Sloth

Species
Sloth

Species
Sloth

Sloth

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Facts
Why They Matter
Threats
What WWF is Doing
How You Can Help

Facts

Habitats
Rain Forest

Sloths—the sluggish tree-dwellers of Central and South America—spend their lives in the tropical rain forests. They move through the canopy at a rate of about 40 yards per day, munching on leaves, twigs and buds. Sloths have an exceptionally low metabolic rate and spend 15 to 20 hours per day sleeping. And surprisingly enough, the long-armed animals are excellent swimmers. They occasionally drop from their treetop perches into water for a paddle.

There are two different types of sloths, two-toed and three-toed, and six species:

Pygmy three-toed sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus)
Maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus)
Pale-throated sloth (Bradypus tridactylus)
Brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus)
Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus)
Hoffman’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)

Of those, the pygmy sloth is critically endangered and the maned sloth is vulnerable.

Places
Amazon
Habitats
Forest Habitat

Browse Photos & Videos

Moving fast to photograph a slow sloth

Sloths are slow-moving creatures that spend their lives in tree canopies, munching on leaves and napping. When you spot one, you have time to think. Still, getting this shot had its challenges.

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Why They Matter

Sloths are an integral part of tropical rain forest ecosystems. Among the most common mid-sized mammals in Central and South American rain forests is the brown-throated sloth.

Threats

The health of sloth populations is wholly dependent on the health of tropical rain forests. But tropical rain forests are at risk of deforestation. Without an abundance of trees, sloths will lose their shelter and food source. When sloths come to the forest floor—which they do once a week to relieve themselves—they are more exposed to predators and can do little to fend them off.

What WWF Is Doing

WWF works with communities, governments and companies to encourage sustainable forestry. WWF created the Global Forest & Trade Network to create a market for environmentally responsible forest products. The network works at national and regional levels to expand the area of forests under responsible management. And since 2003, WWF has been working with the Brazilian government on the Amazon Region Protected Areas initiative (ARPA) to protect rain forest. ARPA has become the largest conservation project in the world.