Cute Sloth Goes Viral After Rescue in Ecuador

A photo of an adorable little sloth clutching a traffic barrier in the middle of a road has gone viral, tugging heartstrings around the globe.

The Ecuador Highway Commission released the photos of the tiny sloth on Facebook after the animal was rescued from the newly opened Quevedo highway in Los Rios, Ecuador. The post quickly caught fire, with the pictures of the "beautiful sloth" being shared over 14,200 times.

Officials suspect the poor animal became trapped by the high-speed traffic on both sides, although how the slow-moving creature got to middle of the road unharmed has not been answered.

Commentators were particularly fond of one close-up pic where it looked as if the sloth was smiling at the camera. Although judging by its close proximity to the rushing traffic and how it clutched the steel beam, it was likely frightened to death.

According to 9News, the tree-dwelling mammal may have ventured down to the road to relieve itself, which they typically do once a week.

The Highway Commission on Facebook confirmed the sloth was later safely returned to its home.

"Esteemed friends, we are grateful to all for your concern. Be advised, the sloth bear rescued by our units was checked by a veterinarian, and determinedit was in optimal conditions to be returned to its habitat. We are grateful to all those who were interested in the health of the animal. We will continue to support these kinds of cases along with the collaboration of the citizens. Greetings to all," read the Facebook response.

Sloths are sharp-clawed, but mostly harmless mammals that sport an incredibly slow metabolism. Despite this, they manage to avoid predators by staying relatively unnoticed and rarely leaving their home amongst the tree branches above.

Check out another cute video of sloths below!