Lost sloth clings to crash barrier pole while awaiting help

An intervention has been staged to help rescue a sloth found clinging to a crash barrier in the middle of an Ecuadorian road.

The sloth was featured in a post on the local transport commission Facebook page on January 23, and has since received more than 40,450 likes, 11,685 shares and 1500 comments.

The photos show a Quevedo transport officer approaching the lone sloth, which appears largely unfazed by the ordeal, smiling placidly at the camera.

The transport commission said the sloth was successfully rescued and underwent a check-up by a local vet, before being returned to the wild.

Sloths, credited with having the slowest metabolism in the animal kingdom, are known to spend most of their existence dangling from tree branches.

This sloth’s presence on the ground may be attributed to the mammal’s custom of climbing down once a week to relieve itself.

It is possible this particular sloth may have attempted the trek and in the process become lost.