Two toed Sloth
Choloepus didactylus
Where do I Live? The Two toed sloth is found in tropical moist lowland and montane forest of Venezuela, Colombia, the Guiana’s, Brazil and into the upper Amazon Basin of Ecuador and Peru.
About me... Modern sloths are divided into two families based on the number of toes on their front feet. Two-toed sloths are larger than their three-toed cousins. They also have longer hair, bigger eyes, and their back and front legs are more equal in length
Sloths spend most of their life hanging upside-down from tree branches, whether sleeping, eating, mating, or giving birth. They descend to the ground only to change trees (food source) or to defecate (pooh) and because of their low metabolic rate they defecate only once each week! Food remains in their relatively short digestive tract for approximately one month. Sloths have been known to defend themselves with their claws and teeth, but they are usually quite docile, relying primarily on camouflage to protect them.
Social: The two-toed sloth is nocturnal, sleeping during the daytime and eating at night, they move very slowly one limb at a time, at about 0.5 km per hour, but are capable of speeds up to 1.6 km per hour. After a gestation period of 7-10 months., a single young is born and is carried on the mother's body for 6-9 months, hooking itself securely into her fur. By about 1 month it begins to take leaves chewed by the mother and after a further month it can pick its own leaves from those it can reach. It reaches adult size between 2-3 years old.
What dangers do I face in the wild? Habitat loss is the major threat to the sloth. Two-toed sloths are well camouflaged in tree canopies. Their most common resting position is curled into a ball in the branches and resembles either a termite nest or a knot in the wood. This, combined with the green colour of their fur, makes for great protection from predators. They are not as commonly hunted as armadillos or tamanduas. They are, however, increasingly caught for sale as pets to tourists in Colombia
