Slow-moving tree mammals of Central and South American rainforests, named for their very low metabolism. There are seven species: three-toed and two-toed sloths.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Day & night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
At a glance
Found inSouth America, Central America
HabitatRainforest
ColoursBrown, Green
SizeMedium
Weight3.5–5.2 kg (three-toed); 4–8 kg (two-toed)
Legs4
Covered inFur
Lives alone
Lives for20–30 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Tropical rainforests of Central and South America.
- What it eats
- Leaves, a low-energy diet that their slowness helps them live on.
Did you know
Algae grows in its fur, which is why it looks faintly green.
Sloths climb down to the ground about once every eight days to defecate.
Often confused with
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