1st International Sloth Fest!
International Sloth Day has been celebrated since 2010, helping to raise awareness about sloths, wildlife conservation, and the importance of taking it easy.
International Sloth Day on October 20th, is a holiday dedicated to raising awareness about the planet’s slowest mammals and the threats they are facing.
2021 is the first year since the inception of International Sloth Day that the sloth will be doubly celebrated with both its own holiday as well as its new status as Costa Rica’s national symbol.
Led by researcher Dr. Rebecca Cliffe, The Sloth Conservation Foundation has been working with the Costa Rican authorities to provide protection for these now considered threatened animals by the government. The sloth’s status as a Costa Rican national symbol was legally confirmed in July of this year.
Dr. Cliffe started the Sloth Conservation Foundation in 2016 to study sloths, fill in gaps in scientific knowledge, and preserve sloths from going extinct in the wild. In addition to acting as a consultant for a number of organizations and national governments, SloCo funds and publishes high-quality research related to sloth biology and ecology, and develops community-based conservation strategies such as installing wildlife bridges, participating in reforestation efforts, providing veterinary assistance to stray dogs and wildlife, and offering educational outreach and opportunities to local school children.
SloCo will also be hosting the very first-ever International Sloth Festival, free to children and adults, on October 20th to celebrate sloths and educate the public in the town of Puerto Viejo on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.
The 1st International Sloth Fest will have booths and activities from SloCo and other local conservation organizations. It will feature an artist sloth-themed market, a kid’s corner, a photo booth, our mascot Siesta the Sloth, a fundraising raffle, live local reggae music, and take-away food and drinks.
Interactive events include:
–Chats and Q&A about sloths, SloCo’s projects, and other conservation initiatives
–Kukula (sloth) Trails in which participants (accompanied by our tracking team) learn to use a radio receiver to find a tagged toy sloth.
–Dog Olympics promoting responsible pet ownership, with an emphasis on keeping wildlife safe
–Sloth-friendly tree giveaway
-Installation of a Sloth Crossing wildlife bridge.
–Kid’s Corner with arts and craft projects, masks, face painting, and more
The 1st International Sloth Festival will be complying with all laws and safety recommendations set forth by the Costa Rican authorities! Participants will follow all health protocols, including face masks, hand washing, and social distancing.
Line-up
The Line-up will be happening both in situ and live stream on our social media channels, so people can participate in person or virtually:
}9 am – Dog Olympics: show off your dog’s training and tricks to win prizes!
10 am – Sloffee Hour @Caribeans: Meet team sloth! Q&A chat with Dr. Rebecca Cliffe, Amelia Symeou, and Cecilia Pamich about sloths and conservation.
11 am – Kukula Trail: Help us find the hidden tagged sloth toy and win a virtual adoption of Mango!
– ‘Saving sloths by helping dogs’ chat with Anthony Vado Romero, Animal Behavior Specialist
12pm – Lunch Break
1 pm – ‘The Urban Sloth Project chat: Studying the impact of urbanization on sloths’ chat with Ecology Coordinator Amelia Symeou and Project Coordinator Cecilia Pamich.
– Kukula Trail II: Help us find the hidden tagged sloth toy and win a virtual adoption of Mango!
1.30 pm – ‘Sloth: the new national symbol’ chat with legislator Yorleny León, creator of the project that became law.
2 pm – Curious & Odd Dog Appreciation activity: Celebrate pets with unique traits and abilities!
– ‘Connected Gardens: Learn the importance of urban reforestation’ with Francisco Rodriguez and Diego Elizondo
3 pm – Dog Olympics II
– Sloth Crossings wildlife bridges: Bridging the gap + Bridge installation demonstration
4 pm – Slow Raffle: Win more prizes!
– Kukula Trail III: Help us find the hidden tagged sloth toy and win a virtual adoption of Mango!
5 pm – Mad Elaine Live Music, reggae show
Special Thanks
Tasty Waves Cantina, Black Sand Realty, Wahoo Vacations, Rise Reality, Jungle Cuts, Big Mans Bagels, PV Bar de Vino, El Sol Del Caribe, Blue Youth, Coffee cups of Costa Rica, AmaSer Yoga, Choco Package, Kukula Lodge, GlowUp Media, La Paz Del Caribe, Patricia Arts, Enraizados Cerámica, Sueño Grande B&B, Innovali, Arte Vivo, Firespace PV, Manioura arte Tattoo, Dukur Coffee, Spretza, Figue’s Farm, Mad Elaine Music, Chicken Little Events.
