Three-toed sloth in Costa Rica Oct 20, 2024

Three-toed sloth in Costa Rica

The world"s slowest mammal takes the spotlight in today"s image. There are six living sloth species, divided into two types: three-toed sloths and two-toed sloths. The three-toed sloth, a laid-back, tree-loving mammal that"s right at home in the tropical regions of South and Central America. They have short tails and three clawed toes on each limb, which help them cling onto branches with ease. Sloths are mainly leaf eaters, although they also snack on fruits, and tree sap to keep them going. To help them break down those tough, fibrous leaves, they have a special multi-chambered stomach. With their super slow metabolism, digestion takes its sweet time, and they don"t need much food each day to get by. It"s not just their stomachs that move at a leisurely pace; they"re so slow-moving that algae often develop on their fur, giving a greenish tint, which handily also provides them camouflage.

© Harry Collins/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Oct 20, 2023Pygmy three-toed sloth
Oct 20, 2025Hoffmanns two-toed sloth

More Desktop Wallpapers:

July 15, 2026Marie Lake, John Muir Wilderness near Bishop, California, USA
Feb 20, 2024Kinder Scout, Peak District National Park, UK
Jan 17, 2024Eurasian wolf
Dec 12, 2024Poinsettia flower
Feb 14, 2025Magellanic penguins
Mar 21, 2025Danum Valley, Sabah, Borneo, Malaysia
Aug 25, 2026Redwood National and State Parks, California, United States
Jul 18, 2024Coral reef in the Indian Ocean, Mayotte, France
Feb 21, 2026Red fox, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, United States
Sep 26, 2023Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California, USA
Mar 2, 2024Modica, Sicily, Italy
Jul 19, 2025Luna moth
Jan 20, 2024Macaroni penguins
Dec 2, 2023Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
Jun 8, 2024Confluence of Easter Creek and Killik River, Alaska, USA
Mar 26, 2025Manatee in Crystal River, Florida, United States
May 15, 2024The Blue City of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Dec 4, 2023Cheetah and her cubs
Oct 8, 2025Octopus cyanea
Feb 19, 2024Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife, Spain
Feb 27, 2025Polar bear cub, Churchill, Manitoba, Canada
Oct 15, 2024Great wildebeest migration at Mara River, Kenya
Dec 28, 2025Black-and-white ruffed lemur
Dec 21, 2023Ljubljana, Slovenia
Apr 10, 2024Burrowing owl chicks, Wyoming, USA
Dec 25, 2024Lakes of Covadonga, Asturias, Spain
Jul 2, 2024Italica, an old Roman city in Santiponce, Andalusia, Spain
Feb 1, 2024Sassnitz lighthouse, Germany
Dec 8, 2023La Rocque Harbour, Island of Jersey
Oct 11, 2024Cape Breton Highlands, Nova Scotia, Canada