Why Did the Sloth Cross the Road?

Sloth is one of the seven deadly sins. It is also the world's slowest mammal, so sedentary that algae grows on its furry coat. The plant gives it a greenish tint that is useful camouflage in the trees of its Central and South American rain forest home.

Sloths are built for life in the treetops. They spend nearly all of their time aloft, hanging from branches with a powerful grip aided by their long claws. Sloths sleep in trees, and they sleep a lot—some 15 to 20 hours every day. Even when awake they often remain motionless. At night they eat leaves, shoots, and fruit from the trees and get almost all of their water from juicy plants.

On land, sloths' weak hind legs provide no power. They must dig into the earth with their front claws and use their strong front legs to pull themselves along, dragging their bellies across the ground. If caught on land, these animals have no chance to evade predators, such as big cats, or fast moving vehicles.

The three-toed sloth emits a long, high-pitched call that echoes through the forests.

Sloths are an endangered species.

[Description from National Geographic]

The following link shows what happened when a sloth attempted to cross a busy road in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. As people milled around, unsure what to do, one man stepped forward, carefully gripped the sloth by the scruff of its neck and carried the sloth to safety. Completely unperturbed, the sloth continued its slow, deliberate crawl into the protective canopy of trees.

http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2011/11/guardian-angel-steps-in-to-help-3-toed.html

Celebrate International Sloth Day on Sunday October 20th, 2013