The Slow Truth: 20 Facts About Sloths

Sloths, as we all know, are some one of the cutest animals on planet Earth. I decided to list some facts about this adorable animal.
 
1- Sloths are one of the laziest mammals on planet Earth they spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping and for the remainder of the day they barely move at all. They are so lazy that algae can grow on their fur.
2- Sloths live in South and Central America.
3- Sloths can be 2-2.5ft long and weigh 8-17lbs.
4- There are 6 species of sloths they are

• Pygmy three-toed sloths are the most endangered sloth at a population of only 79 and an area of only 1.7sq miles they are soon to become extinct here is a website to donate to so that the Pygmy three-toed sloth can survive. You can donate here!
• Brown-throated sloth is the most common sloth and it is three-toed. It lives in the rainforests of South and Central America.
• The Maned sloths live on the eastern coast of Brazil. They are three toed and have a paleish brown to a grey coat.
• The Pale-Throated sloth lives in northern South America in countries such as Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana. They are three toed. 
• Hoffman's two-toed sloth lives in Brazil, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, western Columbia, western Ecuador, and west Venezuela.
• Linnaeus's two toed sloth live in Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador.

5- Sloths are a part of the genus Xenarthra which means that they are closely related to anteaters and armadillos.
6- Sloths move so slowly that sometimes algae grows on their fur giving them a green hue.
7- Sloths in the wild live between 10 and 16 years of age and in captivity can live up to 30 years old.
8- Sloths can make their tongue go 10-12 inches out of their mouth.
9- Sloths climb down their tree about once a week to go to the bathroom.
10- If a sloth gets caught by a predator then they become vicious biting, hissing, and slashing at the predator with their claws.
11- Sloths normally sleep for around 10 hours per day.
12- On the ground sloths can move at a speed of about 2 meters per minute.
13- Sloths diets include buds, tender shoots, and leaves. Due to this they move slowly because there is a lack of nutrients in their diet.
14- Sloths claws are 3-4 inches.
15- There used to be a giant type of sloth called Megatherium; it was a ground sloth and was 6 meters from head to tail.
16- Sloths predators include jaguars, ocelots, and harpy eagles.
17- There is an animal called a sloth bear which is native to the Indian region and is shaggy, and black furred.
18- There is an animal called Cryptosys choloepi which lives in the fur of the sloths.
19- Sloths have extra vertebrae in their necks which allows them to turn their heads almost all the way around.
20- There is a sloth sanctuary in Costa Rica and to save these adorable animals you may donate to their fund here.

This is The Pygmy three-toed sloth.

This is the Brown throated sloth.

This is the Pale-throated sloth.

This is the Maned sloth.

This is Hoffman's two toed sloth.

This is Linnaeus's two toed sloth.

This is the Sloth Bear.

Story by William Euler