sloth acquisition

Your role as a consumer impacts wild populations. There are common lies unethical sloth dealers tell clients that are cleverly crafted to not only appear that you are doing no harm and in some cases, you are even helping sloths with your purchase.

As a consumer, educator, exhibitor, biologist, or scientist, you have a responsibility to source animals ethically. Please familiarize yourself with the wildlife trade as it relates to sloths. 

Sloth trafficking is a huge business and has skyrocketed in the last 20 years. 


THE LIE 
 The baby sloth is fully weaned and does not require its
mother any longer. 

THE TRUTH
Choloepus (two-toed/two-fingered) sloths require a mom until natural separation has occurred between 10 months to 13 months old. Any sloth removed from a mom before that has been orphaned and must be supported as such. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
If acquiring a sloth, never accept an animal under 1 year old. Animals that have been allowed to stay with mom until natural separation have better long-term outcomes. ​


THE LIE

The animal(s) have been orphaned in a home country and are non-releasable. To make space, the rehabilitation center is forced to send animals to the United States or Europe. Many specifically originate from Panama and Guiana.

THE TRUTH

There are many organizations in home countries and surrounding areas to help animals in care. There is sometimes a practice of intentionally deeming animals as non-releasable to supply these individuals to zoos and aquariums in the US, Europe & Canada. 

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

If you are paying fees for the animals that are beyond the cost of airfare, the facility may be involved unethical practices. Be extremely 



THE LIE

Sloth breeders may misrepresent wild caught babies as captively-bred babies.

THE TRUTH
It is cheaper to import babies from home countries then it is to invest a year into creating a healthy baby and a healthy mom.  
  

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Never accept a baby under 1 year old. Ask for paperwork, visit the place and view the baby with mom. There are ways an expert or a veterinarian can tell if the animal has actually come from the wild. If you have doubt, do not purchase and seek advice. Sloths imported without the benefit of moms care for the first year have very poor outcomes, including early mortality. If you are investing thousands of dollars into an animal, the breeder should be just as invested in providing healthy, long-lived animals as you are in providing care for the next 30 - 40 years.

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