Let’s just get one thing straight: Sloths are the most magical creatures on earth. They are adorable, love warm climates, laze about all day, and their course furry bodies provide a home to hundreds of other organisms. But, there’s a lot more to these delightful mammals than you may realize. And this weekend may be the best time to learn more about them because Oct. 20 is “International Sloth Day.” We think this is a holiday is really worth celebrating. Here are seven ridiculously fun facts about sloths to get the party started.
Sloths are ridiculously good swimmers
Sloths can swim three times faster than they can walk on land. And because of their ability to slow their heart rates to one-third its normal rate, they can also hold their breath for a whopping 40 minutes under water.
Sloths only go to the bathroom once a week
Sloths are creatures of habit. They only climb down from their tree perches once a week to go to the bathroom. And when they do, they always go in the same exact spot.
Sloths are so slow they grow algae on their backs
Because of the sloth’s slow-moving sedentary nature, they make a great environment for algae and other fungi to grow. In fact, according to research by the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the fungi that frequently grows on the course, thick fur of a sloth could one day be used as a potent drug to fight against everything from parasites to cancers.
Sloths can turn their heads nearly 360 degrees
Sloths may not be able to move their body with ease, but they sure can turn heads. Literally. According to Ask Nature, a sloth can swivel its neck up to 270 degrees in either direction thanks to the fact that it has extra vertebrae in its spine.
Sloths' nails are nearly four-inches long
Technically, sloths don’t have “nails” in the traditional sense. Instead, BBC explained, they have four-inch long protruding finger bones. Those bones help them grasp onto trees, even in their sleep. These nails also help compensate for a sloth’s terrible eyesight by giving them a greater sene of touch.
Sloths love their alone time
For the most part, sloths like to live alone in quiet solitude. The only time they like to see others, according to LiveScience, is when they happen to be sleeping in the same tree as another sloth, or when they are mating.
Sloths can live up to 40 years
Lifespan can vary between the different species of sloths, but on average, sloths live 20 to 30 years in the wild. Sloths have been known to live a bit longer in captivity, though the years probably feel just a bit longer for these adorable slowpokes.
Want to see a sloth in the wild? Here are the best places around the globe to go sloth spotting.
FAQs
Sloths can swim three times faster than they can walk on land. And because of their ability to slow their heart rates to one-third its normal rate, they can also hold their breath for a whopping 40 minutes under water.
How fast can a sloth go in water? ›
water, they can reach speeds of 13.5 metres (44 ft) per minute. They can even slow their heart rate to one.
How can sloths fall 100 feet without injury? ›
Sloths can fall 100 feet without getting hurt.
Sloths are literally designed to fall out of trees. Anatomically, sloths bodies are built to survive a 100 foot plummet without injury. On average, a sloth will fall out of a tree once a week for its entire life.
Do sloths ever move fast? ›
With their plethora of energy-saving adaptations, sloths physically don't have the ability to move very fast. And with this, they do not have the capacity to defend themselves or run away from predators, as a monkey might.
Which animal can hold its breath for 6 days? ›
Scorpions are organisms which can hold their breath for up to even 6 days. Scorpions are called arachnids, which are members of the animal kingdom's arachnid class. Their modified lungs, which are known as book lungs, also allow them to hold their breath for long.
Are sloths 3x stronger than humans? ›
Sloths are three times stronger than us
From the moment they are born sloths are able to lift their entire body weight upwards with just one arm. Not only that, but sloths have 30% less muscle mass than similar sized mammals and are over three times stronger than the average human.
Are there only 100 sloths left? ›
The critically endangered pygmy sloth only lives on one tiny island off the coast of Panama, and it's believed that only about 100 individuals remain.
Do sloths have 5 fingers? ›
Both Bradypus and Choloepus sloths have three fingers on their hindfeet, but differ in the number of fingers on the forefeet: Choloepus, the two-toed sloths, have two fingers as the name implies while Bradypus, the three-toed sloths, have three fingers.
Can sloths run 20 mph? ›
The top speed of a sloth is 0.24 km per hours (0.15 mph) which is even less than the general speed of a snake and about a 1/20 of that of a walking human being.
What is faster than a sloth? ›
The sloth boasts the title of the world's slowest mammal moving at a mere 0.27 km per hour, while the giant tortoise races ahead at a heady 0.3 km per hour. Like the sloth, giant tortoises have a very slow metabolism.
The average speed for a sloth is around 0.15 to 0.5 miles per hour (0.24-0.8 kph). In a dead sprint, a sloth can reach a top speed of 1.5 miles per hour (2.4 kph) to escape predators.
Are sloths deaf? ›
This extraordinary creature, found in the tropical rainforests of South and Central America, is half blind, half deaf and spends most of its time hanging around half asleep in the treetops. It only moves quickly when Mother Nature calls, and even then, quick is a relative term.
Do sloths bite or scratch? ›
Sloths have big teeth (and they like to use them)
We have worked with hundreds of sloths over the years, (both wild and human-reared) and they can all inflict serious injuries if scared or irritated. We have seen a sloth bite through a human hand leaving a hole big enough that you could look through.
What animal can hold their breath underwater for 40 minutes? ›
Loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) voluntarily forage underwater for around 40 minutes in one go, but if held under water (and not in distress), a loggerhead can sustain itself on one breath for around 10 hours. Turtles, however, are ectotherms — animals that rely on outside sources for heat.
Which animal can stay underwater for 30 minutes? ›
Which Animals Can Hold Their Breath Longest?
| Animal | Category | Duration |
|---|
| Walrus | Mammal | 30 min |
| Sea Cow | Mammal | 20 min |
| Emperor Penguin | Bird | 18-20 min |
| Dugong | Mammal | 6 min |
8 more rowsIf we are are talking about marine chordates, the animal that can hold its breath the longest is the sea turtle. Sea turtles can hold their breath 2 hours (according to NOAA) and 4–7 hours according to the Ridley Project (8/27/21 and 8/20/21, ...
Can sloths stay underwater longer than dolphins? ›
three-toed sloths have the slowest metabolism of any mammal (followed closely by pandas and two-toed sloths). unexpected superpower — they can hold their breath for an impressively long time.
