One of the 5 sloths on WAnimals
Mammals · Pilosa · Bradypodidae
Pygmy Three-toed Sloth
Bradypus pygmaeus
It faces an extremely high risk of imminent extinction in the wild. See full glossary
The pygmy three-toed sloth is one of the most threatened mammals in the world and lives only on Isla Escudo de Veraguas, a Panamanian islet of little more than four square kilometres. It is a textbook case of insular dwarfism: it is around 40% smaller than the mainland three-toed sloth from which it separated some 9,000 years ago, when rising sea levels isolated the island. It feeds almost exclusively on red mangrove leaves, a resource very poor in energy.
Weight
2.5 kg – 3.5 kg
Size
48 cm – 53 cm
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Irregular activity
Active at irregular times, by day or night depending on circumstances.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Very hard
Estimated population
Field estimates of fewer than a hundred individuals
Fun facts
- conservaciónIt is critically endangered and confined to a single island off the coast of Panama, with a total population estimated at a few hundred.
- It separated from its mainland relatives barely 9,000 years ago, when rising sea levels after the last glaciation cut off its islet: it is a very young species in evolutionary terms.
- It swims well among the mangroves, and its fur harbours green algae that camouflage it among the foliage and give it a characteristic greenish tinge.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Red mangrove stands of Isla Escudo de Veraguas, in the Panamanian Caribbean
- Litter / clutch size
- 1
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradypus_pygmaeus
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Pygmy Three-toed Sloth — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Pale-Throated Three-Toed Sloth
Bradypus tridactylus
Brown-throated Sloth
Bradypus variegatus
VulnerableGiant Anteater
Myrmecophaga tridactyla
Northern Tamandua
Tamandua mexicana
Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth
Choloepus hoffmanni
How to help
The pygmy three-toed sloth is classified as critically endangered. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
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