Brown-throated three-toed sloth Mar 30, 2024

Costa Rica"s lush forests are habitats for two sloth species: Hoffmann"s two-toed sloth and the star of today"s homepage, the brown-throated three-toed sloth. Despite being larger than many tree-dwelling mammals, three-toed sloths have adapted by reducing their muscle mass and size to thrive on treetops. Their large stomachs have four chambers, which can make up to 30% of their body weight when full. These shaggy critters are so sedentary that algae grow on their coats. This symbiotic relationship provides them with a greenish hue, offering effective camouflage within the rainforest canopy. In 2021, these slow-moving creatures were declared national symbols in Costa Rica. Then-President Carlos Alvarado signed the initiative into law in 2021 to emphasize the sloths" importance in the country"s ecosystem.

© Juan Carlos Vindas/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

Mar 30, 2025Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, Australia

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Jan 23, 2026Þorrablót, Icelandic midwinter festival
Mar 17, 2025Samuel Beckett Bridge, Dublin, Ireland
Jan 11, 2025Heri es-Swani in Meknes, Morocco
Sep 7, 2025Gdańsk, Poland
Dec 16, 2025Medieval Aqueduct, Perugia, Italy
Jan 3, 2025Radcliffe Camera and All Souls College, University of Oxford, England
May 9, 2024Tulips at Emirgan Park in Istanbul, Türkiye
Nov 26, 2025Olive orchard in the Serra de Tramuntana, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain
Sep 21, 2025Sea otters, Alaska
Dec 13, 2025Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Jun 24, 2025Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah, United States
Sep 22, 2025Aspen trees, Fishlake National Forest, Utah, United States
Nov 3, 2025Jellyfish, Guerrero, Mexico
Jun 10, 2025Everglades National Park, Florida, United States
Dec 29, 2025Étretat, Normandy, France
Feb 9, 2024Pegadung Rock, Lampung, Sumatra, Indonesia
Jul 9, 2024Talampaya National Park, Argentina
Oct 4, 2024World Space Week
May 16, 2025Great green macaw, Mexico
Dec 21, 2024Ore Mountains, Saxony, Germany
Oct 4, 2023Tarantula Nebula
Jul 23, 2025Vatican City, Rome, Italy
Jul 3, 2024Meerkat family
Sep 6, 2024Glenariff Forest Park, Northern Ireland, UK
Feb 5, 2026Salt evaporation ponds on the island of Gozo, Malta
Mar 27, 2025Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Acropolis of Athens, Greece
Aug 10, 2024Joshua Tree National Park, California, USA
Aug 26, 2025Trullo buildings in Alberobello, Apulia, Italy
May 26, 2024Methow Valley, North Cascades, Washington, USA
Sep 23, 2025Keel-billed toucan, Costa Rica