Sloth From Suriname

Three-Toed Sloth

The sloth of Suriname has three fingers on one hand, There are also sloth which have only two fingers on one hand. Incidentally, all sloths have three toes on a foot. Like the other sloths, but unlike any other mammal, the three-toed sloth has nine cervical vertebrae. It can rotate at least 180°.

The three-toed sloth is about 50 centimeters long. In the rainy season algae grow in the grey-brown fur, which creates a greenish appearance. The fur of such a sloth is an ecosystem. Algae and bacteria have settled between the hairs and their fur has that typical greenish hue.

The camouflage protects the slow animal from eagles and other predators. The face is cream colored and a brown band runs across the forehead. There is a dark face mask around the eyes. The throat is light in color.
The male three-toed sloth, like the male capuchin sloth, has a dorsal gland, speculum, which is visible as an orange spot on the back.

A dark brown stripe runs in the longitudinal direction of the spot. Often there are also some smaller spots around the stripe. The function of this gland is as yet unclear, but it may have an advantage in finding a partner.

Sloths have a tree-climbing lifestyle. Leaves, their main food source, provide little energy and are not easily digested: sloths therefore have a very large, specialized multi-parted stomach in which symbiotic bacteria break down the tough leaves. Sloths can also eat insects, small lizards and carrion.

The sloth defends itself with its claws when in danger. That is his only defense mechanism. The sloth is especially vulnerable on the ground. When they hang in a tree, they are almost invisible because they move so slowly. A sloth does not run faster than 2.5 meters per minute on the ground. It would take him well over 6.5 hours to cover a distance of one kilometer. Sloths in the wild sleep a little less than 10 hours a day.