The rescue of the sloth Chuwie marked the beginning of something unimaginable
Among the mist and mountains of San Antonio de los Altos lies a small Rescue and Rehabilitation Center for Sloths. Haydée and Juan Carlos never imagined that, after healing the famous Chuwie, they would save the lives of 32 sloths in a few months.
In Miranda, the sloth rescue caused them to sway slowly on their bamboo trunks. Other small ones eat and dance among the lianas, inspiring calm, tenderness, and love. Four sloths are recovering in the Rodriguez family’s home: Jyn, Gungi, Leia, and Chuwie, the heartthrob. Unintentionally, the couple became protectors of this species in the Altos Mirandinos.
In Venezuelan cities, the life of the sloth is in danger
Electrocuted or run over, at least one of these mammals dies every week in San Antonio de los Altos. Since Chuwie entered Haydée and Juan Carlos’s lives, they have rescued 32 sloths of the Bradypus variegatus species.
The enigmatic warrior
Thanks to the sloth’s rescue, even without three claws, Chuwie holds onto the bamboo tightly. He detests the rain, and as soon as he feels a few drops of water, he slowly crawls to the Rodriguez’s home.
Recovering this sloth’s energy was a challenging task. Years ago, veterinary prognoses indicated that Chuwie would not survive. When Haydée and Juan Carlos found him on the Potrerito road, he was severely injured. He had been electrocuted and, as a result of the fall, lost his claws.
“Haydée loves sloths. A man was walking with one in his arms, and when we asked, he told us it was dead. Before we left the place, I checked and he moved his head; he was still alive. We decided to rescue him and look for someone to give him first aid. Leaving him there meant letting him die from myiasis or a predator,” Juan Carlos recounted.
Chuwie had burns on his hind legs. After consulting with Venezuelan specialists, they recommended putting the mammal to sleep. However, a veterinarian gave him another chance: if the animal did not improve in two weeks, they would opt for euthanasia. But that was not the case; thanks to the contact with experts from Costa Rica and Panama, they saved Chuwie’s life.
For Haydée and Juan Carlos, the first months were the most difficult. “We didn’t even know what a yagrumo was,” they comment. Between trial, error, and research, the couple delved into the adventure of rehabilitating a sloth. In their opinion, it is an enigmatic animal. They healed his wounds, daily searched for yagrumo leaves, and built a bamboo platform for him, all under the guidance of specialists.
Without his claws[/caption>
“They practically told us, ‘kill him.’ That’s when we realized that there is almost no information, not only from authorities, but there are also no large studies on sloths, and what exists is not enough. Thank God we were assisted by international specialists. The rest was evaluating the sloth’s behavior and having intuition,” Haydée assures.
Ten months later, the sloth was already healthy and strong. His quick recovery led to the establishment of the Sloth Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.
From the sloth rescue to opening a refuge
Chuwie’s story transcended social media. Haydée and Juan Carlos sought similar experiences and support in virtual groups in the San Antonio community to help the mammal. Affection was the first response.
The sloth gained more followers, eagerly waiting to know what mischief he had gotten into each day. If he ate, bathed, his poses, and of course, how his recovery was progressing. He became a star in the animal world on Facebook, and Chuwie received gifts from his fans.
However, his influence on social media placed a new responsibility on his caregivers.
“People started calling us whenever there was an injured sloth in San Antonio, Caracas, or even El Junquito. When we arrived, there was nothing we could do,” they state.
“If we could do it with Chuwie, we can help others.” That’s how, after pondering the matter, they decided to start the creation of the sloth rescue center.
Fortunately, they also received support from the Los Salias municipality. The Wildlife Protection Law prohibits the illegal possession of wild animals. However, Chuwie’s case was different; under his conditions, he cannot be reintegrated into the forest. The same goes for Jyn and Gungi, two orphaned babies, and Leia, another electrocuted sloth. The funds to cover the mammals’ treatments have come out of the Rodriguez family’s pocket.
Thanks to the municipality, they completed the first step with the Ministry of Popular Power for Eco-Socialism (Minec): they reported the animal. 20 sloths have passed through the rehabilitation center, and have been able to be reintegrated into nature. It even inspired an article of the Ordinance for the Protection of Domestic, Free, and Captive Wildlife, declaring the sloth as a protected and representative animal of Los Salias.
Now they are a team of two rescuers and seven veterinarians, four of whom are abroad. Additionally, they have advice from a specialized sloth care center, biologists, and paleontologists.
Juan Carlos and Haydée emphasize that Chuwie is not a pet; he is a sloth recovering in the spaces of their home, while trying to recreate his wild life.
In what situation is the species
Unfortunately, sloths occupy a prominent place on the IUCN Red List of endangered animals. And some species like the three-toed pygmy sloth have barely 79 individuals living in the wild, making them one of the most threatened mammals on the planet.
Sloth populations are strongly threatened by deforestation and habitat degradation, to which has been added an increasingly aggressive and uncontrolled species
