The sloths of the Costa Rican rainforests have mastered the art of slow living. The arboreal mammals sleep for 10 to 12 hours a day, and spend up to 90% of their time hanging upside-down from the trees. They have everything they need up there, surviving off fruit, shoots, and leaves.
Known for their unhurried pace, sloths are characterised as lazy creatures and remain one of the most misunderstood animals. They move at a speed of 1.6 kilometres per hour, which helps them preserve energy as they have a low metabolic rate. Because of their lack of movement, fungi and algae have time to grow on their fur, which acts as camouflage against predators.
This sedentary lifestyle suits the sloth, but external circumstances are speeding up their decline. The rapid growth of urban areas has contributed to the destruction of their habitat and places their lives at risk. We can learn a thing or two from the world’s slowest mammal by taking it easy and appreciating what we have all around us.
Footage and images by The Sloth Conservation Foundation were used in the creation of this film.
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