Last week, I discussed how diverse and unique the ecosystems of Costa Rica are, drawing many scientists and nature fanatics to visit and research the country. The rainforests of Costa Rica are home to the slowest known mammal on the planet, the Three-toed sloth! We all know sloths for their sleeping patterns, averaging about 15 to 20 hours a day. This creature belongs to the genus Bradypus and is not only native to Costa Rica but the rainforests of Central and South America as a whole. What's a genus you may ask? A genus is a way of biological classification that groups organisms of different species together (the first word of the scientific or Latin name). There are many different species of Three-toed sloths, but the Brown-throated Three-toed sloth, Bradypus variegatus, is the one native to Costa Rica!
These creatures are about two feet in length and weigh about ten lbs (much smaller than I expected). They have round heads and flat noses. They are head to toe in grayish-brown fur with dark brown fur around the eyes and on the throat of course! They sometimes even give off a green hue due to algae growing in their fur! And given the name, these sloths have three claws on each foot.
