Tag Archives: Conservation Efforts

Brown-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus)

Other common names

Brown-throated sloth
Brown-throated three-fingered sloth

Taxonomy

Order: Pilosa
Family: Bradypodidae

Description

This sloth has a head-body length of 52–54 cm and a small, vestigial tail of around 5 cm. It weighs around 3.7–6 kg. The forelimbs are long (37–45 cm), and the hindlimbs relatively short (32–37 cm). Its body is covered with long, coarse, gray hair, but they often look greenish due to the algae that grow on their hair. There is a dark stripe over a lighter colored and browner face, giving the appearance of a mask. Males have a dorsal speculum of shorter cream to orange-colored hair, with a dark stripe running vertically down the center of it.

Range

This sloth species ranges from Honduras in the north, through southern Central America. In South America, it occurs from Colombia to western and southern Venezuela, as well as south into Ecuador, eastern Peru and Bolivia, and most of Brazil.

Habitat and Ecology

Bradypus variegatus has been recorded from a number of forest types including seasonal mesic tropical forest, semi-deciduous forest (inland Atlantic Forest), cloud forest, and lowland tropical forest. It inhabits cacao (Theobroma cacao) plantations in Costa Rica. Indeed, regenerating forests, such as those disturbed by shade cacao plantations, might provide positive population growth for this species.

Brown-throated three-toed sloths are usually more active during the day than at night. Home range size is between 0.1 and 19 hectares, and an individual moves on average only 40 m per day. Population densities have been estimated at 0.6 to 8.5 animals per hectare. The species has the ability to withstand habitat changes. Individuals that lose their habitats partially or totally are able to use the resources offered by vegetation fragments in urban areas, both in preserved or restored areas (parks, reserves) and those used for urban afforestation. This fact refers mainly to the Atlantic Forest region of Brazil, as it has become a very critical environment for the survival of B. variegatus due to the high degree of anthropization related to the growth of numerous cities along the coast of Brazil. The species is also commonly found in public squares, where densities can reach 12.5 animals per hectare. Although it uses many different tree species, a sloth usually has a few “modal” trees within its home range on which it spends most of the time resting and foraging.

Reproduction

The brown-throated three-toed sloth produces one litter of a single offspring at intervals of at least 19 months. The mating period varies depending on the year and geographical region, but occurs mainly in spring (i.e., from July to November in South America and from February to May in Central America). Gestation is about 6 months. The offspring completely depend on their mother for at least 100 days, during which they cling to its belly.

Diet

This is a strict folivore that eats leaves in canopies of trees. It can feed on more than 50 plant species and prefers young leaves. Its digestion is extremely slow, and it climbs down to the ground to defecate only once a week.

Curious Facts

Sloths, algae, and certain moths have a mutualistic relationship. The hair of sloths have deep grooves or cracks that are colonized by algae. Moths living in the sloth’s fur provide nutrients that the algae need for growth. When the sloths climb down to defecate, they transport the moths to the sloth dung, where the insects lay their eggs. The moth larvae then feed on the dung. When the sloth climbs down again, adult moths get from the dung into the fur, closing the cycle. The algae provide the sloths protection from predators via camouflage by giving their fur a greenish appearance, but they can also be used as a food source.

Threats

As occurring with other species, severe habitat degradation and fragmentation seems to be the main threat to the species. Some subpopulations, especially in Colombia and the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, are declining due to deforestation. In Bolivia, the agro-industrial expansion was accompanied by large forest fires in 2019–2021, which affected around 5 million hectares. Although their impact on sloths has not been quantified, there are reports of sloths that died during these fires.
Furthermore, they are hunted by local indigenous communities. Wild-caught individuals, especially offspring, are sold as pets to tourists in Colombia, Bolivia, and Honduras. This illegal trade is increasing and represents a cause of concern due to its impact on the wild populations. The species is handled by tourists in Central and South America, including the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon, as an attraction for the “selfie” market. Mortality on roads also occurs.

Population trend

Decreasing.

Conservation status

Bradypus variegatus is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution including a large part of the Amazon forest, presumed large population, and its occurrence in a number of protected areas. Although there are threats, such as habitat loss due to deforestation, wildfires, illegal trade, and the use of wild individuals for selfie tourism, they are not thought to be causing significant declines in the global population. They may, however, do so at the local level and warrant listing of the species in a threatened category in regional Red Lists. The species is included in CITES Appendix II.

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Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)

Other common names

Hoffmann’s two-fingered sloth

Taxonomy

Order: Pilosa
Family: Megalonychidae

Description

This sloth has a head-body length of 50–70 cm, a short vestigial tail of 1.4–3 cm, and it weighs 2.7–10 kg. The long fore- and hindlimbs are nearly equal in length. The two foreclaws and the three hindclaws are about 5–6.5 cm long. The body hair ranges from yellowish, blond, buff, or tan, to light brown in adults, but it may appear greenish from the algae that grow on the hairs. The face is usually lighter than the rest of the body, and shorter and finer on cheek and throat than on the neck and shoulder.

Range

Choloepus hoffmanni has two disjunct populations. The northern population ranges from southern Honduras to South America, where it can be found west of the Andes from northwestern Venezuela through Colombia to northwestern Ecuador. The southern population is found east of the Andes, from north-central Peru through the southwestern Brazilian Amazon to northern Bolivia. Its range within Brazil is unclear, and further surveys are needed.

Diet

The Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth is a generalist herbivore. Its diet consists mainly of leaves, fruits, flower buds, twig tips, young stems, sap of some trees, and apparently some animal matter. In Costa Rica, the species has been observed using 34 different tree species as food.

Reproduction

This sloth breeds year-round. Gestation is long, about 340–378 days, and females give birth to a single offspring about every 15 months. The young are usually dependent on their mothers for more than 200 days.

Curious facts

Unlike Bradypus sloths, Choloepus species have enlarged caniniform (canine-like) teeth that they may use both in display and physical defense.

Population trend

Decreasing.

Habitat and Ecology

Choloepus hoffmanni is largely found in lowland and montane tropical forest. In Central America, it occurs in evergreen and semi-deciduous tropical moist forest, as well as in secondary forest, but it is rare or absent in lowland dry forest. In Costa Rica, it is able to use cocoa plantations (Theobroma cacao) as habitat and frequently ventures into relatively open pastures in search of isolated feeding trees. In Nicaragua, it has been observed in dry grassland with thorny shrubs and trees.

These sloths are arboreal, nocturnal, and rather solitary. They can move as much as 300 m per night. The home range is about 2.5–21.5 hectares and highly variable, especially in males; in cocoa farms of Costa Rica, adult males had home ranges of 1.1–139.5 hectares. The species occurs at densities of 1.05 animals per hectare on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, of 0.3 to 1.5 animals per hectare in the Andean region of Colombia, and 0.2 to 0.83 individuals per hectare in the lowlands of northern Colombia.

Threats

Some subpopulations, especially those in Colombia, Central America, Bolivia and Brazil, are declining due to severe habitat degradation and fragmentation. In Honduras this habitat degradation is due to extensive cattle ranching and agricultural crops. In Bolivia it is related to large wildfires, which may kill the animals or affect them indirectly through habitat loss. In Brazil, the few known occurrence records for Choloepus hoffmanni come from the Amazon’s arc of deforestation.

Furthermore, they are hunted by indigenous communities. Wild-caught individuals, especially offspring, are sold as pets to tourists in Colombia. This illegal trade is increasing and represents a cause of concern due to its impact on the wild population.

Individuals inhabiting small forest patches of fragmented forests may fall victims of domestic dogs or other terrestrial predators. In agroforests in Costa Rica, Hoffmann’s two-toed sloths are exposed to pesticides. Electrocution is also an increasing cause of concern in urban areas of Costa Rica.

Conservation status

Choloepus hoffmanni is listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and its occurrence in a number of protected areas. The species is affected by several threats, especially ongoing deforestation, wildfires, hunting, and illegal trade. It is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a threatened category. However, some subpopulations could potentially be assessed as Near Threatened or Vulnerable. In Brazil, for instance, the species is listed as Near Threatened.

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Día Mundial de la Vida Silvestre | World Wildlife Day 💚🌎

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Ciclo Reproductivo del Perezoso de Dos Dedos Gestación, Nacimiento y Cuidado Maternal

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Saving Costa Rica Wildlife: Inspiring Stories from Proyecto Asis

We can make a difference in the animals’ lives by learning their stories. Thanks to @maricelquesadaphotography for now being another ambassador for Costa Rica wildlife 💚
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Injured Yellow-eared Toucan

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