Sloth Encounters Fuel Illegal Wildlife Trade in Costa Rica

Costa Rican wildlife advocates are raisingconcerns about the growing trend of ‘direct-encounter’ tourism attractions featuring sloths, which they say is driving the illegal wildlife trade and causing animal suffering.

The Reality of Sloth Encounters

Grettel Delgadillo Molina, director programs and policy for Humane World for Animals Costa Rica, explains that observing sloths in the wild is often a fleeting and unpredictable experience. ‘What I described above is a realistic and humane sloth encounter,’ she states, noting that tourists are increasingly demanding guaranteed encounters, including the opportunity to touch or hug sloths for social media photos.

Direct-Contact Attractions and Exploitation

These ‘direct-contact’ attractions, combined with marketing that anthropomorphizes sloths and portrays them in a ‘chill-out’ manner, have fueled a global demand for these experiences, including in the United States. Humane World for Animals conducted an undercover investigation to expose the cruelty behind these businesses.

Combating Illegal Trafficking

The organization has collaborated with Costa Rican authorities to address the illegal trafficking of sloths, both within the country and across borders, and to examine the connections between this trade and the tourism sector. ‘New packaging, same old cruelty,’ Molina emphasizes, highlighting the emergence of ‘sloth parks’ that guarantee sightings in ‘their natural environment’ – a tactic often linked to illegal trafficking.