RECENTLY DISCOVERED 3 TOED PYGMY SLOTH

A recently-discovered species, the pygmy three-toed sloth was discovered on the tiny island off the coast of Panama in the Islands of Bocas del Toro. With a total length between 49cm-53cm it is classified as Critically Endangered on the Red List of 2006. As its name suggests, this species is a dwarf compared with its mainland relatives. In addition to its small size, the pygmy three-toed sloth is characterised by usually blotchy, pale grey-brown fur and a tan coloured face with a distinctive dark band across the forehead, from which long, shaggy hair hangs over the face. Sloths have an unusual means of camouflage to avoid predation; their outer fur is often coated in algae, giving the pelage a greenish tint that helps hide them in their forest habitat. They are known exclusively in red mangrove forests surrounding the island at near sea level.
Sloths in general are arboreal folivores that eat leaves of a variety of different trees. This is an energy-poor diet and these animals have a very low metabolic rate. Their main defenses are camouflage, stealth and stillness, whereby they avoid predation largely by avoiding being detected.

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