Andele Two-toed Sloth
IUCN: Least Concern
Central and South America are home to six sloth species, two of which are two-toed sloths and four of which are three-toed sloths. Curiously, the two-toed sloths (Choloepus) are not closely related to the Bradypus, or three-toed sloths. Genetic data have revealed that the two genera have actually independently evolved their slow, arboreal lifestyles.
All sloths are nocturnal and they spend most of their lives suspended upside down in trees. They are not very muscular, so they depend on specialized elongated hands and feet that allow them to easily grasp and hang. These specializations do not serve them well when it comes to speed though: sloths top out at about 13 feet per minute when moving about arboreally, and around 10 feet per minute on the ground.
Also unique to sloths is their co-evolutionary relationship with specific types of algae (genus Trichophilus) . In the wild, you'll notice a greenish tinge to their fur. This results from the green algae that attaches to special notches in sloths' fur, and serves to camouflage the sloths within the surrounding foliage. Even more, sloths host a diverse and very specific ecosystem of mites, beetles, lice, moths, and other arthropods who don't mind living life in the slow lane.
Fun Fact: Two-toed sloths like Andele actually have three toes! While three-toed sloths have three digits on both their forelimbs and hindlimbs, two-toed sloths have three digits on their hindlimbs and two digits on their forelimbs. So Andele is technically a two-fingered sloth!
All sloths are nocturnal and they spend most of their lives suspended upside down in trees. They are not very muscular, so they depend on specialized elongated hands and feet that allow them to easily grasp and hang. These specializations do not serve them well when it comes to speed though: sloths top out at about 13 feet per minute when moving about arboreally, and around 10 feet per minute on the ground.
Also unique to sloths is their co-evolutionary relationship with specific types of algae (genus Trichophilus) . In the wild, you'll notice a greenish tinge to their fur. This results from the green algae that attaches to special notches in sloths' fur, and serves to camouflage the sloths within the surrounding foliage. Even more, sloths host a diverse and very specific ecosystem of mites, beetles, lice, moths, and other arthropods who don't mind living life in the slow lane.
Fun Fact: Two-toed sloths like Andele actually have three toes! While three-toed sloths have three digits on both their forelimbs and hindlimbs, two-toed sloths have three digits on their hindlimbs and two digits on their forelimbs. So Andele is technically a two-fingered sloth!