Chou-aï, the sloth sanctuary

The rainy season is officially over, and the dry season is now bringing more sun and heat... but the humidity is slightly lower.

One of the exciting things Jack and I recently did was to visit a sloth sanctuary just outside of Cayenne. (Click on pictures to enlarge)

 Here's a mommy with her baby...

 As the population in French Guiana grows, more and more trees are being cut down to clear space for construction. With their habitat shrinking, sloths are becoming an endangered species due to this increase of human activity. Some sloths are found wandering on roads here about to be hit by cars or near housing developments where dogs will attack them. Concerned people pick up the stray and sometimes injured sloths and turn them over to Chou-aï, the only sloth sanctuary in French Guiana.

 This sanctuary does a really good job at informing the public all about sloths and how we can try to protect them better. What really impressed us was the possibility to take a sloth in our arms. I can honestly say they are one of the mildest and most inoffensive creatures I've met. They love three things: sleeping, eating leaves, and being cuddled...