Playful sanctuary: The orphaned sloths have been taken in (Picture: Hotspot Media)

These may just be the cutest baby animals ever photographed…

With their doe eyes, button noses and covering of hair, these orphaned sloths could be mistaken for the cuddly toys they cling to for company.

They were photographed by zoologist Rebecca Cliffe at the sloth sanctuary in Cahuita, Costa Rica.

A sloths cuddle its toy and play after being rescued by the sanctuary in Cahuita (Picture: Hotspot Media)

The 23-year-old said: ‘Every sloth has its own personality, just like humans. Some are quiet and don’t care too much for human company, while others are needy and love attention.’


Many of the 130 sloths in the sanctuary have been abandoned.

‘Other times the arrivals have electrical burns, or they’ve been attacked by dogs, run over, abused by humans or they’ve been injured by natural injuries, like falling from trees,’ Ms Cliffe added.

Cute alert: Two sloths cuddle up to each other (Picture: Hotspot Media)

The South American sanctuary was established in 1997 by Judy Avey-Arroyo and her late husband Luis.



It has successfully released more than 100 back into the wild.

Ms Cliffe said: ‘People who visit the sanctuary always leave with a smile on their faces. It is impossible not to be moved.’

You can find out more about Rebecca’s work with sloths on Meet the Sloths on Animal Planet at 8pm on November 14