Sloth TV

How do you tell the difference between sloths?

You can tell the difference between a three and two-toed sloth by looking at the finger on their hands, all sloths have three ‘toes’ on their feet.

How do sloths reproduce?

They mate and give birth in trees, though this is not commonly observed. Two-fingered sloth gestate for 11.5 months. They only have one offspring at a time. If a mother births twins, it is common for one of them to be rejected and abandoned. Offspring are born with claws that they use to hold on to their mothers.

Do sloths ever fall?

They do sometimes fall, but sloths are incredibly resilient and have been known to survive a drop of over 90 feet (thanks to two-fingered sloths boasting an impressive 42 ribs to protect their internal organs).

What do sloths eat?

Sloths are folivores that could opportunistically eat some animal protein like insects and bird eggs. They have large four-chambered stomachs that contain bacteria that digest the foliage they eat. It takes up to a week to digest one meal due to their slow metabolism, so they only climb down from trees to defecate once a week. They can hold it for 2 weeks if that happens, they get bloated and can lose up to 30% of their body weight in 1 go. Babies will begin to sample leaves from around the mother’s mouth from as early as 1 week old. This process teaches the offspring exactly which tree species are safe to eat.

Are there threats to the sloth population?

They are not on the endangered list, however, habitat loss is a threat. This leaves them homeless and vulnerable to population decrease. Electrocution and dogs are also a big threat. Due to their arboreal nature and excellent camouflage, they are generally quite well protected from natural predators however their most common predator is the harpy eagle and jungle cats. With biological corridors being destroyed, sloths are being forced to come to the ground to cross over roads and to reach surrounding trees, meaning they are much more vulnerable to interference from humans, road traffic collisions, and territorial predators. Due to the increased media coverage of sloths, more and more people are traveling to South American countries with the hopes to interact with and hold them, meaning that they are often exploited for these purposes.

Is sloth physiology unique?

Although virtually all mammals possess 7 cervical (neck) vertebrae as standard, sloths are one of the few mammals to break this rule. Two-fingered sloths manatees have 5-7, while three-fingered sloths have 9-10 (reason why they can turn their necks 270°!), and it depends more on the individual rather than species. They also have constantly growing teeth, but with no incisors or true canines. The first tooth is a pseudo-canine which, although looks like a typical canine, is referred to as a caniniform. The teeth lack enamel, consisting only of dentin. Alongside hosting algae and fungi, sloth hair also provides home to an entire ecosystem of invertebrates – some species of which are found nowhere else on earth!