Linné's Two-toed Sloth

Linne’s two toed sloth is the largest of the seven species of sloth weighing up to 11kg. Sloths can be divided into two groups; two-toed or three-toed. The number relates to the number of digits on their forearms. Both groups of sloths have three digits on their hindlimbs. They are masters at conserving energy, they typically don’t move very fast and spend up to a ⅓ of the day resting. Two-toed sloths however are good swimmers and can move 3 times quicker in water than on land! Sloths are arboreal animals, living their lives upside down in the canopy of tropical forests. Their bodies are adapted to life upside down. They have more rib bones than any other mammal, this is to help support their stomach when hanging. The sloths fur grows in a different direction to other mammals, it parts on their stomach. This allows water to run off the sloth rather than pooling. They also have higher blood pressure allowing blood to reach their limbs whilst hanging upside down.

A strong stomach: Sloths have a very large four chambered stomach, just like a cow. This specialised stomach contains bacteria, that helps to break down tough plant material. Due to this diet and their slow metabolism, digestion is slow. This means a sloth only needs to poo once a week! Sloth senses: Sloths cannot see in bright light and they cannot see colour. This is pretty typical for animals that come out at night. Nocturnal animals rely more on cells in their eyes which allows for low light vision. Sloth claws: A sloth’s claws aren’t like most other mammals, they are actually elongated finger bones. These bones are covered in keratin; the same material as our fingernails. If they get damaged or broken they can regrow them. However, they rarely grow back to their original shape. Sloths do have an incredible sense of smell which they use to find food. Sloth fur: Sloth hair is adapted to trap moisture. This enables algae and fungi to grow, it also provides a perfect environment for invertebrates such as moths. This living ecosystem also benefits the sloth as the algae turns their fur green helping them to camouflage in the rainforest canopy! Sloth teeth: Two-toed sloths have large sharp teeth called ‘pseudo canines’. These self-sharpen whenever the sloth opens and closes its mouth, much like a pair scissors. These sharp teeth are useful for tearing off leaves to eat, but also a great form of defence. Warm or cold blooded: Warm blooded animals maintain a steady body temperature, but not sloths. Their body temperature fluctuates by up to 10°C depending on their environment. This allows them to save energy. Sloths also can’t shiver due to low muscle mass. They have to bask to warm up or seek shade to cool down.