International Sloth Day2026 · Date · History · Messages
AIUNAU states that it created International Sloth Day as a commitment from the first international meeting on sloth wellbeing and conservation in Medellín in November 2010 and set it for the third Saturday in October. Current conservation organizations also commonly use October 20; that later usage is disclosed as a date convention rather than silently replacing the creator-side rule.
About International Sloth Day
International Sloth Day is a wildlife-awareness and conservation observance created by the Colombian foundation AIUNAU after an international meeting on sloth wellbeing and conservation in Medellín in 2010.
AIUNAU’s creator-side rule places the day on the third Saturday in October; some current conservation organizations instead use the fixed date October 20, so readers may encounter both conventions.
Why International Sloth Day matters
The observance is intended to help people learn about sloths, their habitats and the conservation and welfare problems they face.
Responsible participation centers on wild-sloth protection and avoids wildlife handling or tourism practices that use sloths as props.
History of International Sloth Day
AIUNAU states that it created International Sloth Day as a commitment arising from the first International Meeting on the Wellbeing and Conservation of Sloths, held in Medellín, Colombia, in November 2010.
AIUNAU says organizers Sarita Kendall and Tinka Plese established the observance for the third Saturday in October.
AIUNAU also explains the October timing by reference to children and animals month in Colombia.
Current conservation organizations including The Sloth Conservation Foundation use October 20, creating a real modern date convention alongside the creator-side third-Saturday rule.
The reviewed creator-side material does not establish the exact first public edition after the 2010 meeting, so that detail remains unresolved.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
AIUNAU Foundation; organizers Sarita Kendall and Tinka Plese
AIUNAU states that the foundation created International Sloth Day and names Sarita Kendall and Tinka Plese as the organizers associated with establishing the day.
AIUNAU Foundation, following the first International Meeting on the Wellbeing and Conservation of Sloths
Creator-side material says AIUNAU took on the commitment at the Medellín meeting in November 2010 and created the day.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
6 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe International Sloth Day
Learn about sloth biology and conservation from organizations that work directly with wild sloths and habitat protection.
Support habitat conservation, canopy connectivity or reputable rescue-and-rehabilitation work where the organization explains its welfare practices clearly.
Choose wildlife tourism that keeps wild sloths wild: do not touch, hold, feed, pose with or deliberately disturb them.
Follow lawful local wildlife rules, stay on permitted paths and use trained local guides where appropriate instead of approaching animals for a closer photo.
International Sloth Day Facts
AIUNAU identifies itself as the creator of International Sloth Day.
The creator-side rule is the third Saturday in October.
The initiative arose from a 2010 international meeting on sloth wellbeing and conservation in Medellín, Colombia.
Some current conservation organizations use October 20, so two date conventions are in circulation.
The day is a conservation-awareness observance, not a license for hands-on contact with wild sloths.
International Sloth Day Messages
Celebrate sloths with curiosity, conservation and distance—wild animals should stay wild and free from handling.
May International Sloth Day support safer forests, responsible wildlife experiences and better protection for sloths.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
PROFEPA (Mexico) — Día Internacional de los Perezosos (opens in a new tab)
Government Corroboration
AIUNAU — International Sloth Day (opens in a new tab)
Creator Primary
The Sloth Conservation Foundation — International Sloth Day (opens in a new tab)
Conservation Current Practice
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Sloth Day?
Third Saturday in October The documented recurrence rule is: Third Saturday in October each year..
Does International Sloth Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is International Sloth Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: international sloth-awareness and conservation observance with a creator-side third-Saturday-in-October rule and a documented current October 20 usage variant. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Sloth Day?
The reviewed sources identify AIUNAU Foundation, following the first International Meeting on the Wellbeing and Conservation of Sloths as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as AIUNAU Foundation; organizers Sarita Kendall and Tinka Plese.
Is International Sloth Day international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: international sloth-awareness and conservation observance with a creator-side third-Saturday-in-October rule and a documented current October 20 usage variant. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-10-07.
When is International Sloth Day?
AIUNAU, the creator identified in the reviewed evidence, set it for the third Saturday in October. Some current conservation organizations use October 20, so both conventions can appear.
Who created International Sloth Day?
AIUNAU states that the foundation created the observance following a 2010 international sloth-welfare and conservation meeting in Medellín, Colombia.
Why is it held in October?
AIUNAU says the organizers chose the third Saturday in October in connection with children and animals month in Colombia.
Was the first observance in 2010?
The reviewed evidence establishes the creation decision in November 2010 but does not establish the exact first public edition, so that is left unresolved.
How can I celebrate responsibly?
Learn from conservation sources, support habitat protection and avoid touching, feeding, holding or disturbing wild sloths.
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