Zac, so glad you posted a comment about the pygmy sloths! They are SO COOL - they live only in Escudo de Veraguas, which is a little east of here - a beautiful island that we sailed right by on our way to Bocas a month ago, and are going to go back and explore in October. They were actually discovered and identified in 2001, but it wasn't until early this year that they got footage of one of the little guys (I think you can still view it at http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/02/0215_060215_sloth_video.html ).
There are only a few hundred of them and they are highly specialized to live in the briny mangrove environment around there.
As luck would have it the Nat'l Geo issue with the article about them (and a sweet article about ocelots on Barro Colorado Island, in the canal) was hanging around our little cabin in the mountains last week. The pictures of the little guys were over the top cute.
Funny you should suggest them as a boat pet, because we actually saw a boat in Puerto Lindo with a liveaboard sloth (quite the hood ornament, aint he).