Linné’s Two-Toed Sloth

Choloepus didactylus

It pays to be lazy

Sloths earned their name from their slow-paced lifestyle, which is actually cleverer than you might think. Life in slow motion allows the animals to save lots of energy. Because their metabolism is so slow, they are able to get the most out of the low-nutrient plants they eat.

Characteristics

Origin
outh America: Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana
Habitat
tropical rainforest, upper Amazon basin
Diet
Sloths eat fruits, leaves and roots.
Status
least concern

Size
60 to 85 cm
Weight
5 to 8 kg
Gestation period
6 to 9 months
Achievable age
approx. 40 years

Threat Categories of IUCN

Just hanging around

Sloths’ claws grow up to ten centimetres in length, which makes it easy for them to cling to branches. Two-toed sloths have two of these claws on their front feet, and three on the back – perfect for a life mainly spent hanging upside down!

Did you know that ...

... Sloths only climb down from their trees to “go to the toilet”
... and they only need to do so once a week, thanks to their extra-slow digestion?

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