Brown-Throated Sloth

Bradypus variegatus

### Regions

Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil

## Social

### Sterility

4 years
Death

### Interbirth

8 months
12 months

## Taxonomy

### Order

Mammalia
Pilosa

### Genus

Bradypodidae
Bradypus

The **Brown-Throated Sloth** (*Bradypus variegatus*) is a mid-sized South American xenarthran featured in the Tropical Pack DLC for *Planet Zoo*.

## Zoopedia Description

### General

**Population In Wild:** Unknown

The brown-throated sloth (or Bradypus variegatus) is an arboreal mammal living in the rainforests of Central and South America. It is pale grey to brown in color, has long gangly limbs, longer arms than legs, and no tail. The sloth has three long claws on both of its hands and feet, although the front claws are significantly longer. The brown-throated sloth has a round head with inconspicuous ears and dark brown markings going laterally from the eyes to the side of the head. Males and females mostly look the same, with the only difference being the male's distinctly patterned patch on its back. They measure 24in in length on average, and weigh 7.7lb to 11.4lb.

Brown-Throated sloths are are a species of Least Concern due to their widespread distribution across their habitat. However, they face pressure due to deforestation and human development, and their population numbers are declining.

### Social

The brown-throated sloth is solitary in the wild. Adults only spend time together to mate.

### Reproduction

Little information is known about the breeding season of brown-throated sloths. The duration may vary based on the location, but it's likely to take place between January and March in the Northern part of its range, just at the beginning of the rainy season. A female sloth vocalizes with screams to attract males and usually mates with the first male that responds to her call. He will join the female in her tree, where they will mate. Copulation lasts 10 to 15 minutes, and the male leaves immediately afterwards in search of other females.

After a pregnancy of 7 to 8 months, the female gives birth to one infant. After birth, she carries it around on her stomach. For the first 2 months of its life, the baby is nursed, and then begins to eat solid food as well. It may lick traces of food from its mother's mouth to learn which leaves are edible. At 4 months of age, it is fully weaned and independent.

Young female brown-throated sloths reach sexual maturity at around 3 years of age, while males become sexually mature at 4 years old on average.

## Animal Care

 HABITAT ENRICHMENT
Food Bowl · Browse Holder · Water Dish · Climbing Post · Basking Light · Hanging Chair · Sloth Nest

## Trivia

### Zoopedia Facts

* Brown-throated sloths can rotate their head 300 degrees similar to an owl.
* Brown-throated sloths have a very slow metabolism, as such, they rely on the heat of the sun to regulate their body temperature, unlike most mammals.
* The fur of the brown-throated sloth contains a unique symbiotic ecosystem of algae and fungi. Some of these are antibacterial, anti-parasitic, and anti-carcinogenic.
* The brown-throated sloth only comes to the ground once every 8 days to defecate. Researchers are still determining why sloths do this.
* Brown-throated sloths eat very tough, nutrient-poor leaves. They have multi-chambered stomachs, similar to that of ruminants like cows, that allows them to ferment and break down this material for more efficient digestion.

### Other Trivia

* The Brown Throated Sloth is the national animal of Costa Rica

* The Brown-Throated Sloth is the second mammal to be added as an exhibit animal, the first being the Egyptian Fruit Bat.
	+ It is also the second mammal added as a walkthrough exhibit animal.

## Gallery

First reveal for the Brown-Throated SlothBrown-Throated Sloth Animation