Endangered Sloths
By: Hannah and Brynn
Info
Who: Three Toed Sloths
What: Endangerment to sloths environment
When: Currently
Where: Amazon Rain forest
Why: Deforestation
Why Is This Important?
Sloths are a huge importance to the rain forest ecosystem. They are the most common mammals of the Central and South American rain forest so if they were to be exterminated it could throw the entire balance off. As the forest deteriorates so do the sloths because once a week when sloths come down from the trees, there could be no shelter or vegetation left to keep them safe from predators.
Three Toed Sloth
Pale-Throat-ed Sloth
Hoffman's Two Toed Sloth
Fun Facts
- So slow algae grows on their fur
- Skeleton is made for hanging in trees
- 3 toed sloths fur makes it look like they are always smiling
- Sleep for up to 20 hours
- Two extra vertebrae so they can turn their head almost all the way around
- Metabolism is very slow so only need to eat once a week
What Can Be Done?
Since deforestation is a gigantic part of the depleting population of these beautiful creatures you should take a stand against it because while it is harmful to the sloths it is also affecting other animals too. Another way is to adopt a sloth because that can keep a sloth safe from harm since it is legally yours. WWF is accepting adoptions and they are also working towards putting an end to deforestation.