Hoffman's Sloth
Choloepus hoffmanni
Mammal
Order Xenarthra
Description
Head and body length is 21 - 29 in.. Weight; 9 - 19 lbs..
Color: grayish brown with a paler face. The shoulders and top of the head
being the darkest. The coat often has a greenish cast, produced by algal
growth on the skin during the wet seasons. The forelimbs have two hooked
claws,the hind limbs have three.
Range
Central to South America (Nicaragua to Peru and central Brazil.)
Status
C.I.T.E.S. III.

Photo © Greg Neise |
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Ecology
- Habitat
- Lowland and upland tropical forests; montane forest to 7,000 ft.
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- Niche
- Nocturnal, arboreal and herbivorous, usually becomes active one hour
before sunset feeding on leaves, tender twigs and fruits.
Life History
Females have a single young after an 11.5 month gestation. Females tend
to gather in groups while males are solitary. Longevity in the wild is 12
to 20 years. In captivity, 32 year old specimens have been recorded.
Special Adaptations
- A nocturnal lifestyle and extremely slow movements help the sloth go
unnoticed.
- Special hairs encourage algae colonization on the body, offer effective
camouflage as well as beneficial nutrients that can be absorbed by licking
or through the skin.
- Sloths spend nearly their entire lives in an upside down position,
eating, sleeping, mating and giving birth in that position.
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