Why are sloths so slow?
Sloths are slow because they eat leaves, which provide very little energy and take a long time to digest. Moving slowly and having a low body temperature help them save energy.
Sloths have a diet made mostly of leaves, which are low in nutrients and hard to digest. Their stomach has several compartments filled with bacteria that slowly break down the leaves, and digesting one meal can take up to a month. To survive on this diet, sloths need to spend as little energy as possible.
Sloths have about half the muscle mass of similar-sized mammals and one of the lowest metabolic rates of any mammal. Their body temperature can drop to about 30 degrees Celsius, and they bask in the sun to warm up. They sleep or rest for many hours each day.
Slowness as protection
Moving slowly makes sloths hard for predators like harpy eagles and jaguars to spot. Algae even grow in their fur, giving them a greenish color that helps them blend in with the trees. Moths and other tiny creatures live in sloth fur too.
Did You Know?
Sloths can hold their breath for up to about 40 minutes by slowing their heart rate, which helps them when swimming.