What Is the Difference Between a Sloth and a Koala? A Detailed Explanation of Differences in Appearance and Habits

The sloth is the general name for animals in the suborder Folivora under the order Pilosa in the class Mammalia, with a total of 2 families, 2 genera and 6 species. Its shape somewhat resembles a monkey, its movements are slow, and it often hangs upside down from tree branches with its claws for hours without moving. The koala generally refers to the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), which is not a bear family animal and is in fact very different; it sleeps 18 hours a day, has a gentle temperament and a stocky build. Now let us take a look together at the differences between sloths and koalas!

Differences Between Sloths and Koalas in Family and Genus

1. Sloth: The sloth is an arboreal mammal in the animal kingdom, phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, subclass Eutheria, order Pilosa, suborder Folivora, family Bradypodidae or family Choloepodidae, genus Bradypus or genus Choloepus.

2. Koala: The koala is a small mammal in the animal kingdom, phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, class Mammalia, subclass Metatheria, order Diprotodontia, suborder Vombatiformes, family Phascolarctidae, genus Phascolarctos.

Differences Between Sloths and Koalas in Appearance

1. Sloth: The sloth's bones are short and tall, the snout is noticeably shortened, and the zygomatic arch is strong but incomplete. The number of cervical vertebrae deviates from the usual seven-vertebra pattern of general mammals: the two-toed sloth has 6 to 7, and the three-toed sloth has 9. No more than 3 toes are externally visible, with syndactylous feet. The three toes of the three-toed sloth are of equal length, the base of the tarsal bones and the attached bones are fused, and the claws are strong and hook-shaped. The body size is relatively small, with a body weight of 4 to 7 kg, and the body hair is long and coarse; algae grow in the depressions of the hair surface, turning the light-colored fur green.

2. Koala: The koala has a stocky build and looks very much like a small bear. It has a thick, soft, dense grayish-brown short fur, while the fur on the chest, abdomen, inner limbs and inner ears is grayish-white. Adult male koalas have a particularly striking brown scent gland in the center of the white chest. It has a pair of large ears with downy hair, a bare and flat nose, and a tail that has degenerated into a “cushion” over the long course of time. The fur on the buttocks is thick and dense, so it can sit in trees for long periods and has an extremely strong sense of balance.

Differences Between the Distribution Areas of Sloths and Koalas

1. Sloth: Sloths are mainly distributed in the tropical rainforests of Central America and South America, including the two genera of three-toed sloths and two-toed sloths. The three-toed sloth is distributed from Honduras in the north to northern Argentina in the south, and the two-toed sloth is distributed from Nicaragua in the north to northern Brazil in the south.

2. Koala: The koala is Australia's national treasure and also Australia's strange and precious primitive arboreal animal, distributed in the northeastern part of the Great Dividing Range in Australia.

Differences Between the Feeding Habits of Sloths and Koalas

1. Sloth: The sloth is a strict arboreal animal and a pure herbivore, mainly eating leaves, tender buds and fruits. For the sloth, the best food is low-calorie leaves; eating a little takes several hours to digest. Once full, it hangs upside down on a tree branch and sleeps lazily. It can endure hunger for more than a month, and its movements are extremely slow.

2. Koala: The koala's only food is eucalyptus leaves. It feeds on eucalyptus leaves and tender twigs and almost never comes down to the ground to drink water, because it can obtain enough moisture from eucalyptus leaves. Its liver is very peculiar and can separate the toxic substances in eucalyptus leaves. Therefore, the koala sleeps for a very long time to digest the toxic substances, needing 17 to 20 hours of sleep each day, leaving only 4 hours for feeding, activity, personal hygiene and communication with other koalas.