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Which Sloth Mom is Your Mom?
Celebrate Mother’s Day with a Gift That Gives Back
This Mother’s Day, honor the incredible mother figures in your life by symbolically adopting one of The Sloth Institute’s inspiring sloth moms. Whether your mom is graceful and resilient, gentle and nurturing, or strong and independent, there’s a sloth mom just like her.
Your symbolic adoption supports real wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation efforts at The Sloth Institute and comes with a special limited-edition Mother’s Day adoption certificate that makes the perfect heartfelt gift.
Meet the Sloth Moms:
Tilly: The Resilient Beauty Mama
Tilly isn’t just a beautiful three-fingered sloth—she’s a symbol of everything we stand for at The Sloth Institute.
Her story begins in heartbreak: she was discovered in a garage in Costa Rica, where she was being exploited for selfies with tourists. Her captors had painted her nails and kept her in unsafe, unnatural conditions. She was severely underweight, sick, and infested with parasites, typical for sloths used in the illegal wildlife selfie trade.
When we received a tip about her situation, we investigated and collected photo evidence. We submitted our findings to the proper authorities, who eventually confiscated her and transferred her to a zoo for initial stabilization. After a short stay there, Tilly was entrusted to us for rehabilitation and, hopefully, release.
Tilly’s physical recovery was remarkable. But her emotional and psychological healing was just as important. We gave her the time, space, and care she needed to rediscover what it meant to be a sloth again.
She was released back into the wild after just a few months of rehab, and she’s now been thriving in the forest for over six years. In that time, she has raised five healthy babies all on her own, each to a strong, independent weaning weight. She’s also played a crucial role in our research, helping us understand sloth motherhood: how long moms care for their babies, how juveniles establish home ranges, and how sloth families interact in the wild.
To our entire team, Tilly represents resilience, hope, and the power of second chances. She’s a daily reminder that sloths are not props, but wild beings who deserve to live free.
Harriet: The Gentle Rainbow Mom
Harriet came to us as a tiny orphaned baby, like so many sloths, we never found her mother, and she was brought to TSI for a second chance at life. Through our Sloth School System, Harriet learned all the skills she needed to thrive in the wild: climbing, foraging, and ultimately, independence.
After her successful release, Harriet adapted beautifully to life in the forest. But her journey into motherhood wasn’t without heartbreak. Two years ago, her first pregnancy sadly ended in miscarriage, a loss that reminded us how fragile wildlife motherhood can be. We monitored her closely, and when she became pregnant again, we held our breath with cautious hope.
Then, around Christmas last year, Harriet gave birth to a healthy baby girl named Holly—her long-awaited rainbow baby. Since then, both Harriet and Holly have been thriving. Harriet has grown into a calm, capable, and incredibly loving mom, proving her resilience and inspiring everyone on our team.
This Mother’s Day, celebrate the gentle strength of moms like Harriet, who overcome challenges, persevere through loss, and nurture life with unwavering care.
Elsa: The Brave and Determined Mama
Elsa was found orphaned and injured when she was just one month old, a vulnerable age for any sloth. She had suffered a spinal fracture that left her partially paralyzed. With the help of a CT scan and expert diagnostics, we confirmed the injury and began the long process of healing.
Despite her difficult start, Elsa’s spirit was strong. She adapted quickly to her physical limitations and never let her partial paralysis slow her down. While she regained much of her strength, she never fully recovered mobility in her left leg. This made us worry about her long-term prospects for survival and especially whether she could safely carry and give birth to a baby in the wild.
After much consideration and a consultation with renowned wildlife veterinarian Dr. Michelle Oakley, we made the decision to give Elsa the freedom she deserved. We released her into a safe, monitored area and she proved to us all that she was more than capable of thriving. Elsa chose a rich home range filled with her favorite food sources and adapted seamlessly to forest life.
Just recently, Elsa gave birth to her first baby, a healthy and active little one, proving that even with physical challenges, she’s a phenomenal and capable mom.
Her story is a powerful reminder that motherhood doesn’t always follow a predictable path, and that determination and heart can overcome incredible odds.
Special Bonus:
All symbolic adoptions at the Sloth Protector level or higher during the month of May include exclusive access to a live, behind-the-scenes video call with “Mother of Sloths” Sam Trull.
Get a glimpse into the lives of these wild moms and the work that helps them succeed. Two session dates will be announced after Mother’s Day (May 11).
Make a Difference, Make a Memory
Whether you’re gifting to your mom, grandmother, mentor, or yourself, this is a meaningful way to celebrate the nurturing spirit of mothers everywhere while directly contributing to sloth conservation.
Thank you for helping us protect sloths and the wild spaces they call home.
Happy Mother’s Day from all of us at The Sloth Institute!
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