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Description
Body length: 46 - 86 cm (18
- 34 in); Weight: 4.1 - 8.5 kg (9 - 18.7 lb) Upper parts tan or
brown; legs often darker than body; face like body. Long legs;
no free toes; forefeet with two long curving claws; hindfeet with
three claws. Fur long, often with creamy tips. Stumpy tail.
Range
South America east of
the Andes, from Eastern Venezuela and Guianas south through Ecuador,
Peru and Brazil to just south of the Amazon River.
Habitat
Mature, disturbed and secondary
rainforest.
Niche
Arboreal, nocturnal and solitary.
Feeds on leaves and fruit. Often high in canopy; prefer trees
covered with vines and crowns in the sunlight. Descend to ground
to defecate. Frequently hang upside down from tree branches by
means of their claws. Head can rotate 90o. Hairs have
tiny grooves which shelter algae, the greenish color of which
disguises fur of the animal; algae is fed on by a species of moth.
Move very slowly and are silent, so difficult to observe. Preyed
on by eagles and jaguars. Somewhat aggressive; will defend themselves
by biting and slashing with foreclaws.
Life History
Single young clings to mother
for first six to nine months of life.
Status
Widespread distribution;
hunted for meat; status unknown.
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