Rescue in the Rainforest

Snow White lay still on the forest floor. The tiny sloth was ice-cold. Her breathing was weak.  

She was all alone—and dangerously close to death. 

Only months before, Snow White had been healthy and happy. She held tightly to her mother in the leafy treetops of Costa Rica. Sloths and other animals make their home in the rainforest there. 

As Snow White snuggled with her mother, orange monkeys leapt from tree to tree. Toucans with bright-yellow beaks perched in the branches. Iguanas the size of small dogs marched below. 

When Snow White was about 6 months old, she began to live on her own. She spent her days in a small area, eating fruit and leaves from a few trees.

Then disaster struck. 

At some point, one of the trees Snow White needed for food was likely cut down. Without enough to eat, she began to starve. She grew thinner and thinner. Then a big storm hit the area. Too weak to hang on, she likely fell from a tree.

Would Snow White survive?

Snow White lay on the forest floor. The tiny sloth was very cold. Her breathing was weak.  

She was all alone. And she was dangerously close to death. 

Only months before, Snow White had been healthy and happy. She lived in the leafy treetops of Costa Rica. Sloths and other animals make their home in the rainforest there. 

Snow White snuggled with her mother as orange monkeys jumped from tree to tree. Toucans with bright-yellow beaks sat in the branches. Iguanas the size of small dogs walked below. 

When Snow White was about 6 months old, she began to live on her own. She spent her days in a small area. She ate fruit and leaves from a few trees.

Then a disaster happened. 

At some point, a tree was likely cut down. Snow White needed that tree for food. She didn't have enough to eat and began to starve. She grew thinner and thinner. Then a big storm hit the area. Too weak to hang on, she likely fell from a tree.

Would Snow White survive?

A tiny sloth named Snow White lay alone on the ground. She was close to death.

Months earlier Snow White had lived with her mother. They lived in the rainforest in Costa Rica. When Snow White was about 6 months old, she started to live alone. But then something horrible happened.

A tree was likely cut down. Snow White needed that tree for food. She began to starve. 

Then a big storm came. Snow White couldn’t hold on to her tree. She likely fell. Would Snow White survive?

On May 17, 2021, a hotel worker spotted Snow White’s body in the dirt. Thankfully, he knew exactly what to do: call The Sloth Institute (TSI). TSI is an organization that cares for injured and sick sloths. Since 2014, TSI has rescued about 400 sloths. If there was anywhere Snow White could be saved, it was TSI.

After receiving the call, the team at TSI raced to the scene. They gently wrapped Snow White’s frail body in a blanket. Then they rushed her back to TSI. “I didn’t think she would make it,” says Amanda Orens, who cared for Snow White. 

Orens and the rest of the team worked around the clock to save Snow White. They warmed her with heating pads. They gave her medicine to make her body strong. They fed her sugar because she was too weak to chew leaves. 

Orens stayed by Snow White’s side. But it seemed that the little sloth was doomed.

On May 17, 2021, a hotel worker saw Snow White on the ground. Thankfully, he knew what to do: call The Sloth Institute (TSI). TSI is an organization that cares for injured and sick sloths. Since 2014, TSI has helped about 400 sloths. TSI was one of the few places that could save Snow White.

The team at TSI got the call. They raced to the sloth. The team gently wrapped Snow White’s frail body in a blanket. Then they rushed her back to TSI. “I didn’t think she would make it,” says Amanda Orens, who cared for Snow White. 

Orens and the rest of the team worked all night to save Snow White. They warmed her with heating pads. They gave her medicine. This helped make her body strong. They fed her sugar because she was too weak to chew leaves.

Orens stayed by Snow White’s side. But it seemed that the little sloth was doomed.

Surprisingly Snow White began to improve. Soon she started eating and drinking on her own. TSI named the sloth Snow White. Why? Because she woke up from a deep sleep like the fairy-tale character.

Snow White started “sloth school.” This program teaches baby sloths to find food and climb trees. TSI workers hang leaves for sloths to sniff and grab. The sloths also get used to living outside. 

Snow White grew strong. After about a month, she had new fur on her body. That’s a great sign of health. Soon she didn’t need any help. TSI workers couldn’t believe the transformation. Snow White was ready to leave TSI!

On a warm summer day, TSI workers brought Snow White to a forest. Slowly the sloth began to climb up a tree. It was Snow White’s fairy-tale ending. 

Against all odds, Snow White began to improve. She was soon able to drink on her own and nibble on a few leaves. The team at TSI named the baby sloth Snow White. Why? Because she woke up from a deep sleep—just like the famous fairy-tale character. 

Soon Snow White was ready to start “sloth school.” This program prepares sloths to return to the wild. Baby sloths at TSI have a lot to learn: How will they find food? Where will they sleep? How do they climb trees safely? 

The team at TSI teaches these important skills in different ways. They hang leaves on a rope so the sloths can practice sniffing and grabbing food. And they place the baby sloths in an outdoor area so they get used to living outside. 

Snow White had already lived for months with her mom. So her main “job” was to grow big and strong. Her caregivers made sure that she was comfortable and had plenty of tasty fruit and leaves to snack on. Then they watched and waited.

Surprisingly, Snow White began to get better. She was soon able to drink on her own. She could nibble on a few leaves. The team at TSI named the baby sloth Snow White. Why? Because she woke up from a deep sleep. She was just like the famous fairy-tale character. 

Soon Snow White was ready to start “sloth school.” This school helps sloths to return to the wild. Baby sloths at TSI have a lot to learn: How will they find food? Where will they sleep? How do they climb trees safely? 

The team at TSI teaches these important skills in different ways. They hang leaves on a rope. Then the sloths practice sniffing and grabbing food. And they place the baby sloths in an outdoor area. The sloths get used to living outside. 

Snow White had already lived for months with her mom. So her main “job” was to grow big and strong. Her caregivers made sure that she was comfortable. She had plenty of tasty fruit and leaves to snack on. Then the caretakers watched and waited.

Luckily, Snow White healed and grew quickly. After about a month at TSI, she had new fur all over her body. That’s a key sign of health. She had also put on weight.

As more weeks passed, Snow White continued to get stronger. Soon she didn’t need any help climbing or finding leaves to eat. 

“She looked like a completely different sloth,” says Orens. “I still can’t get over the transformation.”

Nine months after she was found at the edge of death, it became clear: Snow White was ready to leave TSI. And so, on a warm summer day, the team placed her in a soft bag and carried her to a safe forest. Then they opened the bag near a big tree. Slowly, the healthy sloth began to climb up.

It was Snow White’s fairy-tale ending. 

Luckily, Snow White healed quickly. After about a month, she had new fur all over her body. That’s a key sign of health. She had also put on weight.

More weeks passed. Snow White kept getting stronger. Soon she didn’t need any help climbing or finding leaves to eat. 

“She looked like a completely different sloth,” says Orens. “I still can’t get over the transformation.”

Nine months after she was found close to death, it became clear: Snow White was ready to leave TSI. And so, on a warm summer day, the team placed her in a soft bag and carried her to a safe forest. Then they opened the bag near a big tree. Slowly the sloth began to climb up.

It was Snow White’s fairy-tale ending.