Hoffman's two-toed sloth
Latin Name
Choloepus hoffmanni
Class
Mammals
Order
Afrosoricida
Description
Choloepus hoffmanni
Class
Mammals
Order
Afrosoricida
Description
The Hoffman's two-toed sloth weighs 12 pounds, on average, and can reach 27 inches in length. This small mammal has grayish-brown fur, with a pale face; the sloth's hair often appears green due to the growth of a symbiotic algae.
Range
Status
Habitat
Niche
Life History
Special Adaptations
This species can be found in Central and South America, from Nicaragua to central Brazil.
Status
This species is common throughout its range. Lincoln Park Zoo participates in the Hoffman's Two-Toed Sloth Species Survival Plan®, a shared conservation effort by zoos throughout the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Habitat
Hoffman's two-toed sloths occupy tropical rain forests.
Niche
Named for its slow movement, the Hoffman’s two-toed sloth spends nearly all of its time upside down in the treetops. The species eats, sleeps and even gives birth while hanging from its claws. The two-toed sloth is nocturnal, feeding at night on leaves and fruits.
Life History
Males are solitary while females can be found in groups. After breeding, females give birth to a single young, which they carry through the forest for up to nine months after birth.
Special Adaptations
Large, hooked claws help the species hang from the treetops of its home.
