The brown-throated sloth (or Bradypus variegatus) is an arboreal mammal living in the rainforests of Central and South America. It is pale grey to brown in colour, has long gangly limbs, longer arms than legs, and a short, vestigial tail. The sloth has three long claws on both of its hands and feet, although the front claws are significantly longer. The brown-throated sloth has a round head with inconspicuous ears and dark brown markings going laterally from the eyes to the side of the head. Males and females mostly look the same, with the only difference being the male’s distinctly patterned patch on its back. They measure 60cm in length on average, and weigh 3.5kg to 5.2kg.
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Bradypus variegatus
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Animal Facts
The brown-throated sloth only comes to the ground once every 8 days to defecate. Researchers are still determining why sloths do this.
The fur of the brown-throated sloth contains a unique symbiotic ecosystem of algae and fungi. Some of these are antibacterial, anti-parasitic and anti-carcinogenic.
Brown-throated sloths eat very tough, nutrient poor leaves so they have a multichambered stomach, similar to that of ruminants like cows, that allows them to ferment and break down this material for more efficient digestion.
Brown-throated sloths have a very slow metabolism, as such, they rely on the heat of the sun to regulate their body temperature, unlike most mammals.
Brown-throated sloths can rotate their head 300 degrees similarly to an owl.
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