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TRR Inspired Me to Become a Vet Tech
Before coming to Costa Rica I was working a full-time desk job and working towards a psychology degree. I had considered changing my degree to something geared toward wildlife rehabilitation but I didn't want to make such a drastic decision without first dipping my toes in the water. I came to the Toucan Rescue Ranch (TRR) in July, 2016, with a plane ticket to go home exactly 30 days later. That changed about a week into my visit. I immediately fell in love with the ranch and knew that I wanted to stay and contribute here for as long as possible. Spending everyday with these animals gave me something that I had never felt before. After speaking with some of the veterinarian volunteers, I decided it was time for me to make the change and work towards a degree focused on saving animal lives. TRR has completely inspired and motivated me. The best part about it all is that I get to continue working for the ranch while going to school. The experiences and practice that I see daily at TRR have helped me tremendously in my studies. By intern Mackenzie King | Read these types of articles first on our newsletter! Subscribe today!Â
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The Sloth Journals
Lenny, Male Two-Fingered Sloth Age: ~ 10 months Place of Origin: TilaránCurrent Weight: 1.6 kg (he probably hadn’t gone to the bathroom yet)Nickname: Toffee Jr.Special Talents: Holding his bladder Level of Fluffiness: 8/10 Lenny is the second-most fluffy baby sloth in the group. At first, it may appear that he is jealous of Toffee’s fluffiness, but he’s really just enjoying his Level 8 status. Unlike Toffee, Lenny has an entirely different superpower- holding his bladder for extended periods of time. As the days pass, Lenny’s belly expands in size with each meal until he sports an impressive sumo wrestler stomach. When the time is right, Lenny will unload a mighty… well, we can spare you the details. As with Toffee, sloth nannies must not be tempted to cuddle the exceptionally fluffy Lenny. Fortunately, Lenny is not terribly fond of being picked up, and will remind anyone that attempts to handle him with a not-so-friendly bite.  Happy #SlothSunday!  You can adopt sloths like Lenny by going to our ADOPTION page and symbolically adopting him!  Written by intern Ana Maria Villada | Read more stories like this on our newsletter!Â
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The Sloth Journals
Bowie, Male Two-Fingered Sloth Age: At least 9-monthsPlace of Origin: SarapiquĂCurrent Weight: 1.2 kgNickname: BowieSpecial Abilities: Snuggling with Latte As one of the younger sloths, Bowie seeks comfort from the snuggly warmth of Latte, with whom he is almost always cuddling. Like Ringo, Bowie enjoys hitching a ride on Latte during her occasional romps on the climbing frame- sometimes even double-teaming the poor surrogate mother with their combined weight. Curious in nature, Bowie enjoys grabbing onto his unsuspecting caretakers while delivering his signature “blank stare”. Previously, Bowie had a fairly aggressive temperament and would approach innocent bystanders with a swipe, a hiss or a bite. Once removed from the rest of the gang however, Bowie will whine and pout until he is reunited with mommy. Thankfully, Bowie’s tough-guy façade seems to have come to an end (possibly after Latte had a talk with him about loving your neighbor). Since then, Bowie keeps his feisty habits to a minimum but will still complain if separated from the coziness of the chairs. Happy #SlothSunday and you can symbolically adopt your favorite sloth by visiting our Adoption Program! By intern Mitch Deskovick
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The Sloth Journals
Ringo, Male Two-Fingered Sloth Age: At least 7 monthsCurrent Weight: 1.1 kgPlace of Origin: PuriscalNicknames: Sonic, Wristwatch, SnifflesSpecial Talents: Clinging to his caretakers, casually doing the splits Ringo is one of the youngest sloths in the high school group. He frequently hangs on to Latte while happily watching over the other sloths as she navigates through the climbing frame. As a youngster, Ringo used to be scared of everything, nervously sniffling when isolated from his larger friends or when being picked up by one of the nannies. In fact, Ringo’s caretakers can attach him onto any part of their body and walk around as if baby sloths were the latest fashion accessory. Now, Ringo’s caretakers speculate that he may be going through sloth puberty. Ringo seems to regularly pick fights with the other sloth kids on the chairs, biting whoever dares to wake him up or steal his spot on Latte. Ringo may not be the biggest of the high school kids, but his resemblance to a hedgehog could land him a gig digging around in soil looking for earthworms.  You can symbolically adopt Ringo and his pals by visiting our Adoption Program! Happy #SlothSunday!   By intern Ana MariaÂ
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