Two-toed sloths used cacao agroforests somewhat less than expected based on estimates
of ‘potential available habitat’ (Table 4), but they were frequently observed feeding on
cacao as well as several other species (Table 5). Farmers often identify primates as well as
squirrels as predators on cacao but sloths are seldom noted. In this study, the cacao
agroforest seemed to provide refuge for the two-toed sloths as three radio-collared males
remained here for long periods without ever leaving. The cacao agroforest we studied has a
cable system for moving harvested cacao pods to a central processing facility (similar to
many banana plantations). Two-toed sloths were seen using the cable system on a nightly
basis to move between feeding and resting sites in the cacao agroforest. One male two-toed
sloth (#48) moved approximately 1,500 m in one night along the cables. However, threetoed
sloths do not appear to use this cable network. In one respect, the less-than-expected
use of the cacao agroforest by two-toed sloths is surprising given the high density of
preferred Erythrina and Leucaena trees within this habitat.
Riparian forests had the greatest species diversity and richness (Table 2) and might be
expected to attract more sloths based simply on the high frequencies of preferred food
species (Table 3). Living fence rows had a moderately high diversity of woody plants but
some of these species e.g., Erythrina poeppigiana, are preferred for feeding only by twotoed
sloths. It is not obvious whether a high tree species diversity per se makes some
habitats attractive to sloths or whether some combination of structural features, e.g.,