Monday, March 28, 2011

NEWEST RESIDENT – A THREE-TOED SLOTH






Monte Azul is very pleased to announce the arrival of another three-toed sloth to the property. Our friends at Cloud Bridge Reserve were called upon to rescue a sloth from a house in Rivas last week. The sloth appeared in a residential area with no forest in the immediate vicinity for the sloth to call home.

Cloud Bridge Reserve is located up the Chirripo Valley (http://cloudbridgereserve.wordpress.com/) at a much higher elevation than Monte Azul. Since three-toed sloths do not thrive in these higher elevations, the folks at Cloud Bridge brought him/her to Monte Azul. He /she was released into the primary rain forest just above Café Blue. We are very pleased to have another sloth on our property.

This new sloth will join the previous three-toed sloth rescued by Carlos in June 2010. This sloth was found near San Isidro. The neighbors had noticed that the sloth was crossing a very busy road once per week. Because a sloth’s metabolism is so slow, they only defecate once per week. They climb down to the ground, “do their business” and then climb back into the tree tops. This particular sloth had recently decided that the best place to defecate was on the other side of this dangerous road. The neighbors were very worried that this sloth would be hit by a car and were looking for a safe home for him/her. So Carlos brought him home and we released him/her in the primary rain forest near the studio.

I know that ther is also one other sloth on the property. In May 2008, our gardener spotted a sloth in the trees on the southern edge of the property. This was the first such sighting in the area in 10 years. Everyone at Monte Azul and the area was very excited. The forest regeneration work that the area was doing was bringing back and supporting the native sloths.

I have attached a few photos of these welcomed residents. If we spot them again, I will be sure and let you know.

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