Go Sloth Spotting in Costa Rica

Location: Costa Rica

Recommended by Lucy and Dan of Thoroughly Travel

How do we know it’s ethical?

The national animal of Costa Rica, sloths are renowned for their relaxed nature and cuddly appearance. Two of six kinds of sloth can be found here: two-toed and three-toed sloths. Seeing a sloth in Costa Rica is on most wildlife lovers’ bucket lists and is a completely ethical experience too. Holding sloths had previously been an acceptable animal activity, but contact can actually cause stress and interfere with the important eco-system of algae that live in the sloths’ fur. As such, touching a sloth is now banned in all sanctuaries in Costa Rica and is completely illegal. Visitors can enjoy sloth sightings from a safe distance in the wild where sloths live freely.

Description of the Experience

Due to industrial development, many protected areas have been established to conserve sloths’ habitat and give them large areas to live free from harm. These areas range from national parks to private reserves and, due to their protected nature, have allowed sloths to flourish in the wild. It’s no doubt then that visiting one of these conservation areas is the best way to ethically see a sloth in the wild. Some of the best places to see sloths include Manuel Antonio National Park, Monteverde and La Fortuna. In La Fortuna, dedicated Sloth Trails have been created, allowing you to wander through the rainforest and see sloths in their natural habitat. Walking a Sloth Trail can be done on your own, or as part of a guided tour.

Company/ Cost: 

Taking a guided sloth tour can have multiple benefits but is mainly beneficial as sloths are actually incredibly hard to spot in the wild. Their fur camouflages well with the trees they inhabit and they are often curled up into small balls high in the treetops when asleep. Tour guides are experienced at spotting sloths, know what to look out for, and often bring telescopes and scopes to help you see sloths that are far away from the path. They can also provide interesting information about sloths and their behaviors and habitats, as well as local flora and fauna. Some of the most popular sloth walks in La Fortuna include Bogarin Trail, Sloths’ Territory, and Sloth Walking Trail. Guided tours of La Fortuna’s sloth trails cost around 30000 CRC ($60 USD) and last one to two hours.

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This is one post on a series of ethical animal tourism posts by travel content creators. The experiences cover all seven continents and a variety of animals. Ensure that your animal experience is an ethical one.

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