Family ties
A newborn brown-throated sloth clings to its mother's chest for about six months, suckling and learning which leaves to eat. This female, named Esmeralda, lived wild. Many others have to adapt to urban environments as their tropical forest habitat becomes fragmented.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER
Suzi Eszterhas is a wildlife photographer who has worked with Rebecca Cliffe of the Sloth Conservation Foundation for over 10 years (SloCo; slothconservation.org). Suzi is a trustee. Her pictures illustrate Sloths: Life in the Slow Lane (2017). See her work at: suzieszterhas.com.
On the fence
Rebecca removes a Hoffmann's two-fingered sloth from a vine-clad fence after its home tree was cut down. This species has sharp pseudocanine teeth and can be ferocious, so extreme care is needed. Becky was able to safely relocate this one to a new home in the wild.
Back on track Rebecca fits a compact data logger to the back of a brown-throated sloth before releasing it. These small pieces of tech transmit a range of information daily including distance travelled, home range size, food preferences and circadian rhythm - revealing new details about the lives of wild sloths, much of which has until now been a mystery.
Out of place
This brown-throated sloth, clinging to a pipe at a roadside fruit stand, was another made homeless by habitat loss. Thanks to SloCo's awareness-building work, the owner contacted Rebecca, who arranged relocation by a local rescue centre. Sadly, such centres are kept busy in Costa Rica, where sloths are the most commonly admitted animals.
Friend or fo?
Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av BBC Wildlife.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra September 2023-utgaven av BBC Wildlife.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Jump Around - Bagheera Kiplingi - The acrobatic spider with a predilection for veggie food
Spiders eat flies, right? everyone knows that the 45,000 or so spiders in the world are all obligate carnivores, more or less – eating other animals, mainly invertebrates. Nature, however, loves an exception, and one particular spider missed out on that ecological memo. It goes by the wonderful scientific name of Bagheera kiplingi, and its claim to fame is that its diet is – at least mostly – vegetarian.
Female of the Species - Zebras - A strong sisterhood is key to staying safe
Zebras are masters of confusion. Their collective noun is ‘a dazzle’, which is fitting since their bodies and behaviour have been surprising scientists for centuries.
See It, Save It? - Wildlife tourism can be a powerful ally in protecting nature - but it can also harm it. We weigh up the pros and cons.
The sums of wildlife travel aren’t as simple as more tourists equals happier nature. How much did my visit really contribute to the conservation of Lady Liuwa and her habitat – and was that outweighed by carbon emissions from my flights? Did my presence disturb the animals’ natural behaviour more than it reduced the threat of poaching or benefited local communities?The question of whether wildlife travel is, on balance, good for wildlife is a complex one – and there’s no simple answer.
Can Your Really Offset Emissions? - Planning an overseas wildlife-watching trip entails facing some inconvenient truths
Imagine (or maybe you don't need to) that you hanker after the safari trip of a lifetime in sub-Saharan Africa. A 17-day tour beginning at the iconic Victoria Falls, passing through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and Tanzania, taking in some of the continent’s most wildlife-rich national parks, and ending on the lush island of Zanzibar.
Metamorphosis: a life-changing event
WITH EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST JV CHAMARY
New series for BBC One: Asia
Settle in this autumn for a new natural-history extravaganza on BBC One and iPlayer: the longawaited Asia, presented by Sir David Attenborough.
Loss of Antarctic sea ice could impact seabird food supply
Albatrosses and petrels may be forced to fly further to feed
Tarsiers in trouble
Urgent action is needed to ensure survival of the Yoda-like primate
SNAP-CHAT
Chien Lee on shrew loos, rogue drones and being rained out of bed
VISIONS OF NATURE
The winners of the Wildlife Artist of the Year competition 2024, from David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation
