A mama sloth who reunited with her baby after devastating wildfires in Bolivia has caused hearts to melt through her clearly joyous and relieved actions.
Rescuers scooped up the sloth, fleeing the wildfires ravaging Bolivia’s lowlands, and relocated them to Trinidad. When the mama and baby sloth landed, they reportedly got separated when trying to escape from dogs, according to Reuters.
The heartwarming video captured the moment the mama found her baby, whose high-pitched squeaks nearby helped guide her to the forlorn infant. The sloth looks slowly around, spots the baby and then — as quickly as a sloth can — used one clawed hand to pull the baby close to her. The mama then bows her head over the baby in what appears to be a kiss and hugs the infant close to her body, while the baby lolls back in the protection of her mother’s arms, her cries ceasing.
Since their rescue and reunion, the pair has passed veterinary and health checks and have been released to the Chuchini Nature Reserve.
Meanwhile, firefighters, residents, and volunteers continue to battle the fires, which are threatening at least four nature reserves in Bolivia, according to news reports.
