Etta's rescue began with something easy to miss: a sloth resting unusually low in a palm tree. She did not arrive with a dramatic injury or an obvious emergency. She simply looked out of place, and that small clue led rescuers to discover that she needed months of careful veterinary help.
Her story is a useful reminder that wildlife rescue often starts with observation rather than intervention. It also shows why a safe release cannot be rushed, even when an animal begins to look much better.
A low resting place raised the alarm
According to The Sloth Institute's account of Etta's rescue, staff spotted her on 24 May 2026 at Tulemar in Costa Rica. She was resting close to the ground in a palm tree. Sloths can come down from the canopy for several reasons, so being low is not automatically proof that an animal is sick. In Etta's case, however, it was unusual enough to deserve a closer look.
The first plan was simple: move her to a safer, higher position and allow her to continue on her way. During that relocation, the team noticed that she had diarrhoea. The quick move became a trip to the clinic for a proper health assessment.
That sequence matters. The rescuers did not assume every low sloth needed to be taken into care. They observed her position, assessed the immediate risk, then changed their plan when a specific health sign appeared.
Etta was much sicker than she looked
The clinic examination revealed several problems at once. The Sloth Institute reported that Etta was severely dehydrated and very underweight, with a low body condition score. She also had serious anaemia and damaged skin.
Skin scrapes confirmed scabies, a parasitic skin disease. Taken together, the dehydration, digestive trouble, weight loss, anaemia and skin condition painted a much more worrying picture than rescuers could see from the ground.
This is one reason wildlife professionals use a structured intake process. A quiet animal may be conserving energy rather than feeling comfortable. Fur can hide changes in body condition. One visible symptom can also be connected to several underlying problems, so a single quick treatment may not be enough.
Recovery was a series of small steps
Etta's rehabilitation took months. The Sloth Institute says her veterinary care included medicated baths and selamectin for the scabies, support for her digestive system, fluids, suitable nutrition and regular blood work to monitor the anaemia.
Those details turn the phrase “sloth rescue” into something more realistic. Rescue is not only the moment an animal is collected. It can mean repeated health checks, carefully chosen food, hydration, parasite treatment and enough time for the body to rebuild its reserves.
The team's October update was encouraging but deliberately cautious. Etta had gained healthy weight, her skin was almost back to normal, her diarrhoea had resolved and her latest blood results showed that the anaemia had improved. She was still being kept in care a little longer to make sure that progress would hold before release.
Why looking better is not the same as being release-ready
The Institute's wider guide to deciding what happens after a sloth is rescued explains that each case follows a different path. Staff consider why the animal needs help, its age, its health and whether the place where it was found is safe. Some sloths can be returned quickly. Orphans and animals with significant illness or injury may need much longer rehabilitation.
For Etta, outward improvement is only one part of the decision. Her weight, skin, digestion, blood results, strength and behaviour all offer evidence about whether she can cope without daily support. Release should serve the animal, not the calendar.
That patience protects the goal of rehabilitation: a genuinely wild life. A sloth that remains opinionated about its favourite leaves, keeps its natural caution and can make its own choices is not being prepared to become a pet. It is being helped to regain the condition needed to live independently.
What to do if you see a sloth in trouble
Etta's story does not mean every sloth seen low in a tree should be picked up. Handling a wild animal can injure the animal or the person trying to help, and moving it without understanding the surroundings can make the situation worse.
The safer lesson is to notice, keep your distance and contact trained local wildlife professionals. In Costa Rica, The Sloth Institute asks people who see a sloth on the ground, very low in a tree or behaving unusually to call its emergency team rather than attempting a rescue themselves.
Useful observations can include the exact location, nearby roads or power lines, whether the animal is moving, and any obvious injury. Photos or video taken from a respectful distance may help a professional assess the situation. Do not offer human food, force water into the animal's mouth or pose with it for photographs.
A fitting face for Slothtober
Etta is The Sloth Institute's October 2026 Sloth of the Month and part of its SlothtoberFest “Born to Be Protected” campaign. The campaign supports rescue, rehabilitation, research and education while building towards International Sloth Day on 20 October.
Her story gives that theme a practical meaning. Protection began when someone noticed a small change in behaviour. It continued through diagnosis, months of treatment and the decision not to rush her return. If her progress continues, Etta's next chapter should be the one the whole process was designed for: life back in the wild.
Sources and image credit
- The Sloth Institute: Meet Etta, a Sloth Rescue Story for SlothtoberFest
- The Sloth Institute: How We Decide Where Every Rescued Sloth Goes Next
- The Sloth Institute: SlothtoberFest 2026
Featured image: Sam Trull / The Sloth Institute, from the official Etta rescue story.