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June 2025Sloth-of-the-Month: Sophie’s Comeback
How One Sloth’s Rescue Highlights the Urgent Need for Sloth Speedways
Sophie’s Story: From Trauma to Triumph
Sophie, an adult female three-fingered sloth, was brought to our partners at Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary a few months ago through Costa Rica’s wildlife authority, SINAC, after surviving a devastating dog attack. Like many sloths who fall victim to domestic animals, her injuries weren’t visible on the outside, but an X-ray told a different story.
Sophie had suffered a complete fracture in her humerus, the long bone in her upper arm, along with multiple other hairline fractures throughout her body. Dog attacks often leave no external wounds, as the real damage occurs internally when the dog shakes the sloth violently. Thankfully, Sophie’s internal organs were untouched.
Despite her painful condition, Sophie showed her strength right away. “She was feisty,” said our medical team. And with expert veterinary care, her recovery began. Her humerus was carefully set, and she wore a cast for several months while the bone healed. Today, Sophie has graduated from the cast to a supportive brace and is already exercising outdoors daily. We’re thrilled that Sophie is on track to be released into the wild within the next month or two!
Why Sophie’s Story Matters
Sophie is one of the lucky ones. Each year, sloths across Costa Rica suffer injuries or death due to dog attacks, many of which occur when sloths are forced to travel on the ground in fragmented forests. With deforestation continuing to destroy their natural canopy highways, sloths are increasingly exposed to roads, dogs, power lines, and other man-made threats.
This is exactly why The Sloth Institute created our Sloth Speedways program—a life-saving network of canopy rope bridges that reconnect fragmented rainforest habitats and keep sloths safely off the ground.
But we need your help.
This World Environment Day, Help Us Build More Sloth Speedways
In honor of World Environment Day on June 5th, we’re raising $8,000 to expand our Sloth Speedways program across Costa Rica.
Every donation helps us install more forest lifelines, like the ones that could have prevented Sophie’s trauma and will protect countless other sloths in the future.
Want to Help Sophie Even More?
If Sophie’s story touched your heart, you can directly impact her continued care and recovery through our Adopt-A-Sloth program. By symbolically adopting Sophie, you’ll help cover the cost of her food, medical care, and daily enrichment as she prepares for her return to the wild.
Your adoption includes a digital certificate, Sophie’s rescue story, a beautiful photo, and updates on her progress, all while supporting The Sloth Institute’s mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and release injured sloths like her.
Adopting a sloth is a perfect gift for yourself or a fellow wildlife lover. And best of all, your support helps fund essential programs like Sloth Speedways, which reconnect fragmented forests and ensure safe passage for sloths in the wild.
- Adopt Sophie today and be part of her journey back to the rainforest.
- Learn more about our Sloth Speedway fundraiser for World Environment Day here..
Together, we can turn tragedy into triumph for Sophie and many others.
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