I do find these animals fascinating. They’re so slow that they have microbiomes living in their fur. Their metabolism is so slow that they take days to digest food other animals can breakdown in hours. They stay in the trees and only come down once a week to go the bathroom.
Sloths are pretty cool when you look beyond them simply being slow.
Sloths fall into two categories, which are two-toed sloths (2 species) and three-toed sloths (4 species). The pygmy three-toed sloth is considered critically endangered and the maned sloth is considered vulnerable. There biggest threats are:
- Deforestation, which destroys their environment. Sloths live in thick canopies where they can hide from predators. On the ground, they’re too slow to escape snakes and jaguars. If they are on branches, but are exposed than large birds of prey can snag them.
- Poaching because . . . humans suck.
For more information, CLICK HERE! Now the pictures starting with the three-toed sloths
Brown-Throated Sloth (Most Common)
Pale-Throated Three-Toed Sloth (Commonly mistaken for Brown-Throated Sloth)
Maned Three-Toed Sloth (Vulnerable)
Pygmy Three-Toed Sloth (Critically Endangered)
Now for the two-toed:
Linnaeus’s Two-Toed Sloth
Hoffman’s Two-Toed Sloth
Can’t have an animal post without some cute videos:
A note on this last one. I picked it because there are a lot of videos where people help sloths cross the street. Many end with the sloth ‘waving a thank you’. I wondered about this and found an answer in the comments of this video. Raising its arm is a defensive posture. Sloths are just so slow that it resembles a wave when it’s really their version of putting up their dukes.
Legends of Windemere 
I love sloths! So cute. Thanks for the videos.
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You’re welcome.
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For the longest time my niece was obsessed with a baby sloth video where the twin babies were being shaved. It was pretty cute (though some people complained about it; I think it was taken down).
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Why did people complain?
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I can so relate to these guys today.
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Same here. They’re really living the life.
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Super post, Charles. Sloths are the cutest. Thanks for the videos too.
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You’re welcome.
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Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
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Thanks for sharing.
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Sloths are adorable. If I could have one for a pet, I would but that would be a bad thing – they need to be preserved in the wild. Thanks for this post!
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They would definitely do better in the wild. Maybe a rescue, but that would be for rehabilitation.
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks for sharing.
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Happy May, Charles! Thanks for sharing another gem. of information. I love them, even i had not seen one in real. Maybe this will be the new way of life, also for humans. Indeed a life of sustainability. 🙂 xx Michael
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Glad you enjoyed it. I’ve seen a few at zoos. Never saw one move though.
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I love the baby sloths getting a bath–and being hung out to dry, too!
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It’s really adorable. Had to include it.
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I loved this!
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Thanks
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You’re welcome. Every day at lunch the children want to play ‘the animal game’. I give clues and they guess what animal it is. You have no idea how popular this is. Today was the sloth, thanks to you.
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That sounds like a fun game. How did they do with the sloth?
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I was shocked. I gave two clues: they are the slowest animal, and they live in trees. After a few questions, one child got it! Wow! I need to come up with more animals. Your posts are a big help.
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Glad to be of service. Plenty of animals out there too. 🙂
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Keep ’em comin’. 🙂
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I’ll do my best. As long as holidays don’t turn up on Sundays.
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🙂
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Pingback: *Press This* Take Your Time Because We’ve Got Sloths Here #231 | Its good to be crazy Sometimes
nice
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Thanks.
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