Time to get your wild animal fix! I just saw this cute picture of a not-that-common creature so I acted very non-slothlike and dug up some fun facts about the Two-Toed Sloth that you can tell just from looking at the picture!
- Check out the claws. Sloths get their names based on the number of large claws on their front feet – either two or three – and both have three claws in the back! These claws help them grip and climb those branches upside down in a hand-over-hand motion.
- Check out how quickly it moves. Not. This is the world's slowest mammal – so inactive that algae grows on its furry coat giving it a greenish tint as camouflage in the tropical canopy layer.
- Check out the fur – unlike most mammals, sloths' fur curves from the stomach to the back allowing water to run off as they spend most of their lives hanging upside down in trees in the rainforest.
- Check out those eyes. They look closed to me which is no surprise – these animals are active at night. They sleep in trees – and sleep a lot – usually 15 to 20 hours a day. When awake they are generally motionless (eating nearby twigs, fruits, and leaves), and even dead sloths can retain their grip and remain suspended in the air!
- Check out the zookeeper. This picture was snapped today during the annual stocktake at the London Zoo – Two-Toed sloths can survive in captivity but Three-Toed sloths cannot.
Curious to learn more about this animal, then read more.
Church
Roberto Cavalli
Ralph Lauren
Ew! They are gross, but at the same time cute!
1How does that work!?!
They're simply adorable! They've really got a lifestyle I covet for myself.
2I want to hug him.
3I actually saw a sloth in the wild while visiting Costa Rica. They were very cute and very lazy! The one mom had her baby on her chest the whole time I say them-adorable!
4I'm taking my guests to a sloth sanctuary for one activity as part of my wedding (destination) very soon. If you are on the Costa Rican Caribbean coast check out or even stay at Aviaros del Caribe. Their program is called the Buttercup Foundation. Sloths are all over the place in the lowlands in Costa Rica and utterly fascinating critters. The lowland rainforest exhibit at the National Aquarium even has a roaming sloth if you are in the Baltimore area and the exhibit is still up.
5Makes me think of Ice Age and the Sloth character on it. But I'm glad PetSugar can teach me real life things
6Heh, the sloth that the one in ice age was modeled after was actually HUGE. Like...elephant sized big. They lived on the ground.
7Post New Comment
Please share your opinion with our community, but make sure it is on topic and follows our Community Rules. We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.