Learn more about the sloth and its unique characteristics

Published on November 28, 2012 · Updated on July 29, 2025

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The sloth, an animal with a sweet expression and gentle gestures, has an exclusive research centre in Ilhéus (BA).

In the reserve, which covers 43 hectares, there are currently 16 animals of the common species and 18 of the collared species.

preguiça-comum (Bradypus variegatus) — Sloth (Bradypus variegatus)

Preguiça-de-coleira (Bradypus torquatus) — Sloth (Bradypus torquatus)

The differences between the two are in the colour of their fur and the area in which they live.

According to the Department of the Environment, the common sloth, which has a greyish coat, can be found in both the Amazon and the Atlantic rainforest, the collared sloth, which has a brown coat and a neck with long black hair, occurs in Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and Southern Bahia.

Vera Oliveira, the biologist in charge of the Research Centre, says that all species of sloth are threatened with extinction, but the sloth is in greater danger because it only occurs in a very small and fragmented geographical area.

Two factors are essential for the conservation and reintroduction of rescued sloths from aggression: preserved habitat and adequate food.

“Their areas of occurrence are shrinking. They are becoming weaker because their natural food is becoming scarce due to the advance of eucalyptus plantations in these regions,” warns Vera.

The biologist also points out that the number of rescued sloths, victims of hunting and deforestation, is constantly increasing.

Many arrive young. Without their mother’s warmth, they can die because their health is fragile. What’s more, sloths don’t drink water and get all the liquid they need from the juicy shoots they eat.

Video about the Collared Sloth

Bicho-preguiça de coleira na Bahia03:17

Esperança para o bicho preguiça de coleira03:29

5 species of sloth exist in Brazil, belonging to two genera

The two genera show significant differences in morphology, behaviour and diet.

1. Genus Bradypus (Three-toed sloths)

Variegated sloth (Bradypus variegatus)
Sloth (Bradypus torquatus)
Sloth (Bradypus tridactylus)

Habitat: Tropical forests, especially in the Amazon and the Atlantic Rainforest.

Characteristics

They have three toes on each front paw.
They are herbivores, feeding mainly on leaves.
They move very slowly due to their reduced metabolism.

Preguiça-de-bentinho (Bradypus tridactylus) — Sloth (Bradypus tridactylus)

Preguiça-anã-de-três-dedos (Bradypus pygmaeus) — Three-toed sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus) – found on islands in Panama

2. Genus Choloepus (Two-fingered sloths)

Royal sloth (Choloepus didactylus)
Hoffmann’s sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)

Habitat: Mainly in the Amazon, in rainforest areas.

Characteristics

They have two toes on their front legs and three on their hind legs.

They are more agile than sloths of the genus Bradypus.
They have a more varied diet, including leaves, fruit and small insects.

Preguiça-real (Choloepus didactylus) — Golden Sloth (Choloepus didactylus)

Preguiça-de-hoffmann (Choloepus hoffmanni) — Hoffmann’s sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)

Sloth curiosities

Food: Leaves, shoots and fruit – they get all the water they need from their food.
Movement: Extremely slow, spending most of their time in the trees.
Predators: Jaguars, hawks and humans (hunting and deforestation are threats)
Ecological importance: They spread seeds and help to balance the forest.

Common sloth injuries

The most common injuries show how badly sloths are attacked.

“They arrive wounded, usually from dog attacks, badly bruised and sometimes with fractures.

They also arrive very stressed, which makes it difficult for them to feed and adapt to the centre,” explains the biologist.

It’s important to stress that keeping a sloth in captivity is an environmental crime.

If the aggression situation is not reversed within a few years, the sloth will only be seen in the forests of the Cocoa Research Centre in Ilhéus.

Sloth sanctuary at CEPLAC

Created in 1996 by the biologist Vera Lúcia de Oliveira, the project is dedicated to the recovery and conservation of the sloth in an area of 43 hectares of the Atlantic Forest.

📍 Location: Ilhéus-Itabuna Highway (BR-415), CEPLAC.

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Written by Willy Sievert

Editor of Bahia.ws since its founding in 2009. Based in Salvador, he travels frequently across the Northeast and all of Brazil to keep the guides up to date. Learn more about Willy Sievert →