The Two-Toed Sloth
Meet the Two-Toed Sloth: Costa Rica’s Nighttime Drifter
While the three-toed sloth gets most of the attention, the two-toed sloth has its own charm and fascinating differences. With a slightly larger build, a more varied diet, and nocturnal habits, the two-toed sloth is a quiet wanderer of Costa Rica’s forests. Spotting one in the wild often feels like discovering a hidden treasure.
Key Facts
Size: 54–70 cm (21–28 inches)
Weight: 4.6–8.5 kg (10–19 pounds)
Lifespan: 20–25 years in the wild, up to 35 in captivity
Diet: Leaves, fruits, flowers, and occasionally small animals
Activity: Nocturnal, most active at night
Fascinating Facts
Two-toed sloths have a stronger bite and more versatile diet than their three-toed cousins. They feed not only on leaves but also on fruits, flowers, and sometimes small lizards or bird eggs. Their flexible diet helps them adapt to different parts of the forest.
They are covered in thick, shaggy fur that often hosts green algae, giving them natural camouflage high in the canopy. Just like three-toed sloths, they serve as mobile ecosystems, with moths and beetles living in their fur.
Unlike the three-toed sloth, which is diurnal, the two-toed sloth is nocturnal. They spend their nights foraging and their days resting high in the trees, making them trickier for travelers to spot.
Despite their slow movements, they are excellent swimmers, able to cross rivers with surprising ease. They also share the unique sloth trait of descending to the ground only about once a week to relieve themselves.
Habitat and Behavior
Two-toed sloths are completely arboreal, living almost their entire lives in the trees. They use their long arms and curved claws to cling securely to branches. Their slow pace is not a weakness but a survival strategy, helping them conserve energy and avoid attracting predators.
Mothers give birth to a single baby that clings to their belly for the first several months of life. Even as the young grow more independent, they remain close to their mothers until they can fully care for themselves.
Where to See Two-Toed Sloths in Costa Rica
Some of the best places to spot two-toed sloths include:
Tortuguero National Park
Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge
Because they are more active at night, guided tours that focus on nocturnal wildlife increase your chances of seeing them. But, you definitely can still see them during the day. They’ll just be lazier, and yes…that is possible!
