Responsible Sloth Tourist:
Say NO to sloth selfies:
Never pay to touch, feed or take a photo with a sloth (or any wild animal). Sloths are wild animals and can bite or scratch you and transmit diseases. In addition, it is very stressful for them to be touched by strange humans. They just want to live their lives in peace.
Learn about the Costa Rica-wide #StopAnimalSelfies Campaign that The Sloth Institute is a founding member.
Whisper
Sloths are very stressed by loud noises. Please keep your voices low when around them and try not to make loud or sudden movements. This includes music and noises from machinery!
No Flash Photography
Bright lights, and especially at night, can be blinding to sloths. Please only take photos without flash.
No Loitering
Once you've had a good view of the sloth and shown your friends and family, keep moving along so the sloth can move along as well. If you are too close to them you are going to stress them out and prevent them from continuing whatever they were doing before you arrived. When sloths are stressed they freeze like statues.
No Smoke, No Spray, No Pesticides
Pesticides, bug sprays and smoke pollute the air and sloths have very sensitive lungs. If you must use bug spray. Walk away from where the sloth is residing so that they don't breathe in the toxic fumes.
Eco-Friendly Businesses
Sloths NEED trees, clean water, and a healthy connected forest to survive. Anything you do to protect the planet helps to protect sloths.
Drive Safely
Sloths sometimes crossroads to get to the other side..they are no match for your vehicle and need time to get across. Stop traffic and keep people away from the sloth so they can cross the road safely.
Sloths are #NotAPet
Say NO to supporting the pet trade of sloths and not sharing videos of pet sloths on social media.