Text : Chris Bachmann
I spend a lot of time in the remains of the costal rainforest – the Atlantic Rainforest – in Brazil. About 4 years ago I found a sloth that was slightly hurt close to my house and we were looking for information on who could help him or her 🙂 hard to distinguish if it was a male or female…
A local surf biologist told be about the sloth parc in Ilheus, Bahia where there supposed to be a lady that takes care of these truly endangered mammals.
By now I visited Vera “the sloth-mother” of Brazil on many occasions. She takes care of about 40 – 50 sloth on a daily basis. When I write on a daily basis, I mean daily basis – because Vera did not have one single day off over the last 20 years, not one single holiday – because always there are hurt or young creatures that need her attention every single day – can you imagine?!
When I entered the world of these truly slow animals (the are vegan and sleep approx. 19hours a day) for the first time it was exactly the same experience as when I went scuba diving for the first time. I entered a new world. The energy of these animals is so strong that you are just grateful, negative thoughts etc. have no chance to enter your brain, your fullfilled with love immediately.
Vera is supported by the Brazilian government, but sometimes the payments come, sometimes not – lately she has been sending me mails asking for help, since she does not see the light at the end of the tunnel anymore. Together with Vera we would love to give her animals a new home. We have plans to build a Eco-Parc for her animals to raise awarness among locals and tourists also about the Atlantic Rainforest, because 93% of this truly biodiverse ecosystem is chopped down today.
Vera is for sure a wing in my life. I personally have never seen so much dedication for a good cause. True inspiration.
(in case you like to visit her and the sloths, please just drop me a mail – Vera only talks Portuguese)
