The two-toed sloth used pastures in proportion to
availability within their home range, while the three-toed
sloth avoided this habitat; we presume that the three-toed
sloth avoids pastures due to the lack of closed canopies
and a dearth of suitable tree species. Additionally, the
three-toed sloth may avoid pastures to evade the risk
of predation by coyote (Canis latrans) and domestic dog
(Canis lupus familiaris), as this species is more vulnerable
to ground predators given its smaller size and more docile
behaviour (Peery & Pauli2014). In contrast, the two-toed
sloth may be better adapted to pastures since it possesses
greater mobility and is able to move on the ground in
between trees (Sunquist & Montgomery 1973).
Overall, our findings suggest that the two-toed sloth
is flexible in its use of trees and habitat selection
compared with the more specialized three-toed sloth.
This greater plasticity in two-toed sloth resource use
is likely contributing to its enhanced viability within
an agro-ecosystem containing shade-grown elements.
Conversely, specialization on a few tree species and
avoidance of pastures containing isolated trees seems
likely to have contributed to the three-toed sloth’s reduced
viability in an agro-ecosystem containing only a fraction
of the original forest.