# Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth

*Bradypus variegatus*

Their fur grows in the opposite direction of most mammals—from the stomach to the back—allowing rainwater to run off while they hang upside down.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Pilosa › Bradypodidae › Bradypus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Neotropical rainforests, cloud forests, and secondary forests.
- **Diet:** Folivorous; feeds almost exclusively on the leaves, buds, and soft twigs of various trees, particularly Cecropia.
- **Range:** Central America, South America, Amazon Basin
- **Size:** 40-80 cm in length; 2.2-6.3 kg
- **Lifespan:** 30-40 years
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Habitat loss due to deforestation, habitat fragmentation, and deaths from power line electrocution or domestic dog attacks.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless but defensive if touched. Maintain a distance of at least 5 meters. Do not attempt to handle, as they have sharp claws and can deliver a painful bite if threatened. If scratched or bitten, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical advice due to potential bacteria or parasites in their fur.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/d447befd-05f4-439e-a274-28d0eeb4be73
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47067

- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/60587910/medium.jpg (Aitor, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.