PUERTO JIMÉNEZ, Costa Rica (WSVN) — A couple in Costa Rica says they were in the right place at the right time when they rescued a baby sloth on the shoreline.
Dirk Morgan and his wife are originally from Ohio, but the couple now operates a Jungle Lodge in Puerto Jiménez. While they say they are used to seeing all sorts of animals in the diverse region, they were not prepared for what they saw Monday morning.
Morgan told Fox 13 he heard an unusual noise coming from the rocks by the water. When he went to check out the source of the sound, he discovered the baby two-toed sloth desperately clinging to one of the rocks.
The sun had only been up for about an hour after a stormy night and high tide, Morgan said. They looked for an adult sloth, but when they couldn’t find the baby’s parent, they decided to rescue it. Dirk said he believes nearby stray dogs would’ve killed the weak sloth if he left it there.
The couple took several photos and video as they worked to rescue the animal, using a box and a towel to carry it away from the shoreline. They gave the sloth fresh water to drink as they carried it back toward their lodge.
Just next door to their property is an animal sanctuary, so the Morgans brought the little sloth to rescue workers there. Caretakers plan to nurse it back to health before returning it to the wild.
Two-toed sloths typically reside in trees, and are found in forests throughout Central and South America.
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