The differential influence of ambient temperature on heart rate in male and female wild pale-throated sloths (Bradypus tridactylus)

Abstract Climate conditions influence cardiac health in diverse animals. Extreme heat events are now more frequent in many parts of the world due to climate change, increasing cardiovascular risks in certain wild animals. Here, we found that male and female pale-throated sloths (Bradypus tridactylus) show differential responses to ambient temperature in terms of heart rate. When we fit the data using linear models, we observed that heart rate increases with increasing ambient temperature in male sloths, while heart rate decreases with increasing temperature in female slots. We hypothesize that extreme heat conditions in the future as a result of global warming might effect the cardiovascular health of male and female sloths differently, influencing population dynamics. Our findings points that in the face of climate change, vulnerability of male and female sloths to extreme heat events in terms of cardiovascular health might significantly differ.