Two-Toed Sloth
Choloepus didactylus
Animal Behavior: Sloths move slowly and deliberately. They 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. They have a low metabolic rate and defecate only once each week. Food remains in their relatively short digestive tract for approximately one month. Choloepus didactylus can move around quite well in the trees (125 feet per day), but are significantly less mobile on the ground, dragging their body across the ground. Sloths are also good swimmers, having a streamlined body and fur that has evolved for wet, tropical weather.
These sloths are primarily nocturnal, sleeping for 15 hours during the day, and waking during the night only to feed. The sloths eat by grasping vegetation with one foot and pulling it to their mouths.
Two-toed sloths are well camouflaged in tree canopies. Their most common resting position is curled into a ball in the branches of a tree and resembles either a termite nest or a knot in the wood. This, combined with the green color of their fur, makes for great protection from predators. 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. Two-toed sloths are also mostly silent, but can let out hisses and low cries or moans if distressed.
Eating Habits: Choloepus didactylus feed primarily on vegetation, including berries, leaves, small twigs, and fruits, cropping the leaves with their lips. On occasion sloths have been known to eat insects and other small prey. They obtain water from vegetation and by lapping dew..
Range: Found in the tropical forest canopies of Central America and northern South America, including portions of Brazil and Peru.
Conservation Efforts: Two-toed sloths are in serious danger of losing their habitat due to logging of rain forests. Aside from captive animals, this is the only area in the world in which this species lives. Several organizations are currently working to protect these areas.
Animal Facts: Average life span of two-toed sloths is 20 years in the wild, ages of 30 to 40 years have been recorded in captivity. Females of this species of sloth reach sexual maturity at 3 years of age, males reach sexual maturity between 4 and 5. After a gestation period of six months, females give birth to one offspring each year. When the young are born they are 10 inches in length and weigh 12 ounces. They cling to their mother's belly for 5 weeks until they have the strength to move on their own.
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