Distribution of Two Sympatric Species of Sloths (Choloepus didactylus and Bradypus tridactylus) along the Sinnamary River, French Guiana1

Abstract

ABSTRACTDuring the filling of the Petit Saut dam in French Guiana, a wildlife rescue operation was conducted for 17 months. Over 900 sloths (Bradypus tridactylus and Choloepus didactylus) were captured along the Sinnamary River in a primary rain forest that was largely undisturbed at the outset. Raw densities of 1.7 B, tridactyluslkm1 and 0.9 C. didactylusl km2 were estimated. The distribution of captures was relatively continuous for both species along the rivers; variations most likely reflected biases due to capture methods. The highest densities of captures were located mainly in marshy areas. During the first months, due to different probabilities of sighting the two species, B. tridactylus captures predominated; however, as defoliation advanced, captures of C. didactylus reached the same level. In both species, over 73 percent of individuals captured were solitary and another 23‐24 percent were females carrying young, accounting for 96 percent of emancipated individuals.