Guests at Tulemar Resort Help Rescue Abandoned Baby Sloth

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Young three-toed sloth, found at Tulemar

Afraid that he wouldn't be able to gather food for himself, we decided it would be best to take him to a wildlife refuge nearby.

Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica (PRWEB) June 10, 2014

Tulemar Resort is a unique resort located in tropical Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. Spanning over thirty-three acres, Tulemar is popular for its panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and luxurious accommodations set in the midst of the rainforest. Jungle wildlife is abundant on the property and up-close sightings of various kinds of monkeys, sloths, toucans, and reptiles are commonly reported in guest reviews on the popular travel website TripAdvisor.

Recently, Ashley Johnson Ramirez, a concierge at Tulemar Resort, was giving a tour of the property to guests when they spotted a baby sloth on the ground by the side of the road. Sloths typically spend most of their time in the treetops and the young stay with their mothers for the first year, immediately flagging this situation as unusual.

“It was apparent that the little guy had just been separated from its mother, because it had no sense of where to go; you could even see tears in its eyes, despite the inevitable smiling face of a sloth,” says Ramirez. “We took him to a large almond tree nearby in hopes that he would hang on to a branch, but he wouldn't latch. Afraid that he wouldn't be able to gather food for himself, we decided it would be best to take him to a wildlife refuge nearby.”

Kids Saving the Rainforest (KSTR), a non-profit wildlife sanctuary in the area, happily accepted the baby sloth. A thorough examination determined the animal to be approximately six months old, dehydrated, lethargic, and suffering from a respiratory illness. The staff at KSTR, who like to name all of the animals that come into the center, decided to call him Dexter.

After just a few days at the rescue center, Dexter’s condition showed improvement. The staff at KSTR are continuing to care for him and hope to be able to return him to Tulemar within the next few months.

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