Ohio man rescues baby sloth in Costa Rica

A husband and wife rescued a baby sloth clinging to life on the Osa Peninsula - one of the world's most biodiverse regions of Costa Rica. (Morgan's Jungle Lodge Facebook)

Dirk Morgan and his wife are no strangers to outdoor adventures, but he says of their encounter with a struggling sloth on the shore in Costa Rica was out of the ordinary.

The Morgan family operates a Jungle Lodge in Puerto Jiménez on the Osa Peninsula ─ one of the world's most biodiverse regions ─ so they are used to encounters with tropical wildlife.

But Monday morning, they heard an unusual noise coming from the rocks of the coastal area of Punta Tigre and discovered a baby sloth clinging to life.

Morgan says the sun had been up for only an hour after a night of storms and high tide. There was no way to know from where the sloth came, but it was clear it needed help.

Morgan says if the sloth had not succumbed to the afternoon sun, nearby dogs would have made it their prey.

Taking photos and video along the way, the Morgans gathered a box, a towel and some fresh water, and began to rehabilitate the little jungle animal.

As luck would have it, the Morgans' Jungle Lodge is located right next door to an animal sanctuary owned by hedge fund manager, founder of the Robin Hood Foundation and preservationist Paul Tudor Jones.

The Morgans said the staff at the sanctuary welcomed the sloth and immediately began nursing it.

Photos from the Morgans seem to show a smile on the sloth's face after being rescued and wrapped in a towel.

Dirk Morgan says he did what any person would have done to help a living being in need, but admits it was a great way to begin 2018.

Dirk says he was glad they happened to be in the right place at the right time to help this baby sloth.

This story originally appeared on FOX 13.