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Sloths are so well adapted, that despite being slow, they have thrived in their habitat. They're built perfectly for life in the trees. with adaptive traits such as arms that are longer than their legs and curved feet for grasping branches. They cannot walk, but are actually good swimmers when the rainforest floods. which is very helpful as most season round it rains in the rainforest also sloths grow algae in their rough, grooved fur that camouflages them further.
Defence adaptations:
With their slow speed, people seem to think of sloths as easy prey for animals like; wild cats, eagles or even anacondas. However, they use their long, sharp claws and very sharp teeth to fiercely defend them selves. When they're in the trees, special adaptations help them spot potential predators or dangers. The toe toed sloth has the adaption to tilt their heads 45 degrees backwards to see predators from behind.
Weather Adaptions:
Sloths coat that is thick can help them keep warm during the wet season. An undercoat guards their skin, while the longer outer hairs hang down at an angle, providing a natural path for water to flow off the animal keeping the sloth dry. Also sloths can vary their body temperature from 75 to 91 degrees, allowing them to adapt to many weather conditions.
Metabolism Adaptations:
Both types of sloths have very slow metabolisms, enabling them to remain in the same tree for days on end until they decide to move and get food. Their sleeping pattern is to sleep 15-20 hours daily. Also they leave their trees when they need to excrete their bows, but they only need to do this once every days to save them energy and time getting down their tree.
what habitats would sloths not be able to survive?
Sloths are tropical mammals that live in Central and South America. They use their long claws to hang onto branches while they feast on the leaves that other animals can't reach. Unfortunately for the sloth, their long claws (8 to 10 cm) make walking on the ground difficult, so they spend most of their time in the tall trees, as they are to lazy to change location.
interesting facts:
- All sloths have three toes, even the 'two toed sloth'
- Its dirtiness creates its own ecosystem for other life
- Sloths only natural defence is their claws
- Main predators are jaguars, snakes, and eagles.
- Live to be 40
- They can only have one baby per year
- Sloths are vegans
- They have been titled the slowest animal in the world.
A video of a sloth swimming
Bibliography
National Geographic, (2014). Three-Toed Sloths, Three-Toed Sloth Pictures, Three-Toed Sloth Facts - National Geographic. [online] Available at: http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/three-toed-sloth/ [Accessed 21 Aug. 2014].
Nixon, A. (2014). Community Post: 15 Sloth Facts From Sloths. [online] BuzzFeed Community. Available at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/alecn/15-sloth-facts-from-sloths-cmu4 [Accessed 21 Aug. 2014].
Softschools.com, (2014). Sloth Facts. [online] Available at: http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/sloth_facts/293/ [Accessed 21 Aug. 2014].
Srl.caltech.edu, (2014). Animals of the Rainforest-Sloth. [online] Available at: http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/animals/slothpage.html [Accessed 21 Aug. 2014].
Nixon, A. (2014). Community Post: 15 Sloth Facts From Sloths. [online] BuzzFeed Community. Available at: http://www.buzzfeed.com/alecn/15-sloth-facts-from-sloths-cmu4 [Accessed 21 Aug. 2014].
Softschools.com, (2014). Sloth Facts. [online] Available at: http://www.softschools.com/facts/animals/sloth_facts/293/ [Accessed 21 Aug. 2014].
Srl.caltech.edu, (2014). Animals of the Rainforest-Sloth. [online] Available at: http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/krubal/rainforest/Edit560s6/www/animals/slothpage.html [Accessed 21 Aug. 2014].