Meet José, The Urban Sloth Researcher
José Pablo Guzmán García is our sloth scientist in charge of the Urban Sloth Project (USP) and is also involved in other research initiatives, such as the Great Sloth Census. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology with an emphasis on sustainable development and ecology, as well as a degree in Natural Resources Management. José is also a wildlife photographer, and you can follow his work on Instagram!
He is particularly interested in using DNA to research various species. Besides SloCo, he is working with the DNA of manatees in the northern Caribbean of Costa Rica.
In this little interview, we invite you to meet José Pablo Guzmán García, his day-to-day activities, his passion for conservation, and his thoughts on sloths.
What is your role at SloCo?
"I am the USP Manager and Research Manager. My responsibilities include field data collection for the USP, where I conduct sampling of the collared sloths of the project. I also coordinate the volunteers, including those conducting their own research for master’s degrees or PHds, providing support in both methodology development and data collection."
José soon to release this sloth with a GPS collar at La Selva Biological Station for the Urban Sloth Project.
"I also participate in organizing the transects to locate the sloths for the Great Sloth Census, as well with data collection of the habitat for that project."
What does a regular workday look like for you?
"I start my day at 7:30 a.m., preparing breakfast and lunch, then get ready and head to the HQ by 9 a.m. I usually leave between 9:30 and 10 a.m. to do sloth tracking for the USP until about 2 or 3 p.m."
"Some days a week I go into the field to work with the Great Sloth Census, which takes a lot of time, walking in dense primary forests; those days are exhausting!"
José explaining how the radio receiver we use to track sloths works. Photo: Mira Meijer.
"But there are also relaxing days too, when I work in the office, sitting at the computer reviewing a lot of Excel sheets, maps, and using specialized software to work on the data we collect. It’s appreciated to have these days between the field working days!"
How did you first become involved in conservation?
"I began studying biology when I was 18, after spending a semester studying Biomedical Engineering and realizing that it was not my passion. Initially, I studied biology with the intention of becoming a teacher; however, over time, I developed a passion for conservation research and learning about the natural world of animals."
What does conservation mean to you?
"Conservation, to me, means achieving a balance where humans and all other parts of nature coexist without harming one another. While this presents a great challenge, working towards this goal, even if it's just step by step, is what truly matters to me."
What is one of your favorite things about sloths?
"I love how they always seem to be having an incredible moment of tranquility and relaxation. I enjoy photographing those moments where it seems that no worry is strong enough to disrupt their good vibes."
If you weren't working with sloths, what other species would you like to work with?
"I would primarily work with manatees, which I already do on the side, but if not, I would probably study poison frogs!" —Sloth Team
