Urine-soaked clay licking by Linnaeus's two-toed sloth, Choloepus didactylus, in Loreto, Peru

Two-toed sloths are usually content to stay high in the trees, but trail-camera footage from near Otorongo Amazon River Lodge has captured something rarely seen: a Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth spending nearly half an hour licking urine-soaked clay at the base of a tree. The site wasn’t a natural mineral lick—it was a spot a lodge worker had been using as a urination site for months.

This appears to be only the second published observation of a two-toed sloth deliberately consuming urine. The camera recorded two separate visits on the same night (likely two different individuals), with the animals scraping and chewing the clay rather than just sniffing it. While the exact nutritional benefit is still unclear, the behavior fits a broader pattern of Amazonian animals seeking sodium and other minerals that are scarce in their diets.

Read the full account of the observation, the behavior captured on camera, and what it adds to the limited literature on sloth mineral use.

Anthony Giardenelli 3/30/26 Anthony Giardenelli 3/30/26

Snake species #54 for Otorongo

Snake specie #54 for the Otorongo Property

Anthony Giardenelli 11/16/25 Anthony Giardenelli 11/16/25

Bushmaster Capital of Peru

A coiled bushmaster (Lachesis muta), the largest viper in the Americas, lies in wait on the damp forest floor near Otorongo Expeditions Lodge in Quebrada Orán, Peru. Its ridged dorsal spine and bold diamond pattern blend seamlessly with leaf litter under the beam of a headlamp, revealing the raw power and cryptic beauty that have earned this region its title: Peru’s Bushmaster Capital. Photographed during a night herping expedition, this apex predator embodies the untamed heart of the Amazon.

Anthony Giardenelli 9/7/25 Anthony Giardenelli 9/7/25

Serpent #49 Tantilla Melanocephala

Tantilla melanocephala, commonly known as the black-headed snake, is a small, slender species native to the Amazon rainforest. It is characterized by its distinct black head contrasting with a lighter-colored body. Typically nocturnal and secretive, this snake feeds primarily on small invertebrates. Observing Tantilla melanocephala in its natural habitat provides insight into the diverse and intricate ecosystem of the Amazon Basin.