Sloths are unusual mobile ecosystems, containing a high diversity of epibionts living and growing in their fur as they climb slowly through the canopies of tropical forests. These epibionts include poorly studied algae, arthropods, fungi, and bacteria, making sloths likely reservoirs of unexplored biodiversity. This review aims to identify gaps and eliminate misconceptions in our knowledge of sloths and their epibionts, and to identify key questions to stimulate future research into the functions and roles of sloths within a broader ecological and evolutionary context. This review also seeks to position the sloth fur ecosystem as a model for addressing fundamental questions in metacommunity and movement ecology. The conceptual and evidence-based foundation of this review aims to serve as a guide for future hypothesis-driven research into sloths, their microbiota, sloth health and conservation, and the coevolution of symbioses in general.

Human-introduced predators, primarily the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris), and human-modified landscapes conjointly threaten wildlife across Costa Rica. For arboreal species, including the two-fingered sloth (Choloepus hoffmani), the impact of domestic dogs is amplified in areas of habitat fragmentation. In efforts to navigate discontinuous canopies associated with urban development and human encroachment, C. hoffmani is forced to utilize terrestrial locomotion. This unnatural behavior leaves sloths increasingly vulnerable to predation by domestic dogs, which occupy altered landscapes in high densities. In this report, we detail the ante and postmortem findings associated with C. hoffmani following an extensive attack by three large-breed dogs. The patient sustained severe and fatal polytraumatic injuries targeting the abdominothoracic region. Gross lesions were not readily evident, obscured by unique anatomical characteristics of the species. This report aims to highlight the threat imposed by dogs to sloths and the severity of injuries, with considerations for clinical management in light of C. hoffmani morphology. We review the scope of domestic dog–wildlife conflict in Costa Rica, and propose collaborative mitigation strategies including habitat preservation, domestic dog population control, installation of wildlife corridors, policy initiatives, and dog owner education and public outreach.

1.Researchers have used multiple methods to understand spatial mapping memory used by arboreal mammals for orientation: the change-point test, measures of path tortuosity, field experiments with feeding platforms, nearest-neighbour feeding tree methods, complex calculations of travel route parameters, and theoretical models. 2. This literature review provides details of all of these methods, highlights previous results from spatial mapping memory studies, and discusses perspectives for future studies. 3. Previous studies have shown that various arboreal mammals, mostly in the order Primates, can memorise spatial environments using a cognitive map. Two types of maps are characterised: the topological map, based on landmarks and reused routes, and the Euclidean map, including the ability to create shortcuts by measuring distances and distinguishing between directions. Most of the studies showed that mammals do not travel randomly but, due to the difficulty of determining which spatial map is used, the use of cognitive maps remains hypothetical. 4. When studying spatial mapping memory, data collection and analysis should account for the species' characteristics, such as the home-range size, food preferences, and types of movements. The role of sensory cues (visual, auditory, olfactory) is crucial to understanding spatial orientation. The most relevant way to determine how arboreal mammals orientate themselves in space is by using a mix of methods: random theoretical models, collecting data in a controlled environment, measuring different parameters of travel patterns, and considering the use of sensory cues and environmental factors of the study sites. 5. Research pertaining to spatial mapping memory in arboreal mammals and forest-dwelling mammals is important for understanding cognitive abilities in mammal species, and more studies are needed in mammals of various orders. RÉSUMÉ EN FRANÇAIS1. La communauté scientifique s'est servie de multiples méthodes afin de comprendre la mémoire spatiale utilisée dans l'orientation des mammifères arboricoles: le «change-point test», des mesures de linéarité de trajets pris par les individus étudiés, des expériences sur le terrain utilisant des plateformes approvisionnées en nourriture, la mesure des arbres les plus proches autour