Sloths : World’s Slowest Mammals

The tropical rain forests in Northern parts of South America are home to the world’s slowest mammals named ‘Sloth’. Sloth is known to have a sedentary lifestyle, so slow that even algae grows on its  furry camouflage . We have tried to collate answers for some of the most curious questions asked about ‘Sloths : World’s Slowest Mammals

Similarities :

1. They both thrive in tropical rain forests.
2. They both belong to the same order of family called ‘Pilosa’
3. Both of these slow moving creatures love tree heights to keep away from their predators.
4. Both the variants mostly prefer leaves as their food, occasionally trying out fruits and also insects.
5. Their digestive system takes almost a month’s time to break down the food particles, subsequently causing them to sleep a lot.
6. Besides, Cocropia tree being their favorite, they are known to eat foliage from 50 type of tress.

Differences :

1. The two toed sloth is mostly nocturnal and is closely related to its now extinct huge giant sloth found on ground unlike the three toed sloth.
2. While the two sloth has almost equal sized limbs, three toed sloth has longer arms as compared to its legs.
3. The two toed sloth has identifiable larger sized eyes unlike the other counter.
4. The three toed sloth has remarkably distinctive set of eyes with visible black markings.
5. The two types of sloth has different number of vertebrae. While the two toed sloth has six, three- toed sloth has nine allowing its head turn to a full 270 degrees.
6. The three – toed sloth has astonishing number of 46 ribs unlike the two-toed sloth with only 28 ribs.

The differences are significant enough to cause their interbreeding impossible.

Both two toed sloths and three sloths can be found in tropical rain forests around the Pacific oceans , Caribbean Coasts, Central Cloud forests, rescue homes and wildlife sanctuaries , specially in Costa Rica.

One might just get lucky and spot them in the woods, up on the trees, smiling down at you.

The sloth has sharp claws and can show quick reactions in defend. These otherwise slow creatures often scratch humans in self defense.
They aggressively resist their capture and swing their sharp claws in defense. They also try to bite and use their an enormous force to hold on to something and quickly run.

Sloths have majorly herbivorous diet and their digestive system takes almost a months time to break the foliage that they have consumed. They do not get instant food energy and thus survive with minimal energy.
They conserve energy with their really slow and lazy lifestyle. They are so slow, that they even blink their eyes very slowly.
As a survival strategy, they camouflage and are usually found on tree tops to keep away from their predators.

Due to certain characteristic features of Sloth, they are difficult to Pet.

1. They are wild creatures and generally does not generally love to be controlled groomed or cleaned.
2. They are mostly herbivorous and are dependent on a specialized diet and constantly requires warm and humid habitat.
3. Their veterinary care is hard to find thus making them a risky pet.
4. Though they have a rising popularity amongst exotic pets, they can make companionship for a long time of even 30 years.
5. It is difficult to purchase them because of very few legal breeding facilities available.
6. They, indeed, love their natural settings which are difficult to replicate in the captivity.