself with its thorough sloth rehabilitation programme, meant to get them ready for ultimate release back into the wild.

The ranch has created a specific "Sloth School" curriculum to help injured and orphaned sloths move through several phases of healing and skill acquisition. This programme uses well crafted inclosures that replicate natural environments so sloths may acquire vital foraging and climbing abilities. The ranch's effort is among the most creative uses of surrogate sloth mothers for orphaned babies. Adult female sloths who cannot be released owing to permanent injuries are matched with orphaned young, who receive the socialising and care required for a normal development.