We are so excited to have Dr. Rebecca Cliffe on to discuss the Sloth Conservation Foundation. Dr. Cliffe is their founder and director. After completing her graduate studies and seeing the decline of the sloths she decided to act. We spend an hour discussing all things sloths and know you will enjoy this interview.
Biography
Dr. Becky Cliffe, a British zoologist, is considered to be one of the world’s leading experts on sloth biology and ecology. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Sloth Conservation Foundation.
Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth
Bradypus variegatus
Rebecca Cliff, sloth biologist, holding sloth wearing “sloth backpack” in boat traveling to release site
Aviarios Sloth Sanctuary, Costa Rica
Through her PhD at Swansea University, Becky spearheaded the longest recorded study into wild sloth ecology through The Sloth Backpack Project, and has since expanded her work to encompass many different aspects of sloth biology, ecology and conservation. Although her areas of research are broad, Becky’s work has always been focused around one central goal: helping sloths – whether that is through the improvement of rehabilitation programs or by tackling the problems that sloths are facing in the wild.
Becky found herself fascinated by the natural world at a very young age and much of her childhood was spent outdoors, searching for weird and wonderful creatures to add to her various ‘bug boxes’. This fascination really became apparent at the tender age of seven, when she proudly presented her parents with the rotting remains of a dead squirrel and pleaded with them to find out why it had died. Needless to say, they quickly realized she was a budding biologist in the making.
