Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth
Worlds Smallest Sloth
Critically Endangered
![Picture](/uploads/7/8/9/1/78912226/355108594.jpg?408)
General Information:
The Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth is an arboreal folivore (an animal with a diet consisting mostly of tree leaves). This sloth has pale brown-grey, shaggy fur with a tan shaded face, with a contrasting dark band around the forehead. Due to their slow movements algae is able to grow in the fur of the sloths, allowing for better camouflage with the green tint amongst the brown. As mentioned in the name, this species of sloth is considerably smaller than all others, with a total length of 48.5-53cm and weighing 2.5-3.5kg. Nothing is yet known of the breeding of the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth due to its scarce numbers.
The Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth is an arboreal folivore (an animal with a diet consisting mostly of tree leaves). This sloth has pale brown-grey, shaggy fur with a tan shaded face, with a contrasting dark band around the forehead. Due to their slow movements algae is able to grow in the fur of the sloths, allowing for better camouflage with the green tint amongst the brown. As mentioned in the name, this species of sloth is considerably smaller than all others, with a total length of 48.5-53cm and weighing 2.5-3.5kg. Nothing is yet known of the breeding of the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth due to its scarce numbers.
![Picture](/uploads/7/8/9/1/78912226/720701205.jpg?613)
Location:
The population of the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth is endemic to the island Escudo de Veraguas, with only 79 known sloths (70 were found within mangrove trees, nine were found in non-mangrove trees). Studies that have been conducted have found that the sloth feeds almost primarily on mangrove leaves, although less than 3% of the island is mangrove area. There have been sighting of the sloth in main-land tropical areas, but because of the difficulty of finding the sloth, main-land population is still unknown.
The population of the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth is endemic to the island Escudo de Veraguas, with only 79 known sloths (70 were found within mangrove trees, nine were found in non-mangrove trees). Studies that have been conducted have found that the sloth feeds almost primarily on mangrove leaves, although less than 3% of the island is mangrove area. There have been sighting of the sloth in main-land tropical areas, but because of the difficulty of finding the sloth, main-land population is still unknown.
Threats:
The Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth is under threat (Critically endangered on the IUCN Red List) because of habitat loss, likely hunting, and increased tourism. The seasonal visitors (fisherman, tourists, lobster divers and local people of the surrounding islands) of Escudo de Veraguas are known to cut down mangrove trees, the food source for the sloths, in order to maintain their wooden houses on the island. Escudo de Veraguas is 4.3 km2, with this logging of the mangroves; which make up only 3% of the island, habitat loss is obviously a major cause for the decline of the species. There also plans to build an eco-lodge, casino, marina and banking-centre upon the island. The increased tourism will deplete the limited natural resources like fresh water; it will pollute the island and further push habitat loss. Visitors are also likely to hunt the sloth because of its slow movements.
Conservation Efforts:
The Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth is indirectly protected by the protection Isla Escudo de Veraguas through the act of making it a wildlife refuge under the Comarca Indigenous Reserve. However within this reserve law enforcement is inadequate to allow any benefit for the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth and requires additional enforcement.
The Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth is under threat (Critically endangered on the IUCN Red List) because of habitat loss, likely hunting, and increased tourism. The seasonal visitors (fisherman, tourists, lobster divers and local people of the surrounding islands) of Escudo de Veraguas are known to cut down mangrove trees, the food source for the sloths, in order to maintain their wooden houses on the island. Escudo de Veraguas is 4.3 km2, with this logging of the mangroves; which make up only 3% of the island, habitat loss is obviously a major cause for the decline of the species. There also plans to build an eco-lodge, casino, marina and banking-centre upon the island. The increased tourism will deplete the limited natural resources like fresh water; it will pollute the island and further push habitat loss. Visitors are also likely to hunt the sloth because of its slow movements.
Conservation Efforts:
The Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth is indirectly protected by the protection Isla Escudo de Veraguas through the act of making it a wildlife refuge under the Comarca Indigenous Reserve. However within this reserve law enforcement is inadequate to allow any benefit for the Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth and requires additional enforcement.