Completed
Brown-throated Sloth
Bradypus variegatus
Silhouette: Sarah Werning · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassMammalia (Mammals)
- OrderPilosa (Sloths and Anteaters)
- FamilyBradypodidae (Three-toed Sloths)
- GenusBradypus (Three-toed Sloths)
- SpeciesBradypus variegatus (Brown-throated Sloth)
In 3 days ~70% in a week >90%
30 Verified sightings at Recife
3,603 In all 27 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted
Completed
About the Brown-throated Sloth
The brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus) is a species of three-toed sloth found in the Neotropical realm of Central and South America. It is the most common of the five species of three-toed sloth, and is found in the forests of South and Central America in countries such as Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. Although they once lived in Argentina, they are now believed to be extinct there.
The brown-throated sloth is of similar size and build to most other species of three-toed sloths, with both males and females being 42 to 80 cm (17 to 31 in) in total body length. The tail is relatively short, only 2.5 to 9 cm (1.0 to 3.5 in) long. Adults weigh from 2.25 to 6.3 kg (5.0 to 13.9 lb), with no significant size difference between males and females. Each foot has three fingers, ending in long, curved claws, which are 7 to 8 cm (2.8 to 3.1 in) long on the fore feet, and 5 to 5.5 cm (2.0 to 2.2 in) on the hind feet.
They have long forelimbs with three claws on each and about 10 cervical vertebrae, allowing their necks to rotate up to 270 degrees. Their cylindrical teeth lack enamel. Like many herbivorous... Wikipedia →
Sounds
Recording0:24
Ecuador · 2025
© Cathy Pasterczyk · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:51
Panama · 2020
© Cameron Eckert · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:23
Brazil · 2025
© Misael Domingos · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recent sightings of Brown-throated Sloth in Recife
LIVEiNaturalistGlobal Distribution
Parks Where Found
Cities Where Found
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | João Pessoa | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 2 | Belém | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Santa Cruz de la Sierra | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 4 | Maceió | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 5 | Recife | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 6 | São Luís | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 7 | Caracas | 🇻🇪 Venezuela | |
| 8 | San José | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 9 | Panama City | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 10 | Manaus | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Zoos & Centres Where Found
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parque Municipal Summit | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 2 | Vogelpark Marlow | 🇩🇪 Germany | |
| 3 | Bosque Rodrigues Alves | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 4 | Alaska Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 5 | Zoológico de Fauna Sudamericana | 🇧🇴 Bolivia | |
| 6 | El Nispero Zoo | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 7 | Dallas World Aquarium | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 8 | The Green Planet | 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | |
| 9 | Amazon Rescue Center | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 10 | International Animal Rescue – Costa Rica | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
Closest Relatives at Recife
No species of the same family or order lives in Recife, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
Before you go
What are the chances of seeing a Brown-throated Sloth in Recife?
Possible
About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Brown-throated Sloth sighting in Recife on a given day, based on 30 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 3rd most-seen of the 6 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
When is the best time to see a Brown-throated Sloth in Recife?
July and August
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Brown-throated Sloth in Recife on a given day, against under 5% in April, the lowest month.
What time of day is best to see a Brown-throated Sloth?
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Brown-throated Sloth sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Is Recife the best place to see a Brown-throated Sloth?
5th of 12
Of the 12 cities where we can rate Brown-throated Sloth sightings, Recife ranks 5th at about 30%. The best odds are in João Pessoa (Brazil, about 80%), Belém (Brazil, about 40%) and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia, about 40%).
Where does the Brown-throated Sloth sighting chance come from?
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Brown-throated Sloth is recorded against all the mammals logged in Recife (30 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
