Steven Vela/FacebookIncredible, and very rare, footage has been captured which shows the exact moment a mother sloth gives birth, high up in a tree in a Costa Rican rainforest.
Now, giving birth in any capacity doesn’t exactly look like a barrel of laughs. But this daredevil birth really takes the biscuit, with the tiny newborn literally bungee jumping from its mother’s womb after it slips from her grasp; suspended in mid air by the umbilical cord.
Looking remarkably unfazed, the new mum scoops her little one back up with her claw, licking it clean and holding it affectionately against her furry body. The baby then holds onto its mums face, the close bond between them immediately obvious.
You can watch this hair-raising birth for yourself below:
The footage was snapped by tour guide Steven Vela, who told CNN this was ‘definitely the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen’.
Steven, who has worked for Canoa Adventura in La Fortuna for eight years, said:
I could not believe what I was seeing. I was super excited. We were at the right moment and at the right time. I guess I will never see anything like that again.
Dr. Rebecca Cliffe, the founder of Costa Rica’s Sloth Conservation Foundation explained how rare it was to have captured this special moment on camera:
To see a three-fingered sloth give birth is something that very few people have been lucky enough to witness.
Sloths are secretive animals that live high in the rainforest canopy and specialize in camouflage. To just see one in the wild is lucky, but to observe one giving birth out in the open is very special.
Steven Vela/FacebookWhat a way to make an entrance. Welcome to the world Baby Sloth!
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.