When we think of sloths, we often associate them with slowness, laziness, and spending all day hanging from trees. However, the reality is that sloths hold many mysteries that explain their sluggishness. Generally, they are considered to be one of the most “extreme” lifestyles in the animal kingdom, but it’s not just because they only defecate once a week.
First of all, sloths are incredibly slow. Their maximum speed is only 0.25 km/h, which makes them the slowest mammals on the planet.
According to zoologist Becky Cliffe, the reason for their slowness is that they can’t see well. Sixty million years ago, sloths lost their eyesight, rendering them nearly blind. Therefore, during the day when it is too bright, sloths can’t see anything. This is why they move very little to avoid falling from trees.
While slowness is often seen as a disadvantage for humans in the workplace and various other contexts, for sloths, slow and steady wins the race. First, moving slower means burning less energy. In fact, sloths use about 90% less energy than typical mammals, which means they only need a few leaves for a meal. Additionally, their sluggishness helps them camouflage better.
Sloths use about 90% less energy than typical mammals.
Skilled predators such as jaguars or eagles, which rely on movement to detect prey, find it very difficult to spot sloths. Thanks to an extra rare vertebra in their neck, sloths can turn their heads 270°, allowing them to smell predators approaching from all directions, which is especially useful since they spend almost all their time hanging motionless in trees.
In fact, sloths sleep, mate, and even give birth while hanging upside down from a tree branch. Their bodies are uniquely designed for this. Sloths have special tendons in their arms that help them maintain their position. Their long, hooked claws help them grip tightly to branches. While one might think that hanging upside down would cause blood to rush to their heads like it does for humans, sloths have a special valve in their circulatory system to prevent that from happening.
About 60% of sloth deaths from predation occur while they are defecating.
On average, sloths risk their lives by climbing down a tree once a week to… defecate. About 60% of sloth deaths due to predation occur while they are doing their business. This is truly a challenging task for these animals. After each defecation, sloths release a waste amount that can account for 30% of their body weight.
Moreover, each descent to the ground is a life-threatening venture, so they must make the most of it. Interestingly, sloths’ defecation serves a dual purpose; they release pheromones—scent signals to attract mates. It turns out that just staying still can indeed bring love.
Sloths’ defecation serves a dual purpose.
The mysteries of sloths don’t end there; you also need to explore beneath their shaggy fur. The fur of sloths is literally a forest. The humid tropical environment in which sloths live allows algae to grow on their fur, providing them with a green camouflage. You can even find beetles, cockroaches, and a type of moth that can only be found on sloths. Sloths, of course, are indifferent to the world living on them.
Scientists have even discovered a type of fungus on sloths’ fur that may combat breast cancer cells and malaria. From now on, you can discard the notion that sloths are boring creatures. In fact, these slow animals are far more fascinating than you might think.
