The Sloth - Hardly a Deadly Sin


That's the slogan of Aviarios Sloth Sanctuary, a must-see destination of many visitors to Costa Rica, and a mere 9 km ( 5 1/2 miles) north of Cahuita. Once you get to know these adorable creatures, your view of them will never be the same. And if you live in Cahuita, either full or part time, doing volunteer work at the Sanctuary is a very rewarding experience. Aviarios began as a bird watching destination, and you can still sit on their spacious deck and look for some of the more than 350 species of birds which have been sighted in the immediate area. [If you want to contact them directly, just send an email to slothsanctuary@gmail.com.]

Sloths live in the wild all around Cahuita, and it is especially easy to see them in or near Cahuita National Park. The one below was spotted during a stroll along the well-maintained trail through the jungle adjoining the Park's beach:



Sloths are frequently seen along the Park's trial (hint: look up!)



But at the Sloth Sanctuary, you can get up close and personal with many of them, possibly even Buttercup, the now famous-critter whose plight led Judy and Luis Arroyo to devote their lives, and their huge private wildlife preserve, to the rescue and rehabilitation of innumerable injured or abandoned sloths. Buttercup enjoys meeting people, as you can see from the picture below, and you most definitely will enjoy meeting Buttercup and her friends.


Buttercup, the world's most famous sloth, makes new friends



Our photo gallery includes pictures of some of the other sloth babies at the Sloth Sanctuary. One of the youngsters, Topo Gigo, has achieved celebrity status of his own due to this YouTube video which has been enjoyed by nearly 2 million viewers (click once on the space below if the video is not visible):