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The Aviarios del Caribe Sloth Sanctuary National Wildlife Refuge was created on May 27th, 1996 as a private wildlife refuge to protect migratory bird species and different species of animals such as sloths, mainly, in canals and lagoons in 
the lowlands of the southern Caribbean coastal region.
Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge (former the Sloth Rescue Center) is the only sloth research center in the world. It rescues and rehabilitates injured sloths and cares for those that have been separated from their mothers. Their main objective, aside from caring for a growing number of resident sloths – more than 75 – is to educate the public about them and to expose the truth about these beautiful creatures. Here visitors can closely observe sloths and to even take pictures with Buttercup, the first and most famous sloth at the refuge.
Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge has both species of sloth that are found in Costa Rica, the two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) and the three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus). Every year, several sloths who have been injured or separated from their mothers are brought to the refuge. Those that cannot be returned to the wild due to injuries become permanent residents.
In this wildlife refuge, it have been identified some 320 bird species (and still counting), along with other creatures such as caimans, coatis, kinkajous, anteaters, monkeys, river otters, turtles, lizards, spinytail iguanas, frogs and countless butterflies, all of which inhabit these rich Caribbean lowlands. Also, all six species of kingfishers found in Costa Rica are here, as well as white-collared manakin, migrating orioles, warblers, toucans, the collared aracari and even the black-crowned night-heron, nests here but is uncommon in the Caribbean lowlands. People continue to bring injured animals to the refuge, so there’s no telling what you’ll find when you arrive.
In association with the Caribbean Biological Bird Station, the park offers guided canoes trips, wooden boardwalks and observation platforms from which visitors can watch the spectacular wildlife of the freshwater canals and lagoons, humid tropical forest, sandy beaches and marshland, along with the forest and waterways.
Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge is a labor of love for owners Luis and Judy Arroyo, which mainly depends on donations to cover the needs of its growing 
sloth population.
Getting to Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge:
From the Juan Santamaria International Airport drive for about 8 km in direction to San Jose. On your right hand the Hospital Mexico will appear.After the Hospital Mexico, you must take the exit to La Uruca (on the rotonda, the third exit). Turn right at the traffic lights and follow to San José (keep the middle lane as much as possible) until you get to Shell gas station at a Y-junction, keep left. Take the exit Guapiles-Limon and follow the road (nr. 32) to Limón, passing through the Zurqui bridge and the Braulio Carrillo mountains. It is likely that you will encounter fog and rain. Please drive with your lights on. After the mountains the road to Limon is practically straight with no hills.
When you reach Puerto Limon, just before you enter to the city you will see a sign (at the Texaco Station) where you turn right and go to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo and just follow the coast all the way down. The Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge is 11 km (7 miles) before you get to Cahuita and the station will be on your left. This route requires a total of five hours from San Jose.
Please note that if you have not left San Jose by 2 pm you will be driving part of the way at night. We do not recommend this for first time travelers driving in Costa Rica. Roads do not have lines, and rain can be bad and there are potholes and people walking/cycling that you can not see very well.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Cahuita National Park – Puerto Viejo, which takes 3.5 hours (Transportes Caribeños, 2257-8129). We recommend buying the ticket a day earlier to be sure your seat is saved.
By plane:
You can also take a flight from the Juan Santamaria Airport to the Limon, either with Sansa, TravelAir or Nature Air airlines, both with daily flights. From here you can rent a car and drive or take taxi to Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge, which is about 40 minutes.
Location: 11 km (7 miles) south of Cahuita, on the Southern Caribbean Coast
GPS Coordinates: 9.799189,-82.915383 (9°47’57.08″N, 82°54’55.38″W)
Size:55 ha (136 acres)
Altitude: sea level
Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge Telephone: +(506) 2750-0775
Aviarios del Caribe Wildlife Refuge Fax: +(506) 2750-0725
Caribbean La Amistad Conservation Area (ACLA-C) Telephone: +(506) 2795-1446
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Website: www.slothrescue.org
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