International Sloth Day: Where to see them in the wild
Found in the tropical rainforests of South America and Central America, the world’s slowest moving mammals face problems including habitat loss, powerline electrocution and capture for unethical tourism experiences
In a fast-paced world like ours, there’s something incredibly endearing about the sloth.
While we spend our time running around from meeting to meeting, munching on a meal deal al desko between calls, and just generally living in the fast lane, the world’s slowest moving mammal does everything – moving, blinking, and even digesting their food – at its own unhurried pace. It’s hard not to love (and, if we’re being honest, be a little jealous of) the alternative way of life.
Of course, in a changing world, sloths face a number of problems that threaten the species – and today (20 October), aka International Sloth Day, is exactly the time to be talking about them. Particularly when two of the seven species are threatened (the northern and southern maned sloth) and a third is critically endangered (pygmy sloth), according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Found in the tropical rainforests of South America and Central America, the critters face many of the same problems the rest of the kingdom – like loss of habitat, and road accidents – and some that are more unique to the species, like powerline deaths as they move from tree to tree.
A victim of their own cuteness, there are also a number of unethical wildlife experiences where tourists get the chance to hold sloths, and the facilitation of this industry sees them ripped from their natural habitat. In some cases, they are illegally sold as pets.
Read next: Ethical wildlife experiences: How to find responsibly-managed animal encounters
The best way to ensure an ethical experience is to see them in the wild, and there are plenty of places where you can do just that across countries like Costa Rica, Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.
While they do live in rainforests, you don’t necessarily have to travel right into the depths for the chance to spot them. As the urban sprawl increases, wildlife is coming ever closer to cities, and organisations like The Sloth Conservation Foundation work to install canopy bridges so sloths can cross roads without risk, meaning you might not be as far away as you think from your next sloth encounter.
If you’re out and about, keep your eyes on the canopies above. Easier still, your local guide or taxi driver may well be able to help you see them in unexpected places thanks to their knowledge of the local area.
The problem in spotting them is two-fold: They spend much of their time high up in the trees, and they move really, really, slowly, so you’re not likely to be alerted to their presence by the rustle of leaves or anything else. If it stops potential predators from swooping in and attacking them, it’s hardly surprising the human eye wouldn’t spot them either.
Additionally, many of the seven species are nocturnal, although some can be cathemeral (active day and night) or diurnal (active during the day).
If you want to increase your odds of seeing them, here are three top options for spotting sloths in the wild.
Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
Found on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, around a three-hour drive from the capital San José, Manuel Antonio National Park is a top choice for those looking to spot sloths. So much so that the parks’ most popular trail, El Perezoso, is named for them, and you’ll almost certainly spot them while walking the 3.4 km route (although to increase your chances, you can hire an eagle-eyed guide to help).
Alongside sloths, other animals that call Manuel Antonio home include several species of monkey (white-faced, squirrel and howler), iguanas and rainbow-billed toucans.
More information: visitcostarica.com
Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, Ecuador
While part of the Amazon rainforest, the Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve has a number of unusual ecological characteristics that separate it from the rest of the Amazon basin thanks to its location at the foothills of the Andes. Reachable from Ecuador‘s capital Quito in around eight hours, it is the second largest reserve in the country. Here, you’ll be able to spot sloths alongside ten different species of monkeys, tapirs, pink dolphins and capybaras.
Read next: The best places to see wildlife in Ecuador
Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, Peru
Another part of the Amazon rainforest, Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve in Peru protects an area of both low hills and flooded forests. There are more than 1,000 species of animals, including sloths, monkeys, pink dolphins and more. You can reach the reserve by taking a one hour 40 minute flight from Lima to Iquitos, followed by a two-hour car journey.
More information: peru.travel
