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.
Brown-throated three-toed sloth
More Desktop Wallpapers:
-
Humpback whale
-
Dubrovnik, Croatia
-
Dardagna waterfalls, Bologna, Italy
-
Skyscrapers in Manhattan
-
Vinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
-
Wat Phra Ngam, Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
-
A male chaffinch in a crab apple tree
-
Town Hall Square, Tartu, Estonia
-
Reindeer running in snow
-
Ayutthaya Historical Park, Thailand
-
Château dIf, Marseille, France
-
Chinstrap penguins
-
Toledo, Spain
-
Bathing boxes at Brighton Beach, Australia
-
Tulip fields in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
-
Río Negro, Amazon basin, Brazil
-
Pumpkins and squashes
-
Spot-billed toucanet, Brazil
-
Heidelberg on the river Neckar, Germany
-
American bison
-
Lechwe herd, Botswana
-
Dedham, Colchester, England
-
Tulip fields in spring, Skagit Valley, Washington, USA
-
The Bahamas
-
Silvereyes, South Korea
-
Whooper swans
-
Llyn Padarn lake, Snowdonia, Wales
-
Eurasian wolf
-
Macaroni penguins
-
Russell lupines, Lake Tekapo, New Zealand