A new relationship with animals, nature and each other.

Happy Valentine’s. Your Bucket of Love

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Lucy Cooke, explorer and writer for National Geographic, pays another visit to the Aviarios del Caribe sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica. [readon]

Sloths are one of nature’s most enigmatic animals and in order to care for them the sanctuary’s founder, sloth whisperer Judy Arroyo has had to figure out some of the secrets behind the sloth’s smile. Contrary to popular belief, sloths aren’t lazy or stupid but mindful and energy-saving. And utterly adorable. The babies in particular are a goofy mixture of inappropriate dozing, wobbly vulnerability and hooks for hands.

Here’s her latest video:

(More from Lucy Cooke here on Vimeo.)

Note: Mind-blowingly cute though they are, sloths aren’t pets, should never be turned into pets, and don’t survive well as pets, especially when they’re still young. They need a well-regulated body temperature, perfectly adjusted to clinging to their mom in a warm, tropical environment.

Coming up next month, Cooke’s new book: A Little Book of Sloth.