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  • Southern Two-toed Sloth
Mammals

Southern Two-toed Sloth

Scientific Name

Choloepus didactylus

Body Weight

4-8 kg

Body Length

46-86 cm

Silhouette of a sloth hanging from a branch next to a standing man for size comparison.
Sloth hanging upside down, eating a carrot.

Habitat

Forests
Two green trees and small bushes.

Diet

Leaves, twigs and fruits
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Fun Facts

  • Southern two-toed sloths have slow metabolic rates so that they can live on small quantities of food, which consists of mainly vegetation. Digestion takes nearly a month and they discharge body waste only once a week. Being nocturnal, they move very slowly and sleep for more than 15 hours during the day.

  • Southern two-toed sloths live an upside-down life hanging from tree branches high up in the canopy. They maintain this position even when they eat, sleep or breed. They only come down to the ground for defecation or reaching another tree.

    • Sloth hanging upside down from a rope.
    Close-up of a sloth's face with brown fur, dark eyes, and a black nose, looking slightly upwards.

    Distribution

    Northern part of South America, including Venezuela, Guyana, Colombia and Brazil

    Threats & Conservation

    Threats & Conservation

    Threats

    • Stylized city buildings on a roadStylized city buildings on a road

      Urbanisation & Infrastructure

    • An axe and a hexagonal grid with red dotsAn axe and a hexagonal grid with red dots

      Overexploitation of Biological Resources

    • Forest fire with trees in the background.Forest fire with trees in the background.

      Human Disturbance & Ecosystem Disruption

    As southern two-toed sloths spend their life in trees, logging in rainforests destroys their habitats. As the forests retreat, these sloths are more exposed to illegal poaching.

    Conservation

    IUCN Red List categories with "Least Concern" highlighted. Text reads "Endangered Species Red List" and "Least Concern".
    CITES logo and text Appendix II

    IUCN Red List

    • Least Concern

    CITES

    • Appendix II

    Conservation

    • Protected under the Protection of Endangered Species of Animals and Plants Ordinance (Cap. 586) in Hong Kong.

    Support Mission R to protect animals & plants!

    Saving Species & Habitats

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