The Sloth Institue – December 2022

It’s baby season for Manuel Antonio’s sloths so you might be wondering—What to do if you find a baby sloth alone on the ground?!

1. Check the area for the mom—usually momma sloth is nearby and looking for her baby. Remember, sloths are very good at hiding, so just because you can’t see her doesn’t mean she isn’t there!

2. If the baby isn’t in immediate danger leave it where you found it and let it cry. The crying call of the baby is what alerts mom to the baby’s location.

3. If you can see mom and the baby is crying then step back and get everyone around you to step back. Try to get out of sight of both mom and baby so mom feels comfortable enough to come to the ground to retrieve her baby.

4. Stay quiet! Strange noises are scary for sloths. They are always on alert for predators so when it is too noisy, they freeze and wait for the danger to pass. Also, if it is too noisy momma sloth won’t be able to hear where her baby is located.

5. You can take photos from far away but make sure not to use flash. The flash could scare mom and make her stop from retrieving her baby.

If you follow these steps carefully, usually mom will get her baby within 10-30 minutes.

If you can’t find mom or if baby is in danger, is injured, or if you are unsure of what to do CALL our RESCUE number: 87-SLOTHS and we will come within minutes to help!