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 emphasise the sloths" importance in the country"s ecosystem.

© Juan Carlos Vindas/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Sep 30, 2023Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
Aug 21, 2024Nazca boobies, Wolf Island, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador
Oct 18, 2024Autumn in Central Park, New York, United States
Dec 23, 2023Chinstrap penguins
Mar 29, 2024South Stack Lighthouse, Holyhead, Wales, UK
Oct 16, 2025Eurasian lynx
Aug 18, 2024Huntington Beach Pier, California, USA
Incan ingenuity
Apr 3, 2024Munnar, Kerala
Walking a rocky rainbow
Apr 19, 2025Zion National Park, Utah, United States
Jul 19, 2025Luna moth in New Braunfels, Texas, United States
May 3, 2024The Sonoran Desert, Arizona, US
Feb 21, 2024Horsetail Fall, Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Jun 12, 2024Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA
Apr 5, 2024The Bahamas
Mar 28, 2024Cherry blossoms in Shanghai, China
Sep 25, 2025Chittorgarh Fort, Rajasthan
Sep 26, 2025Least chipmunk, Kootenai National Forest, Montana, United States
Oct 28, 2024Pumpkin field, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
May 1, 2025Maharashtra Day
An underwater paradise to explore
Where the humpback whale sings
Jun 7, 2024World Oceans Day
Mar 27, 2024Amber Fort, Jaipur
Aug 27, 2024Young black caiman, Tambopata National Reserve, Peru
Oct 7, 2025Fall colours below Mount Sneffels near Ridgway, Colorado, United States
Dec 20, 2023Val Gardena, South Tyrol, Dolomites, Italy
Jan 16, 2026Leopard at Etosha National Park, Namibia
Blood moon