Every Wednesday is bath day for the baby sloths at the Aviarios Del Caribe Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica. Owned and operated as a privately-owned biological reserve by Judy and Luis Arroyo and their family, the reserve has been caring for orphaned and injured sloths since 1992.
The reserve cares for two types of sloths, the two-toed sloth and the three-toed sloth. In 1997, the reserve achieved the status of official sloth rescue center. The sanctuary has cared for over 500 sloths to date. Some sloths are permanent residents. Others are rehabilitated and returned to the wild.
Visitors to the sanctuary can watch the sloths receive their weekly baths. On bath day, the baby sloths are removed from their habitat and transported to a washing station. First, workers shampoo and brush the sloths’ fur to remove dirt and particles. Second, workers treat the sloths’ fur with an organic blend of tealeaves that wards off parasites.
The sloths enjoy the baths and are calm throughout the process. The sloths are then allowed to drip dry by hanging onto metal bars. The sloths are then patted dry. After the bath, the sloths get to eat hibiscus flowers, which are a special treat. Fluffy and dry the sloths retire to their cages for a well-deserved nap. This story was reported by The San Francisco Globe on August, 3, 2015.