Orphaned baby sloths learning to climb is too cute (video)

A video showing baby sloths learning to climb on a rocking chair might be the cutest thing you've seen this week, or maybe even this year.

The Toucan Rescue Ranch in Nicaragua is a centre for all animals but they specialise in birds and sloths, releasing them back into the wild once they're able to survive.

See also: Cute sloths climbing a frame (video)

See also: Sloth enjoys a ride on a speedboat

Zoologist and photographer Lucy Cooke, who runs the Sloth Appreciation Society and produces a sloth calendar every year, visited the centre, which is run by a lady called Lesley.

Lucy said: "The sloths in the video are all orphans, their parents were either killed by dogs or hit by cars.

"I was out in Costa Rica taking photos for my sloth calendar and I was particularly charmed by the Toucan Rescue Ranch and this novel method they have for teaching the sloths how to climb.

"It's very important if you're a sloth to know how to climb a tree.

"Lesley puts the sloths during the day on her verandah on rocking chairs, and when they start to climb, the chairs move and mimic the movement of a tree, so it gets them used to something that's not entirely stable."

One of the babies, called Marley, seems to be getting around the climbing bit though.

Lucy said: "Marley climbs the bottom of the rocking chair, then rocks himself to sleep down there, so he's not really doing a whole lot of exercise, more resting."

Lucy added: "As a zoologist I love their eccentric biology but I think you cannot resist an animal that was born to hug and has a natural smile."