Paignton Zoo is home to one Linne’s two-toed sloth: a male called Mo who arrived in July 2023. You can find Mo hanging out at his home in the Tropical Trails exhibit.
This tree-dwelling mammal is also known as the southern two-toed sloth, unau, or Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth. They are native to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.
These tree-dwelling creatures are famous for their laid-back lifestyle, spending almost all of their time in the trees, even feeding, sleeping and giving birth at height. In fact, they only come down to the ground to go to the toilet or move to a new tree.
The curved claws of a sloth allow them to hang safely from branches without using too much energy. This is just as well as their leaf based diet and extremely slow digestion (it takes around 2 weeks for a sloth to digest a meal) means that they don’t have the energy to do anything at speed.
Interesting facts!
- Linne’s two-toed sloths have been around for an astonishing 65.5 million years.
- Sloths have a symbiotic relationship with green algae. The algae not only grows on their fur, providing them with a natural camouflage, but it also supplements their diet.
- Unlike other mammals, sloths have a low body temperature ranging from 24-33°C. This adaptation helps them conserve energy.
- When a female sloth is ready to breed, she announces it with a distinctive “scream.” This vocalization helps her attract potential mates in the treetops, adding a touch of drama to the sloth’s otherwise serene lifestyle.
Conservation
Linne’s two-toed sloths are currently listed as of least concern on the IUCN Red List. However, their numbers are rapidly declining in the wild due to habitat destruction and the illegal pet trade.
Sponsor a sloth!
Sponsoring a sloth at Paignton Zoo will make a real contribution to the daily care of our sloths and wildlife conservation work across the world.
Our sponsorship packs make a fantastic gift for animal lovers of any age. Prices start from as little as £35 per year (that’s less than £3 per month!) with three different packs to choose from.
