OtterKnow Kids EncyclopediaThe sloth is the slowest animal in the world! It lives high up in the trees of the rainforest. Sloths are gentle, peaceful animals that spend almost all their time in the trees.
Sloths have long, curved claws that help them hold on tight to branches. They have shaggy brown or gray fur. Sloths move so slowly that green plants called algae grow on their fur. This actually helps them hide in the trees!
Sloths munch on leaves when they are awake. They hang upside down from branches while they eat. Sloths have a very slow stomach, and it can take a whole month to digest one meal!
- Sloths sleep for about 10 hours a day — that’s a lot, but not as much as people used to think!
- Baby sloths ride on their mom’s belly as she climbs through the trees.
- Sloths are actually good swimmers and can move much faster in water than on land!
