toucan rescue ranch

If you’ve never sat down to watch the Sloth Ironman, a delightfully whimsical sloths-doing-slothy-things video series from the Toucan Rescue Ranch in Costa Rica, now is most definitely the time.

Events like the 1-Meter Dash, the Poop-Off, and Hibiscus Eating actually have a purpose: they showcase whether these rescue sloths have mastered abilities they’ll need if they are to be reintroduced into the wild. What’s more, donors vote during the Games to raise money for the nonprofit project that takes care of these animals. However, the videos are also just very cute and immensely watchable. Here’s the trailer for the 2019 Games:

So just subscribe to The Toucan Rescue Ranch YouTube channel, cue up any of the orange-labeled Ironman videos (the others on the channel are really cool, as well), and put yourself and your kids in front of it for awhile to enjoy Costa Rican wildlife. If you like what you see, consider donating to support the Ranch’s mission of rescuing, rehabilitating and re-releasing wildlife. They’re open and active but will surely be affected by COVID-19, since educational tourism and volunteers are an important part of their model. Connect with them and help them continue to take care of sloths, toucans and other animals!

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! During the COVID-19 crisis I’m focusing on slices of Costa Rican life that people can enjoy virtually during these tough times. If you see a great Costa Rica cam, FB Live, online class, photo series or other gem being shared from Costa Rica, let me know!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming to meet a very resilient baby sloth and celebrate her rescuers – and to remind you to call 911 if you see a sloth on a power line, or any other animal in distress. (There are different entities in different parts of the country that assist authorities with animal rescue, but what I’ve been told is that if you simply call 911 no matter where you are, they’ll know how to coordinate in your area.)

The Toucan Rescue Ranch writes:

Sol’s mother was fatally killed due to electrocution. Her mother likely was using power lines to move across fragmented canopy when she was zapped and fell to the ground. Sadly, when rescuers found her mother, she was likely killed instantly. Fortunately, Sol was still hanging on, alive.

Sol was quickly recovered from MINAE (wildlife police) and brought to the Toucan Rescue Ranch clinic for examination. It was soon discovered that Sol received some of the shock and had a limp arm as a result. Our vet staff made a quick decision to amputate to avoid further infection.

Thanks to our amazing vet team, the surgery went extremely well. Sol quickly woke from anesthesia and proved to be a survivor. She is still in critical care and in the sloth nursery. She has become pals with Luna, another three-fingered sloth in our care. Both will go through the Saving Sloths Together program where they will be provided 24/hour care and a rehabilitation and liberation plan, which will hopefully result in a life #backinthetrees, once old enough!

Support Sol by donating to our medical costs http://bit.ly/donatetotrr

Thank you, Toucan Rescue Ranch, for all you do! Here’s a video about Sol:

I’m a writer in San José, Costa Rica, on a year-long quest to share daily posts on inspiring people, places and ideas from my adopted home as a kind of tonic during a rough time in the world. Sign up (top right of this page) to receive a little dose of inspiration every weekday in your mailbox; tell a friend; check out past posts; and please connect with me on Instagram or Facebook! You can also find me churning out small, square poems on any topic under the sun (here on the site, on Instagram or Twitter).

Virtual Costa Rica: Park your kids in front of the Sloth Ironman

Meet Sol the sloth – and her amazing caregivers