Guy Finds Creature On Beach, But Watch When He Turns Around

Living so close to nature can have its ups and downs. Those in isolated locations are at the mercy of nature. But the perks to having wildlife right outside your front door are unimaginable. Freedom, fresh air, and peace. The distance from the hustle and bustle of cities work magic on the mind. But one couple had more than their fair share of worries living with nature. The cries were that of a baby, hungry and desperate. Branches and debris littered the dark sand of the Costa Rican beach. The sky was still dark from the storm that had just passed. Dirk ran across the stones, his bare feet aching against the sharp boulders. He searched between stones and pebbles, under rubbish and fallen trees. In the distance, the body of a motionless creature was stuck between the hard stones. Was he too late? Lori and Dirk Morgan, a couple originally from Ohio, are fascinated with nature. For three generations, the Morgans have offered spectacular experiences and inspiring places throughout the world. From the Canadian wilderness to the eastern rivers of the Amazon, this family has one passion, to share their love of the outdoors with others. But sometimes the outdoors is much more than fun and sunshine. All of Dirk Morgan's destinations are ecological. The locations are protected by visitors by conserving the environment and ultimately protecting the natural beauty. Costa Rica is one of the most popular destinations associated with eco-tourism. With that in mind, they set up a visitor lodge on the Osa Peninsula, near the eastern town of Puerto Jimenez. The isolated location attracts many couples, one of which heard some strange noises on their routine stroll along the shore. They all heard the winds the night before, but the strong lodge kept them safe and dry from the unruly elements outside. Blankets and tea kept them warm enough to enjoy Mother Nature through a glass screen, while staying protected from a rat. Not everyone was as lucky. A wet and tired ball of hair lay motionless on the beach. The night was long and cruel for this young creature. No food, no warmth, no shelter, no protection. Without its mother, the young creature was vulnerable to the elements and other hungry animals. Dirk wasted no time. I took off, he shared, as he planted each foot on solid ground in a desperate attempt to reach the source of the sound before something else did. Young exposed animals are vulnerable, even with a parent close by. Alone, the fate of these babies is usually bleak. I'm literally sprinting down the beach barefoot with a kitchen apron on and a box with a towel in it. Dirk dropped his kitchen utensils and breakfast had to be put on hold. But these guests were more than happy to try to save this defenseless critter. He followed the desperate cries along the shore and found the creature huddled between the rocks. But upon closer inspection, this hairball seemed a bit peculiar. Long, overstretched arms, a bare, pink-pointed face, knotted, drenched hair. This creature seemed more like a drenched stuffed toy rather than an animal. Dirk couldn't distinguish between the sand and insects caught between its fleece. The cries didn't ease when Dirk lifted it from the flooding stone fortress. Was it injured? He was one step closer to identifying the creature. After a lone night of fear, Dirk gifted the creature with a dry towel in a cozy cardboard box. The lanky beast looked lost inside the large box, too big for its body. Its protruding nose was raw pink, a common side effect following eight hours of sand and storm exfoliation. Dirk wrapped a blanket around the young, shaking ball of fur. It reached for him. Something was off. Long nails that would make many beauticians go jealous scratched the cardboard. The creature stretched forward to rest two toes on the edge of the box. It struggled to take in the new surroundings. A squeal escaped, fearing that Dirk was yet another predator. Dirk and Lori paused. What were they to do now? Where could they bring this thing, and what even was it? The internet came to the rescue. Sloths are famous for their slow movements, extended limbs, and long nails. But this particular sloth was missing one important characteristic, a third toe. Dirk explained their discovery. We found a rare, young, two-toed sloth that survived the high tide and storm overnight. This sloth has little connection to his presumably obvious cousin. But they both have one critical similarity, their laziness. And it's more than a weekend sleep-in. A sloth's long limbs allow them to reach far without the need to move their body. They hate wasting energy on trivial things like standing, so save themselves the effort of balancing by hanging upside down from branches either asleep or awake. Most shockingly, sloths have the luxury of sleeping 15 to 18 hours a day, camouflaged amongst the trees. But on the ground, trouble awaits these perplexing creatures. These animals don't walk at all. Instead, they drag themselves along the ground. So naturally, they prefer the safety of trees away from predators. Nosy canines quickly found an interest in the stranded animal before Dirk and Lori managed to scare them away. It started making that pitiful crying sound like a baby, and it just totally melted my heart. Dirk, an avid animal lover, was shocked at how the sloth had managed to get this far once he got a closer look. The sloth was blinded from the amount of sand that covered his eyes. No doubt unable to defend itself, the Morgans arrived just in time. They returned to their lodge to clean up their new friend. Their rescue mission was later watched by over 100,000 people from all over the world and were touched by Dirk's kindness. They named their new friend Guanabana. But in just a week later, a shocking incident nearly cost them their lives. A fire broke out in their beloved lodge. Unable to quench the flames, the Morgans fled from their beloved lodge before it was burnt to the ground. There were no casualties, but the Morgans only had the clothes on their backs following the incident. They stood before their livelihood, dreading the worries of where they would sleep that night. But thanks to their eco-friendly ways and the internet, their previous good deed the week before was far from forgotten. The jungle lodge served as an educational center to a variety of travelers and students of the last two decades. Besides baby sloths, the Morgans have also rescued, donated, and moved bee colonies to the Cincinnati Zoo. They also brought little Guanabana to the Tranquility Rescue Center. Since the GoFundMe page was set up, it has managed to put together $1,500 to help this kind couple rebuild their famous second home. Much more than a fire is needed to keep their couple from doing what they love.