More Sloths In the wild, sloths are solitary animals. T ey


live alone. For two years, Buttercup was the only sloth living with the Arroyo family. T en everything changed. A local bus driver knocked on the door.


He was holding a baby sloth. T is sloth was a two-fingered sloth. It had fiery red fur. It was also an orphan. Word about Buttercup had spread. People


knew that the Arroyo family had taken in Buttercup. T ey also knew that Avey-Arroyo was becoming a sloth expert. It didn’t take long before more orphans arrived. To help other sloths, the family created


a sanctuary. An animal sanctuary is a place where injured or abandoned animals are cared for. T e Arroyos took in all injured or orphaned sloths.


The Sanctuary Now, there were many more mouths to feed.


T e family needed a small army of volunteers and staff to help care for the sloths. T ey used what they had learned from Buttercup to help the other sloths. T ey created a nursery for the youngest


orphans. Here, the babies drink goat’s milk each morning. T en they’re taken outside for some fresh air and exercise. T e staff built a sloth gym. T at’s where


the baby sloths hang upside down and play. When the babies get tired, they are taken inside for naps. T en the older sloths take over the gym. T roughout the day, the staff feeds and tends to the sloths.


Wordwise


herbivore: an animal that only eats plants mammal: a kind of animal that has fur and makes milk to feed its young nocturnal: active at night


8 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPLORER


The Dangers They Face T e Arroyos know that sloths face a lot of


dangers in the wild now. T ese dangers are oſt en caused by people. When people build cities and roads, they can damage or destroy sloth habitats. Chemicals from farms and factories can harm sloths. Power lines can shock sloths. Reckless drivers can hit sloths. T e Arroyo family has taken in as many


sloths as they can. So far, they’ve rescued more than 500 sloths. Of these, about 150 live at the sanctuary and will never return to the wild. Most of these came to the sanctuary when they were babies. T ey were separated from their mothers. Now they can’t live in the wild. Some sloths only visit the sanctuary. T ey


come there sick or injured. Many of them heal and get well. When they are stronger, they are released into the wild.


Road to Recovery Avey-Arroyo thinks that caring for injured


and orphaned sloths is important work. Yet for her, there are still many unanswered questions about how sloths survive in the wild. Her work is changing to include more sloth research. Buttercup has lived with the Arroyos for


21 years. She meets everyone who comes to the sanctuary, and visitors aren’t likely to forget her. With her slow and gentle way, she helps


teach people about sloths. T ey learn how important it is to protect the rain forest habitat where she and the other sloths live.


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