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. 2023 May 19;32:e40. doi: 10.1017/awf.2023.34

Table 1.

Ethogram of Choloepus didactylus observed in this study*

Behavioural categories Behaviours Description
Inactivity Resting Still, with crouched body, does not seem to be vigilant
Sitting Still, with head up, does not seem to be vigilant
Stationary Body hung and motionless
Locomotion Moving Changing location, from one place to another
Maintenance Moving without locomotion Extension of a limb for no apparent reason, then returning to a rest position
Scratching Body rub using claws
Licking Self-grooming using the tongue
Drinking Ingestion of water
Yawning The upper and lower jaws are moved in opposite directions, opening the mouth
Foraging Eating Ingestion of food
Food-handling Food manipulation
Inspecting Visual investigation of the enclosure
Sexual behaviour Copulating The male is positioned dorsally in relation to the female
Affiliative interaction Affiliative interaction One arm is extended not aggressively towards conspecific
Agonistic interaction Agonistic interaction One arm is extended aggressively toward another sloth, followed by a scratch or bite
Non visible Non visible The animal is not visible to the observer, inside one of the sleeping boxes
*

Adapted from Hayssen (2011), Silva et al. (2013) and Clark and Melfi (2012).