Brown-throated three-toed sloth Mar 30, 2024

Costa Rica"s lush forests are habitats for two sloth species: Hoffmann"s two-toed sloth and the star of today"s homepage, the brown-throated three-toed sloth. Despite being larger than many tree-dwelling mammals, three-toed sloths have adapted by reducing their muscle mass and size to thrive on treetops. Their large stomachs have four chambers, which can make up to 30% of their body weight when full. These shaggy critters are so sedentary that algae grow on their coats. This symbiotic relationship provides them with a greenish hue, offering effective camouflage within the rainforest canopy. In 2021, these slow-moving creatures were declared national symbols in Costa Rica. Then-President Carlos Alvarado signed the initiative into law in 2021 to emphasize the sloths" importance in the country"s ecosystem.

© Juan Carlos Vindas/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Mar 30, 2025Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug 15, 2025Spotted eagle rays
Nov 5, 2024Lençóis Maranhenses National Park, Brazil
Oct 22, 2023Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon, USA
Aug 18, 2025Avalanche Lake Trail at Adirondack High Peaks, New York, United States
Apr 24, 2025Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Alaska, United States
Nov 22, 2025Monte Sirente, Abruzzo, Italy
Sep 27, 2024Basilica of Santa Maria della Salute, Venice, Italy
Sep 20, 2023Aqueduct, Arkadia Park, Poland
May 5, 2025Yoho National Park, British Columbia, Canada
Jan 17, 2025Brown pelican, San Diego, California, United States
Nov 17, 2023Copper Falls State Park, Wisconsin, USA
Jan 28, 2025Short-eared owl
Oct 17, 2023Torra di a Parata, Corsica, France
Jun 26, 2025Horse Head Rock, New South Wales, Australia
Oct 29, 2024Great horned owl
Nov 11, 2024Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
Mar 9, 2025St Marks Clock Tower, Venice, Italy
Jun 13, 2024Registan Square, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
Oct 22, 2024Palazzo Zuccari, Rome, Italy
Nov 21, 2025Harbour seals
Jul 27, 2025Barracudas at Shark Reef, Ras Mohammed National Park, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Apr 27, 2024Leucistic Annas hummingbird
Aug 23, 2024Prasat Phanom Rung temple ruins, Thailand
Sep 17, 2024Kerala, India
Jan 22, 2024Walton Lighthouse, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Oct 24, 2024Bodie State Historic Park, California, United States
Feb 4, 2024Devetashka Cave, Devetaki, Bulgaria
May 2, 2024Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho, USA
Oct 16, 2023Golden larches and Prusik Peak, Enchantments, Washington, USA
Aug 31, 2023Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona, USA