Sloth slowly climbs to forest freedom

07/06/2018

Thanks to our partners, the AIUNAU rehabilitation centre in the Andes Mountains of Colombia, orphaned sloths rescued from mistreatment at the hands of humans can recover and learn how to survive in the wild once again.

Your generosity is helping us fund four new enclosed sloth habitats at AIUNAU’s headquarters near Medellin to help rehabilitate sloths like Chocoanita.

To provide the best care for the rescued sloths and space to display their natural behaviours, AIUNAU has several shed habitats which the staff call ‘wombs’ because of the way they nurture and protect the baby sloths.

When they need to rest, the sloths can climb into wicker baskets filled with soft blankets that are placed along the sides of each habitat. The blankets are intended to resemble their mothers’ fur, providing some comfort for these orphaned babies.

La Negrita a two toed sloth at the AIUNAU foundation.

Chocoanita is set free

Chocoanita, a young, adult female sloth cruelly snatched from the wild, is now safe in the freedom of the Colombian forest thanks to the efforts of our hard-working partner AIUNAU. The release team, including AIUNAU director and founder Tinka Plese, were delighted at the sight of Chocoanita heading for the highest trees.

“Observing La Chocoanita climbing slowly towards the canopy in the middle of the jungle, raining and getting wet, I felt as if I was climbing with her going straight to the heaven. An immense feeling of satisfaction and peace was overwhelming me – once more we managed to take one more sloth to where they belong,” said Tinka.