Field guide · common
Sloth
The slow-motion acrobat — a tree-dwelling mammal so unhurried that moss grows in its fur.
Least Concern
Overview
Sloths are the undisputed champions of taking it easy. Three-toed sloths spend nearly their entire lives hanging upside down in rainforest canopy, moving so slowly that green algae grow in their fur — camouflage that also feeds moths living in the coat.
Everything about sloths is adapted for energy conservation: a slow metabolism, low muscle mass, and a diet of leaves that takes days to digest. They descend to the ground only once a week to defecate — a risky journey that puzzles scientists.
Habitat
Lowland tropical rainforest canopy in Costa Rica, Panama, and across Central and northern South America holds three-toed sloths. They need continuous forest with cecropia and other favoured tree species.
Countries found
Interesting facts
- 01
Sloths move so slowly that algae grows on their fur — camouflage and extra nutrients.
- 02
They can rotate their heads 270 degrees to scan for predators.
- 03
Sloths are excellent swimmers — they sometimes cross rivers between trees.
Conservation status
Brown-throated three-toed sloths are Least Concern, though deforestation in Central America reduces habitat. Costa Rica's protected forests support healthy populations.
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Where it lives
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