Have you heard of the BIGGEST sporting event of 2019? Nope, it’s not the Masters. It’s not Wimbledon. It’s not even the World Cup.

It’s the 4^th Annual Sloth Ironman Games at the one and only Toucan Rescue Ranch! This year, the Sloth Athlete Reveal will announce the four well-trained slothletes on International Sloth Day, October 20, which also happens to be a #SlothSunday! 

Are the terms ‘Slothelete’ and ‘Sloth Ironman Games’ confusing you? Let me break it down for you…

TRR has always believed strongly in the importance of enrichment for both our residents and releasable animals. Sloths, with their slow nature and interesting natural behaviors, inspired TRR’s Marketing Specialist, Zara Palmer, to film a sloth enrichment series to test their skills and strength on their journey back into the wild. Thus, the Sloth Ironman Games was born! This special online event not only shows off sloths and their quirky personalities but also creates an initiative for people from all over the world to get involved in sloth conservation! Tune in next month and watch as your favorite Slothlete competes in the 2019 Sloth Ironman Games Series. The series includes a four-part challenge of enrichment activities: the 1-Meter Dash; Strong Sloth Challenge; Poop-Off Challenge; and the Hibiscus Eat-Off. 

And yes, the fastest sloth wins! Progress will be shown on our social media channels so you can stay up to date on the Ironman Games! You can also cheer on your favorite Slothlete by voting for them in the form of a monetary donation on our crowdfunding campaign called MightyCause. All donations made during the Sloth Ironman Games will be put towards each sloth’s release back into the wild, covering costs for food, medical care, emergency transportation, enrichment, and much more. Be on the lookout for updates on our social media leading up to the event!

The Game Schedule (starting at 1:00 PM Costa Rica time):

• Oct 20: Sloth Athlete Reveal 
• Oct 21: 1-Meter Dash
• Oct 22: Hibiscus Eat-Off
• Oct 23: Strong Sloth Competition  
• Oct 24: Poop-Off Challenge 
• Oct 25: Championship Ceremony 

SLOTH IRONMAN POINT-SYSTEM:

Each dollar raised for a slothlete will be 1-point added to its score. $5.00 would be an additional 5-points to your favorite slothlete!

Each event won for a sloth athlete:

• 100-points for 1st place 
• 75-points for 2nd place 
• 50-points for 3rd pace 
• 25 points for 4th place
• 0-points for disqualification

HOSTED BY THE TOUCAN RESCUE RANCH

GAME CHALLENGES WILL BE ANNOUNCED on TRR’s Facebook & YouTube!

SLOTH IRONMAN GAME RULES:

1. To earn your favorite slothlete points, you must make a minimum donation of $5.00 on the OFFICIAL PAGE
2. $1 = 1-Point
3. All donations must be made on the OFFICIAL PAGE
4. When donating for your athlete you must dedicate or comment their name (i.e. Goldie) to be properly recorded
5. The last chance to donate to your favorite slothlete is October 25 AT 12:00 PM (Costa Rica time)

We will see you on October 20th for the most anticipated event of the year! 

Donate & Help Orphaned Sloths:

In 2017 Toucan Rescue Ranch and The Sloth Institute Costa Rica came together to form Saving Sloths Together (SST), a Costa Rica wide project seeking to provide greater opportunity for sloths in need. By combining each organization’s skills and knowledge we can improve the process of sloth rescue, rehabilitation, and release in Costa Rica.  This partnership utilizes scientific expertise, dedication, passion and decades of experience to provide the very best program for every sloth needing help at gaining a second chance at a life in the wild.

Why do Sloths Need Help?

Sloths at Toucan Rescue Ranch are rescued for various reasons. Common incidents include electrocution from power lines, car accidents, dog attacks, and human encroachment such as deforestation and the illegal pet trade. Oftentimes, orphans suffer from injuries and the loss of their mother from such incidents. Babies are often found abandoned by their mother for unknown reasons (likely the mother was involved in an accident). This is when the Saving Sloths Together project by TRR and TSI takes action. Together, we rescue hurt sloths and give them a second chance at life to release them back into the wild once “graduated” from the rehabilitation and release program. 

A unique component of the SST project is the ability to take a hand-raised, orphaned sloth and give it a second chance at being wild. The concept of releasing captive-raised sloths back into the wild is a feat that has rarely been done with success. However, the combined expertise and resources of TRR and TSI with the SST project is eager to prove that sloths don’t belong in cages but #backinthetrees because they were all #borntobewild.

Help the Saving Sloths Together program: 

By donating to the 4th Annual Sloth Ironman Games, you will be directly benefiting the rescue, rehab, and release of orphaned sloths!