Bradypus

Bradypus is a genus of arboreal, folivorous mammals in the order Pilosa, commonly known as three-toed sloths. It contains four living species: Bradypus variegatus (brown-throated sloth), Bradypus tridactylus (pale-throated sloth), Bradypus torquatus (maned three-toed sloth), and Bradypus pygmaeus (pygmy three-toed sloth). These sloths inhabit tropical forests of Central and South America, with Bradypus pygmaeus restricted to Isla Escudo de Veraguas, Panama.

They are characterized by three long curved claws on each limb and a slow, suspensory mode of locomotion. Their low metabolic rate and camouflage-seeking behavior help conserve energy; fur often hosts algae, which aids in blending with the canopy.

Diet consists mainly of leaves, with occasional fruit, flowers, and stems. Digestion is slow and fermentation-based, with nutrients largely extracted by specialized stomachs and gut microbes.

Reproduction is slow: females typically give birth to a single infant after several months of gestation (about six months for many Bradypus species); offspring cling to their mother for several months before becoming independent.

Taxonomy places Bradypus in the family Bradypodidae, as one of two extant sloth genera, the other being Choloepus (two-toed sloths). The two groups diverged in the Miocene.

Conservation concerns vary by species; habitat loss and fragmentation threaten several, with the island-endemic Bradypus pygmaeus listed as endangered. Other species face threats but are often categorized as of least concern or near threatened depending on region.