Hoffman's Two Toed Sloth

Choloepus hoffmanni

As one of the world's slowest mammals, Hoffman's Two Toed Sloths spend the majority of their time hanging in trees of South and Central America sleeping; to the tune of 15-20 hours per day! They are so slow in fact that moss and algae will grow on their fur, which serves as a great, natural camouflage. They have an incredibly powerful grip, allowing them to "hang out" for long periods.

Despite their incredible agility in the treetops, Sloths are defenseless on the ground. They will use their two long claws on each front leg to pull themselves across the ground. Should they encounter a predator, there is little they can do. However, amazingly enough, they are excellent swimmers. They will often fall from the treetops into waterways below to evade predators like the Harpy Eagle. Their long legs provide great tools for swimming. They are slightly larger than their three toed cousins.

Sloths cannot pass gas, and therefore cannot eat foods such as cabbage and broccoli.

Click HERE to see Winston's Journey to ZooMontana!

Click HERE for a Sloth Activity Sheet for Older Kids!

Click HERE for a Sloth Activity Sheet for Younger Kids!

Our Current Resident

Winston: Male, Born Spring 2018

Winston came to ZooMontana in 2020 from facility in Michigan. He was quick to adapt to ZooMontana and is settling into his brand new habitat. He can be found indoors within the Zoo's Discovery Center, most often sleeping.

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Order: Pilosa
  • Family: Choloepodidae
  • Genus: Choloepus
  • Species: Choloepus hoffmanni

Animal Facts

  • Herbivore
  • Common
  • Rainforest
  • Nocturnal


Our Animals