Maned A Look At Its Population Ecology And Consequent Vulnerabilities

ALICE CHANG Introduction to Maned

 Bradypus torquatus  Arboreal  Long limbs  Curved claws  Green tinted fur  Predators:  Harpy eagles  Jaguars  Humans

Slow Moving Sloths

 Slow, sluggish movers  Strict folivores  Sleep 15 hrs a day  Low metabolic rate  Reduced muscles Habitat

 Coastal Brazilian Atlantic rain forest  1 of the top 5 biodiversity hotspots in the world  Tropical evergreen  Bahia, Espirito Santo, Rio de Janeiro  3 distinct populations Vulnerability

 IUCN lists maned sloths as vulnerable  Population count difficult but believed to be declining

Threats: Deforestation

 Atlantic forest greatly reduced  Agriculture, urbanization, coal production  Rate of deforestation decreased by not stopped  Fragmentation/destructi on of sloth habitat Additional Threats

 Hunting  Subsistence

 Road kill

 Tourism

Traits Affecting Vulnerability and Conservation

 Very limited distribution  Only found in the Coastal Atlantic Forest of  Survival linked to the health of the Atlantic forest  Conservation Response  Protected Areas in each state  Environmental education  Tourism over agriculture Traits Affecting Vulnerability and Conservation

 Limited range and speed of motion  Inability to respond to threats  Limited dispersal ability  Fragmentation leads to complete isolation  Allee effects  Inbreeding depression  Conservation response  Habitat corridors  Translocation Traits Affecting Vulnerability and Conservation

 Low reproduction and high parental care  1 offspring/yr  Gestation period-6 months  Close relationship between mother and offspring  Conservation Response  Breeding in captivity has been poor  More research necessary

Conclusions

 Maned sloths are vulnerable to deforestation due to their limited distribution, limited movement, and slow reproductive rates  Efforts should focus on protecting Atlantic forest habitat  More research should be done in order to create successful breeding programs and to formulate effective management strategies References

 Chiarello A.G. 1998. Diet of the Atlantic forest maned sloth Bradypus torquatus (: Bradypodidae). J. Zoo, Lond. 246(1): 11-19  Chiarello A.G., D.J. Chivers, C. Bassi, M.A.F. Maciel, L.S Moreira, M. Bazzalo. 2004. A translocation experiment for the conservation of maned sloths Bradypus torquatus (Xenarthra, Bradypodidae). Biological Conservation 118(4): 421-430.  Lara-Ruiz P., A. G. Chiarello. 2005. Life-history traits and sexual dimorphism of the Atlantic forest maned sloth Bradypus torquatus (Xenarthra: Bradypodidae)  Lara-Ruiz P., A.G. Chiarello, F.R. Santos. 2008. Extreme population divergence and conservation implications for the rare endangered Atlantic Forest sloth, Bradypus torquatus (: Bradypodidae). Biological Conservation 141(5): 1332-1342.