Sloths are the general name for families belonging to the order Edentata. They are the most amazing and unusual animals on Earth. They are extremely slow. It is their lifestyle that gives them their name. Anteaters are considered their closest relatives.
Where does the sloth live?
All mammal species are found only in South America. They inhabit the equatorial and tropical zones.
Scientists classify these animals into two families: two-toed and three-toed. The three-toed sloth family includes four species:
- Dwarf.
- Collared.
- Brown-throated.
- Three-fingered.
The photo shows a female three-toed sloth with her baby.
The two-toed sloth family includes only two species:
- Hoffmann's Sloth.
- Two-toed sloth.
What does a sloth look like?
These mammals are medium-sized, with bodies never exceeding 60 cm in length. Their weight ranges from 4 to 6 kg. This animal resembles a monkey, with relatively long limbs and prehensile fingers.
The fur is long, shaggy, and has a slightly greenish tint. This is due to the presence of microscopic algae due to the animal's low mobility. The fur grows from the belly to the back. not like other animals (from back to belly). The head, eyes, and ears are small, barely visible behind the thick fur. Their tail is very short, almost invisible, as it gets lost in the long fur.
The sedentary lifestyle of the wild animal, its ability to conserve energy, and its primitively designed teeth led to the fact that the internal organs are arranged differently from those of other animals.
Their liver is located closer to their back. Their stomach and intestines are very large, and their trachea contains unusually shaped coils.
Where do sloths live?
These animals prefer an arboreal lifestyle. They love to hang from a branch effortlessly, clinging to it with their claws. They don't require any strength at all.
There's no need to descend to the ground. The trees have everything they need for food. That's where they breed. They only descend to the ground to relieve themselves. They never do this in the trees.
The animal's body temperature ranges from 29 to 32 degrees Celsius, but it easily drops to 24 degrees Celsius. For mammals, this body temperature is considered very low. All vital processes in the body slow down. They also sleep for a long time – up to 16 hours a day. Upon awakening, they begin to feed.
Animal nutrition
Interestingly, during lunch, they also remain in the tree where the animals live, and do not move if there is food nearby. These animals also eat slowly. These animals are herbivores, preferring plant foods and tree leaves.
Such a low-calorie diet forces animals to conserve energy. This is why they spend a lot of time in trees. clinging tenaciously to a branch with its large clawsThey can remain in this position for a very long time. They can also feed on flowers. But they won't turn down a lizard or a favorite insect.
The animal can digest the food it eats for up to 30 days. Its stomach can hold enough food to double its body weight.
Three-toed sloth
The three-toed sloth is a very slow animal. It lives in the tropical forest along the banks of the Amazon. When moving, it can only reach speeds of up to 0.25 km/h. They cannot walk on all fours. They move using their forelimbs and claws, dragging their bodies along the ground. However, three-toed sloths are very good swimmers.
The photo shows a three-toed sloth moving on the ground.
It can only live high in the tree canopy and only comes down to empty its bowels.
The three-toed sloth resembles a small dog or a large cat. Its body length is 45 cm and its weight is up to 5 kg. It has three-toed paws with long claws.
How long does a sloth live?
Three-toed sloths are unable to maintain their own body temperature, so they live only in warm environments. Members of this mammal species live up to 30 years. Sexual maturity occurs at 2 years of age.
Animal reproduction
They have no specific breeding season. Mating occurs at any time. Gestation typically lasts six months and results in the birth of only one cub. The cub is weaned after four months. but he continues to live with her for several more monthsWhen the cub reaches 10 months of age, the female leaves it, leaving the territory to her offspring.
Adult sloths are solitary. Several individuals are only seen together when they begin searching for partners.
Why are sloths so slow?
Scientists believe the main reason for the animal's sluggishness is its diet. The animal tries to expend as little energy as possible on physical activity, as it needs it to digest food. Furthermore, tree leaves are very low in calories, so the animal's body receives insufficient energy. A slow metabolism allows it to obtain the maximum amount of energy.
