Sloths love life in the slow lane above all else - and this is where adorable orphaned babies of the species are able to carefully get into the swing of a leisurely life.

These pictures show impossibly cute baby sloths at the Sloth Institute in Costa Rica. The centre is a lifeline for them as they probably wouldn't have stood a chance if left alone in the wild.

The centre was set up by Sam Trull - known as 'Mother of Sloths' - and Seda Sejud, in a bid to enhance their well-being and assure their conservation.

Some of their babies are smaller than the size of a human hand, with one image showing a cheeky sloth snuggled up in a mug.

The heartwarming collection was captured for a book called Slothlove by Trull, who has been helping sloths return to the wild since 2013.

Her work helps with research around the world on wild and captive sloths as she collaborates with other institutions and, with them, helps to educate the public about the species. These images show how being motivated to help the cute creatures must come quite easily...

Best friends: Snuggling up to its teddy, this bright-eyed baby sloth is enjoying a happy recovery after being orphaned as a youngster

Some of their babies are smaller than the size of a human hand, with one image showing a cheeky sloth snuggled up in a mug