Bradypus torquatus: Maned Three-Toed Sloth

Maned Three-Toed Sloth - Bradypus torquatus
( Illiger, 1811 )

Warning: Undefined property: stdClass::$Photo1 in /var/www/vhosts/virtualzoo/classifications/display.php on line 584
No Photo Available


Subspecies:	Unknown
Est. World Population:

CITES Status:	NOT LISTED
IUCN Status:	Endangered
U.S. ESA Status:	NOT LISTED

Body Length:
Tail Length:
Shoulder Height:
Weight:

Top Speed:
Jumping Ability:	(Horizontal)

Life Span:	in the Wild
Life Span:	in Captivity

Sexual Maturity:	(Females)
Sexual Maturity:	(Males)
Litter Size:
Gestation Period:

Habitat:

This largely arboreal species is found in wet tropical forest, most typically in areas with an annual precipitation of 1,800 mm or higher and lacking a dry season. A review on habitat use and preference carried out with occurrence data from this species and B. crinitus informed that mostrecords are from evergreen forests, and just a handful of sightings are from semi-deciduous forests (Hirsch and Chiarello 2012). It can be found in secondary forest habitats, including cabrucas (cocoa plantation under native forest in southern Bahia; Cassano et al. 2011, Falconi et al. 2015). Some animals have been sighted in forest fragments as small as 100 ha (Sergipe State), although the long-term persistence of populations at these sites is unknown (P.M. Santos pers. comm. 2023). In fact, a recent analysis indicates that 83.7% of the total habitat area (71.5% of the AOO) is in patches smaller than 10 hectares, and an additional 12.5% of the total habitat area (13.6% of AOO) is between 10 and 50 hectares. Less than 1% of habitat patches (7% of AOO) are larger than 250 hectares (P.M. Santos unpublished data 2025). Forest fragments are at least 200 m apart, which the experts on the species consider the dispersal limit of this arboreal species (A.G. Chiarello pers. comm. 2024). It is a strict folivore and individually, it is a highly selective species, feeding on a relatively small number of food plants; assessing the diet composition of five monitored sloths in southern Bahia, Giné et al. (2022) found that they consumed 1-17 plant species. Mureb et al. (2023) reported that the dietary specialisation of individuals tends to decrease in areas with low tree diversity, such as northern Bahia.

Like other congeneric sloths, animals descend from trees periodically to urinate and defecate. The females give birth to one young annually. Data from Dias et al. (2009) indicate that mating of Bahian B. torquatus takes place between July-December (mid dry season to early wet season) and births between February-June (late wet season to mid dry season). Sexual maturity is probably reached between the second and third year and longevity in the wild is probably over 12 years (Lara-Ruiz and Chiarello 2005).

Range:

Bradypus torquatus is restricted to the Atlantic coastal forests of eastern Brazil. Historically, it possibly occurred throughout the coastal forest of Bahia to the state of Pernambuco (footnote by O. Pinto in Wied's 19th century account, Wied-Neuwied 1958) although this has not been confirmed. At present, the southern part of the state of Bahia is the primary stronghold for the species. Recent records have confirmed the species in the state of Sergipe (Chagas et al. 2009, Santos et al. 2019, P.M. Santos pers. comm. 2021), including in a protected area of that state (Beltrão-Mendes et al. 2020). However, the subpopulation established in this protected area is due to successive releases of animals in the area before the region became a legally protected area. Therefore, this population is outside its original range. No records have been collected in the adjacent state of Alagoas thus far, possibly because the type of forest that occurs in that state does not provide suitable habitat for the species.

Its northern distribution is currently delimited by the Vaza-Barris River, in the coastal Atlantic forest of central-southern Sergipe (Santos et al. 2019). The southernmost part of the distribution is delimited by the vicinity of Mucuri River, in the Atlantic Forest of southern Bahia. The species has been reported, but not confirmed, from extreme northern Minas Gerais on the left bank of Jequitinhonha River. The area of distribution encompasses 56,416 km², and the species ranges from sea level to 710 m Asl. Based on a minimum convex polygon drawn around the area of distribution, the Extent of Occurrence (EOO) of this species is 91,076 km². The area of occupancy (AOO) within this EOO was estimated at 424 km² based on a 2x2 km² grid overlay on the range map and counting only cells with forested areas, as this arboreal species depends on trees for its survival.

Conservation:

Bradypus torquatus is present in a number of protected areas, such as the Una Biological Reserve, Una Wildlife Refuge and Conduru State Park (Bahia) and the Private Reserve of Natural Heritage Bom Jardim (Sergipe), among others. However, a large part of its population is located in private forest areas. The species has been included in a Brazilian Action Plan (PAN Primatas da Mata Atlântica e da Preguiça-de-coleira (ICMBio 2019).

The low genetic diversity within fragmented subpopulations indicates a need to develop corridors of suitable habitat and other restorations actions between these subpopulations, mainly in North Bahia and Sergipe. Confiscated animals should be genetically characterized to determine the most appropriate release site. Data on dispersal ability, sex ratio, mating system, and population density are virtually unknown but important for conservation planning and monitoring.