From the archives: This story was last updated in February 2019.
How on earth was this peculiar animal stranded on the quiet and secluded Osa Peninsula beach in Costa Rica? A couple who spotted it decided to help the poor thing—and helped it obtain a new lease on life.Dirk and Lori Morgan run Morgan’s Jungle Lodge near Osa Peninsula beach in Costa Rica.
Following a high tide that carried everything away, the couple and their two guests spotted a peculiar furry creature stuck between the rocks along the beach.
The animal was hardly moving or making any noise.
They took a closer look and realized that the creature, with its long limbs and hooked claws, was actually an infant two-toed sloth!
Sloths are typically spotted hanging upside down on tree branches. So, to see a sloth stranded on a rocky beach is pretty out of the norm. The slow-moving mammal was seen clinging to the rocks so as to avoid being washed out to sea by the high tide.
There was no adult sloth in sight, just two stray dogs roaming nearby.
Worried the dogs might attack the small mammal, Dirk, still wearing his kitchen apron, ran down the beach, barefoot.
Having survived a stormy night, the sloth was seemingly emaciated.
As Dirk approached, the helpless little creature started making sharp, pitiful cries that melted his heart.
He scooped up the sloth with a towel and placed it in a box.
Dirk took the creature back to the lodge, where he rinsed the saltwater off its face.
Look how cute it is, after the wash, in the picture below!
Then, Dirk took the young sloth, now named Little Guanabana, to the animal rescue center at Tranquility, located just down the road.
Weeks later, Dirk wrote on Facebook, “Little Guanabana is doing great!”
After being nursed back to health at the rescue center, Little Guanabana would be returned to the wild, where it truly belongs.
“I feel fortunate that this wonderful little creature touched my life and that I could make a difference in his,” Dirk said.
Awesome job, Dirk! Thank you for saving Little Guanabana’s life.
