Maned sloth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Maned sloth |
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Bradypus
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torquatus
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| Maned sloth range | |
The maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus) is a unique three-toed sloth from South America. It is one of four types of three-toed sloths. These amazing animals are placental mammals, meaning their babies grow inside the mother. Maned sloths live only in the Atlantic coastal rainforest of southeastern and northeastern Brazil. You can find them in the states of Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, and Bahia. Each sloth has its own special genetic makeup. The maned sloth is currently listed as Endangered (EN) by the IUCN Red List. This means their numbers are decreasing, and they need our help to survive.
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Where Maned Sloths Live
Maned sloths are an endemic species, which means they live only in a specific area. For them, this area is the Atlantic coastal rainforest of Brazil. They are unique to the states of Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, and Bahia. Most maned sloths live in Bahia, where there is also a lot of genetic variety among them.
However, a natural valley separates the rainforests in Bahia and Espírito Santo. This makes some sloth groups very isolated. When groups are isolated, sloths might mate with close relatives. This can lead to less genetic variety in the species.
These sloths prefer wet tropical forests. These forests are very hot and humid, with little dry season. They get at least 1,200 millimeters (about 47 inches) of rain each year. The wet season is from October to April, and the dry season is from May to September. Maned sloths mostly live in evergreen forests. But they can also live in semi-deciduous and secondary forests because they eat many types of leaves. They choose shaded areas with large trees, avoiding open spaces. Sadly, people have cut down much of their forest home. Their habitat is now only about 7% of its original size. This habitat loss is the biggest danger to their survival.
What Maned Sloths Look Like
Maned sloths have fur that ranges from pale brown to gray. They have long outer hair covering a short, thick underfur of black and white. Their coarse outer coat often hosts tiny living things like algae, mites, ticks, beetles, and moths.
Their small heads have fur-covered ears and eyes that look forward. A mask of black hair usually covers their eyes. Long hair on the sides of their face and neck covers their snout. They have only a few whiskers on their face.
The maned sloth gets its name from a special mane of black hair. This mane runs down its neck and over its shoulders. In males, the mane is usually bigger and darker. In females, it might be smaller, sometimes just two long tufts. Their fur color is mostly the same everywhere else. Unlike other three-toed sloths, they do not have a bright patch of fur on their back. They also lack the black "mask" around their eyes that some other sloths have.
Adult male maned sloths are about 55 to 72 centimeters (22-28 inches) long from head to body. Their tail is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) long. They weigh between 4.0 and 7.5 kilograms (9-17 pounds). Females are usually a bit larger. They measure 55 to 75 centimeters (22-30 inches) and weigh 4.5 to 10.1 kilograms (10-22 pounds). Like all sloths, they have less muscle than other mammals their size. This helps them hang easily from thin tree branches.
Maned Sloth Life and Habits
Daily Life and Movement
Maned sloths are solitary animals, meaning they live alone. They are also diurnal, which means they are active during the day. They spend most of their day, about 60% to 80%, sleeping. The rest of their time is split between eating and moving around. Sloths sleep in tree branches or by hanging upside down. They tuck their heads between their front legs.
These sloths rarely come down from the trees. On flat ground, they cannot stand or walk. They can only drag themselves using their front legs and claws. They go to the ground mainly to go to the bathroom. They also move between trees this way if they cannot swing through branches. Their main ways to stay safe are to stay very still or to use their strong claws. Even though they are slow on land, maned sloths are good swimmers.
What Maned Sloths Eat
Maned sloths are folivores, which means they eat only leaves. They eat many different kinds of tree leaves. However, they prefer younger leaves and certain plants more than others. Sloths have special body features and behaviors to help them eat leaves. Leaves do not have much protein or energy. This means sloths get very little energy from their food. Because of their diet and small size, food moves very slowly through their bodies.
The Cecropia plant is a common food for many three-toed sloths. But for the maned sloth, eating too much Cecropia can actually be harmful.
Maned Sloth Reproduction and Life Cycle
Maned sloths usually breed at certain times of the year. Mating often happens from August to October. This is during the late dry season and the start of the wet season. The warmer, wet season is better for pregnant mothers and baby sloths. This is because sloths have a slow metabolism and cannot easily control their body temperature.
Baby sloths are mostly born between February and April. This is the early dry season and the end of the rainy season. A female maned sloth usually has one baby every year. The newborn weighs about 300 grams (10.5 ounces) and does not have the adult's special mane. Babies start eating solid food at two weeks old. They stop drinking milk from their mother (called weaning) when they are two to four months old. Young sloths leave their mother when they are about nine to eleven months old.
Scientists have not studied their lifespan in great detail. However, maned sloths have been known to live for at least twelve years. They are ready to have babies when they are about two to three years old.
Protecting Maned Sloths
Why Maned Sloths Are in Danger
The maned three-toed sloth is one of the most endangered sloth species. The IUCN Red List currently lists them as Vulnerable (VU). Their numbers have dropped a lot due to hunting and deforestation (forest clearing by people). Their original home in the Atlantic Forest has shrunk to only about 7% of its size.
The biggest threat to maned sloths is losing their forest habitat. This happens because people cut down trees for lumber, make charcoal, or clear land for farms and cattle. Other dangers include diseases, hunters, and predators. All these factors have made the maned sloth vulnerable in the wild. If their habitat keeps shrinking, it could make their diet even more limited. It could also lead to less genetic variety, making them weaker as a species.
How We Help Maned Sloths
In 1955, maned sloths lived only in Bahia, Espírito Santo, and Rio de Janeiro in eastern Brazil. Their numbers have gone down as these forests have become smaller. Today, many sloths are protected in special areas. These include the Una Biological Reserve, Augusto Ruschi Biological Reserve, and Poco das Antas Biological Reserve.
There is a recovery plan for mammals in the Central Atlantic Forest, which includes sloths. Organizations like the Sloth Conservation Foundation also work to protect all sloth species. They do fieldwork and promote conservation efforts.
Before 2008, the IUCN Red List called the maned sloth Endangered (EN). This was because they thought the sloths lived in a very small area. But new studies showed that their living area was actually larger than first believed. Because of this new information, the maned sloth's status was changed from Endangered to Vulnerable in 2009. This was a small step forward, but they still need our protection.
