Our Work: The Urban Sloth Project
The impacts of habitat disturbance.
The Urban Sloth Project is an ongoing, long-term investigation into the impacts of habitat disturbance and rainforest urbanization on wild sloths in Costa Rica. To date, we have monitored the movement and behaviour of over 70 wild sloths in Costa Rica using advanced tracking technology and micro data loggers - and we are adding new sloths to the project every month.
Some of these sloths live in pristine primary rainforests, while others navigate highly urbanized ‘concrete jungles’ in towns and cities. We are using the knowledge that we are gaining from this project to develop effective conservation strategies that foster peaceful coexistence between humans and sloths.
For example, we have been able to identify that having access to microclimates is essential for sloths in urban areas to regulate their body temperature. We have also discovered how habitat fragmentation is restricting sloth movement, dispersal and home range size.
We have pinpointed areas where canopy connectivity needs improvement, installing wildlife bridges and targeting reforestation efforts to create safe corridors for sloth movement. We are also identifying and prioritizing the protection and reforestation of key tree species that serve as climate-refuges for urban-dwelling sloths.
One of our most ambitious projects is the Eternal Sloths study - a long-term effort to understand the lifespan of wild sloths across different habitats (something that has never been documented before). We suspect wild sloths may live for 50+ years, which means this study could span generations. By adopting one of our Eternal Sloths, you can follow their journey through live GPS tracking and be part of this research for years to come!
One of our most ambitious projects is the Eternal Sloths study - a long-term effort to understand the lifespan of wild sloths across different habitats (something that has never been documented before). We suspect wild sloths may live for 50+ years, which means this study could span generations. By adopting one of our Eternal Sloths, you can follow their journey through live GPS tracking and be part of this research for years to come!
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Tender
A true local! His mom, Tiki, is famous for hanging out above a beach bar, and now Tender is carrying on the family tradition…
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Luiza
The matriarch of our sloth family! Luiza has been with us the longest and is singlehandedly repopulating the coastal forest—four babies in four years and still going strong.
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Deborah
From a rough start living in a hole by the roadside (and more than one rescue mission!), Debbie is now one of our greatest success stories, and also a proud mom!
Donate Today
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More Sloth Research
