Collaring Sloths for Research: Suzi and Ginger
The following text was penned by Rona Neri, a photographer who came to Costa Rica to capture its wildlife. She documented the process of collaring a sloth named Suzi and her baby Ginger for the Urban Sloth Project. Enjoy the stunning imagery and Rona’s narrative.
This lovely pair was discovered in the beautiful garden of a local resort. The owner contacted Dr. Cliffe, founder and executive director of The Sloth Conservation Foundation; it was the perfect opportunity to track a new mother and her baby for the Urban Sloth Project, a research about the impacts of urbanization on wild sloths.
No sedation was required for this three-fingered mama. Covering her eyes briefly allowed her to stay calm on Jim, the stuffed sloth.
A close view of the cuddled-in babe and Suzi’s sweet “smile”.
You can see how tightly the baby clings to mama. Ginger will stay with Suzi for the first year of life. The baby stayed content as long as it was with its mom, popping its head out from time to time like a curious muppet.
Taking measurements.
Getting ready to return to their tree with their data-collecting collar. Baby Ginger already knows how to hang on tightly in any circumstance.
Suzi looks happy to be back in her tree. She quickly starts climbing to get to a safer spot with her little one. Sometimes Suzi had difficulty getting a good grip on the large trunk, but she was tenacious and always found a way.
So darling! It’s impossible not to love that face!
Picture perfect! The beautiful outdoor gardens of this eco-resort made a beautiful backdrop for this lovely mother and baby.
Sloths are adept at finding their way through the jungle. Suzi decided to move across some lower trees to get to a new location. All four limbs can be useful for moving across spaces. Ginger just goes along for the ride.
A close-up of our dynamic duo and their high-tech neckwear.
Ginger was curious about the antenna and played with it a bit.
Depending on what mom is doing, baby Ginger can climb around from her stomach to her back to be more comfortable and able to have a look around. Both mom and baby decide to do the classic sloth thing and hang upside down on a good branch.
After a while, baby, Ginger ventured out a bit and tasted a nearby leaf. While baby sloths drink their mother’s milk, they also will begin tasting bits of leaves from their moms soon after birth.
*Please note that, as cuddly as they appear, only trained professionals should ever handle sloths – and even these careful researchers only ever handle them very briefly.
-Rona Neri
