Manuel Antonio Sloths Presented the World Over!

By TSI Research Manager Sara Ferreiro

Happy New year from The Sloth Institute!

A new year represents a perfect opportunity to start fresh and make positive changes. Here at TSI, we believe that taking our time and being deliberate with our steps is just as important as setting lofty goals. Our mission is to help ensure the conservation of sloths and their habitats, so let’s focus on creating healthy habits for the year ahead that focus on protecting our planet!

During 2023 Team TSI didn’t relent in its mission to create a healthier and happier world for sloths. When doing conservation communicating your work is essential. Just as important is to reach multiple audiences of all ages, from the local community to the tourists, the research academy and other specialists. So, during 2023, we were very pleased to passionately talk and share our work in so many different ways.

Members of our team traveled abroad to multiple Symposiums, Conferences and Congresses all around the globe to this end. Manuel Antonio sloths were introduced in New Orleans (at the 2nd International Sloth Husbandry Symposium), in Paris and Spain (at Yaboumba and AVAFES Wildlife Medicine Congress), in Colombia (at the XV Latino American Congress of Wildlife Management) and virtually in Perú (at the student circle of wildlife medicine) as well as Oregon (at the Sitka Center for Art and Ecology).

These were enriching opportunities to discuss, share and learn with colleagues and professionals from different countries. Additionally, we also prepared workshops and educational lectures right here in Costa Rica about responsible tourism (in Bijagua), sloth coexistence (with Rio Urbano NGO) and sloth medicine (at the veterinary school in Heredia). We published a new scientific article in the journal Open Veterinary Science doi.org/10.1515/ovs-2022-0115.

TSI also visited different schools on the Pacific coast this year. We had so much fun learning, playing and reading our new kids book about an incredible successful sloth rescue and release. From a distance, we also managed to reach hundreds of children through our articles in Scholastic Magazine. The kids sent us the most amazing letters, supporting the work we do and we were very excited to send them back responses from Costa Rica!

In 2023 we had the opportunity to participate in documentaries and TV shows. We worked with the community through our speedway program (hanging bridges) and we guided walks with hundreds of tourists observing nature and enjoying the incredible wildlife that lives in Manuel Antonio, sharing our local knowledge.

I’m beyond proud of everything we managed to accomplish this year. Whatever the New Year brings, we know we will be there to spread our sloth love and fill it with more cherished memories. If you want to know more about our conservation work, check our website theslothinstitute.org or follow us on our social media: facebook.com/theslothinstitute or Instagram.com/theslothinstitute.