brown-throated three-toed sloth vs Polar bear

Bradypus variegatus compared with Ursus maritimus

Key Differences

• brown-throated three-toed sloth is Least Concern while Polar bear is Vulnerable.
• brown-throated three-toed sloth is herbivore while Polar bear is carnivore.
• Polar bear is 112.5x heavier than brown-throated three-toed sloth.
• brown-throated three-toed sloth lives longer (30 years vs 25 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	brown-throated three-toed sloth	Polar bear
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Pilosa (Sloths & Anteaters)	Carnivora (Carnivorans)
Family	Bradypodidae (Three-toed Sloths)	Ursidae (Bears)
Genus	Bradypus (Three-toed Sloths)	Ursus (Bears)
Species	Bradypus variegatus	Ursus maritimus

Evolutionary Relationship

brown-throated three-toed sloth and Polar bear share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

brown-throated three-toed sloth

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Polar bear

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~26.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	brown-throated three-toed sloth	Polar bear
Diet	Herbivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	30 years	25 years
Average Length	60 cm	2.4 m
Average Weight	4.0 kg	450.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

brown-throated three-toed sloth

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Polar bear

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

brown-throated three-toed sloth

One of the world's slowest mammals, brown-throated three-toed sloths hang inverted in the rainforest canopy of Central and South America, moving at an average speed of 0.24 km/h. Their low metabolic rate is a key adaptation to their nutrient-poor leaf diet. Algae growing in their fur provides camouflage and may harbor symbiotic fungi with antimicrobial properties. Moths, beetles, and fungi form a miniature ecosystem within sloth fur.

Polar bear

The largest land carnivore on Earth, polar bears can exceed 700 kg and are found across Arctic sea ice from Canada to Russia. Highly specialized marine mammals that rely on sea ice to hunt ringed and bearded seals. Excellent swimmers capable of covering vast distances in open water. Listed as Vulnerable, with populations under severe pressure from rapid Arctic sea ice loss due to climate change.