GIMME SHELTER

In Costa Rica, a pioneering charity is helping vulnerable sloths that have lost their homes due to deforestation

Family ties 

A newborn brown-throated sloth clings to its mother's chest for about six months, suckling and learning which leaves to eat. This female, named Esmeralda, lived wild. Many others have to adapt to urban environments as their tropical forest habitat becomes fragmented.

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

Suzi Eszterhas is a wildlife photographer who has worked with Rebecca Cliffe of the Sloth Conservation Foundation for over 10 years (SloCo; slothconservation.org). Suzi is a trustee. Her pictures illustrate Sloths: Life in the Slow Lane (2017). See her work at: suzieszterhas.com.

On the fence

Rebecca removes a Hoffmann's two-fingered sloth from a vine-clad fence after its home tree was cut down. This species has sharp pseudocanine teeth and can be ferocious, so extreme care is needed. Becky was able to safely relocate this one to a new home in the wild.

Back on track Rebecca fits a compact data logger to the back of a brown-throated sloth before releasing it. These small pieces of tech transmit a range of information daily including distance travelled, home range size, food preferences and circadian rhythm - revealing new details about the lives of wild sloths, much of which has until now been a mystery.

Out of place

This brown-throated sloth, clinging to a pipe at a roadside fruit stand, was another made homeless by habitat loss. Thanks to SloCo's awareness-building work, the owner contacted Rebecca, who arranged relocation by a local rescue centre. Sadly, such centres are kept busy in Costa Rica, where sloths are the most commonly admitted animals.

Friend or fo?