30 Interesting Facts About Sloths

  1. The sloth is an arboreal (tree-dwelling) mammal present in tropical forests of Central and South America.
  2. The sloth is the world’s slowest mammal. It can travel at a speed of 6-8 ft. (1.8-2.4 m) per minute on the ground. The pygmy three-toed sloth is the smallest, while the extinct Florida ground sloth was the largest sloth species. (Source)
  3. In contrast to slow locomotion on trees and ground, sloths can swim relatively faster in water. It is mainly due to decreased gravity in water.
  4. Sloths spend a long duration of their daily routine hanging upside down from tree branches. They can easily do so without facing problems in breathing because their internal organs are attached to their ribs and hips. (Source)
  5. Sloths spend almost their entire life hanging from the trees. They eat, sleep, mate, and even give birth while hanging from branches through their sharp and long claws.
  6. Sloths are generally nocturnal and solitary animals. However, three-toed sloths are sometimes active at daytime. 
  7. There are two types of sloths (two-toed and three-toed sloths) distributed in 6 species. These include Pygmy three-toed sloth, Pale-throated three-toed sloth, Brown-throated three-toed sloth, Maned three-toed sloth, Hoffman’s two-toed sloth, and Linnaeus (or southern) two-toed sloth. Pygmy sloth is critically endangered, while maned sloth is vulnerable. (Source)
  8. Anteaters and armadillos are the closest relatives of sloths. All these xenarthrans have identical claws, forelimbs, and several other features. (Source)
  9. Sloths sleep for up to 16 hours a day in captivity. But they sleep less than 10 hours per day in the wild. (Source)
  10. Female sloths scream when they are ready for a mate. The entire mating process in sloths takes just 5 seconds. (Source)
  11. Sloths have completely different metabolism mechanisms compared to other mammals. These are the only mammals that can compress their metabolism when it gets too hot or too cold. Comparatively, other mammals use a lot of energy in extreme temperatures. (Source)
  12. Sloths have a significantly low metabolism. A study proves that three-toed sloths have the slowest metabolism among non-hibernating mammals. (Source)
    A three-toed sloth hanging from tree
    Three-toed sloths have the slowest metabolism among mammals

  13. Sloths have one of the lowest temperatures among mammals. Their normal range is between 25 and 35 Celsius, but it can drop to as low as 20 Celsius.
  14. Moths, beetles, fungi, algae, and a few other organisms are present in sloths’ hairs. Algae are present in all six species of sloths and provide camouflage and absorption of extra nutrition through the skin to the mammal. In return, algae receive shelter and a good supply of water from sloths. (Source)
  15. According to a study, fungi on sloth hair can treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Chagas disease, malaria, and breast cancer. (Source)
  16. Sloths defecate once a week on the ground. It is dangerous as they are usually preyed upon by predators during this process. But they do so for moths. Female moths lay eggs in sloth dung. Adult moths make sloths' hair their home. These moths assist in the growth of algae on sloths. (Source)
  17. These moths provide an advantage to a few birds as well. Blue jays use sloths to eat moths from their hair. (Source)
  18. Sloths can live underwater for long periods. They can hold their breath underwater for up to 40 minutes.
  19. Outer hairs in sloths grow in a different direction as compared to other mammals. These hairs are pointing away from their extremities.
  20. According to a study, sloths first appeared on earth around 50 million years ago. Most of the early species were ground-based and extremely large. All the ground sloths and 90% of 50 sloth species perished around 10,000 years ago. (Source)
  21. Few species of sloths were aquatic as well. These sloths went extinct around 2.5 million years ago. (Source)
  22. Sloth's muscle mass is 30% less than an animal of its size. Most of the muscles contain slow-twitch fibers that provide a lot of endurance. But these muscles cannot shiver (necessary for rising temperature in a cold environment). (Source)
  23. Apart from having a different number of toes, two and three-toed sloths also have several other differences. Both these sloths belong to different families and have differences in length of arms (three-toed have 50% longer forelimbs than hindlimbs), eyes, and the number of neck vertebrates and ribs. It is the reason that both these types of sloths do not interbreed. 
  24. Compared to other placental mammals with seven neck vertebrates, three-toed sloths have between 8 to 10 vertebrae in their necks. It happens due to shifting one or more ribcage vertebrae into its neck. (Source)
    Cervical vertebrae
    Sloths have highest number of cervical vertebrae among mammals

  25. Due to additional vertebrae in their neck, three-toed sloths can turn their heads up to 270 degrees in either direction. (Source)
  26. Sloths have poor hearing and eyesight (but have color vision which is absent in many mammals). They mainly use their senses of smell and touch to find food.
  27. Sloths usually live for 20 years in the wild. The oldest sloth in captivity remained alive for 50 years. (Source)
  28. Sloths face danger of being hunted when on the ground for defecation. Their main predators are large animals, including harpy eagles and ocelots. But sometimes, they are killed by small animals like spectacled owls. (Source)
  29. Sloths mostly eat leaves, twigs, and flowers. Few species also eat insects and other small animals. 
  30. Slots have one of the slowest digestions among animals. They will take days to digest food that most other animals can digest in a few hours.

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