sloth

CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom:Animalia Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Pilosa
Suborder:Folivora
Family:BradypodidaeGenus:Bradypus

Notoriously slow moving, lazy animal that. Which runs at a top speed of 0.15 mph. Three-Toed Sloth with the size of a small dog, with head and body have a combined height of about 60 cm, and it weighs 3.5-4.5 kg animal.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

Most sloths are about the size of a small dog and they have short, flat heads. Their hair is grayish brown but, at times they look grey-green in color because they move so slowly that tiny camouflaging algae grow all over their coats. They have hooklike claws on their arms and legs to keep them attached to trees

LIFE

Sloths are active at night and sleep curled up with their head placed between the arms and the feet drawn close together, or hanging upsidedown with the help of their hooklike claws. This disguises them as part of a tree so that its enemies like the jaguar do not see them. Sloths rarely climb down from the trees, and when they are on the ground they can only crawl awkwardly. However, when there is a forest flood, they are very good swimmers. Sloths can live for up to 30 years.

BEHAVIOR

It is common to see the Three-Toed Sloth hanging upside down on the lower limbs of the trees

They may sleep from 15 to 20 hours per day so there isn’t very much going on with them other than eating and sleeping!.

FEEDING

The only teeth that the Three-Toed Sloth are peg shaped. They are herbivores and they consume a variety of food items from the trees. This includes fruits, berries, leaves and shrubs.