About the three-toed sloth, which he insists on calling the three-FINGERED sloth, Sanderson says, “Aggravatingly and quite erroneously, they have been called the two-toed and three-toed, when both have five toes. However, one the Unau, has only two fingers, and the other, the Ai, has three fingers.”
But as far as I can tell, he’s wrong! Animal Diversity Web says all sloths have three toes; some have three fingers and some have two, and darn if all the pictures I’ve seen don’t look like that’s the case. But he is right that it’s more precise to call this guy three-fingered, not -toed.
This sloth was requested by Susan. I think sloths are just about the most gorgeous creatures around. I hope I get to meet one someday.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
just discovered your remarkable website and fabulous sketches. can’t wait for the hippo and the manatee!
Ohhhh, I love sloths. Maybe because they remind me of myself. >.<
Your drawing is beautiful. i look forward to seeing more.
Actually I had one outside my house in Panama. They move really, reallllllyyy, slowwww…. But they are pretty neat.
What a great picture. You do a super job.
That’s a great image. The colours work really well.
Thanks! You are all so nice. Spam Productions, I drew a pygmy hippo a while back, but no manatee yet! Shanmin, they remind me of myself, too, sometimes! Georgefitzgerald, that’s so neat. I really want to see one. I need to start doing some mammal-watching travel.
My grandmother lives in Costa Rica for retirement, and says that in her personal experience, sloths are actually rather vicious, in contrast with their normal lazy demeanor. Beautiful drawing, as always!
If you are interested, you can see some pictures of French Guyana’s sloths on my blog.
You make a very nice work here!