Sloth and found

Sloth and found

When you are a police officer from Ecuador's Transit Commission, coming across traffic offenders and the odd broken-down vehicle when patrolling the highways is par for the course.

But a tree-dwelling sloth? Perhaps not quite as often.

Officers who were patrolling a new highway in Quevedo, Ecuador, last Friday found a sloth clinging on to the post of a traffic barrier, a fair distance from the nearest tree.

The animal had apparently tried to cross the road when it got lost or decided to take a breather.

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There are two types of sloths. The one rescued by police appears to be a two-toed Choloepus sloth, which is smaller and slower-moving than the three-toed Bradypus sloth.

The police returned the animal to its natural habitat after a check-up by a veterinarian, who found it to be in perfect health, according to a press release.

The rescued sloth has since become an Internet sensation, with many netizens calling it "adorable" and "cute".

RESCUED SLOTH RETURNED TO RAINFOREST HOME: Transit police in Quevedo, Ecuador, found this unusually photogenic sloth...

Posted by FB Newswire on Tuesday, January 26, 2016

¡Un Perezoso que se volvió viral! Rescate de oso perezoso por vigilantes CTE en el anillo vial de Quevedo fue recogido por prensa internacional.

Posted by Comisión de Tránsito del Ecuador on Sunday, January 24, 2016


This article was first published on Jan 28, 2016.
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