How to Protect Habitats of Endangered Sloths
Three of the world’s seven species of sloths are now so endangered, they are threatened with extinction. One species from Panama literally has just 100 or so creatures left in the wild.
Often thought of as ‘lazy animals’, in fact they only sleep around 8 hours a day, and simply move slowly, due to having very poor digestion, so they literally can’t move fast, even after eating.
Native to Central and South American rainforests, sloths spend 90% of their time hanging upside down, yet are very strong swimmers. They take around 30 days to digest one leaf, poop only once a week, and occasionally go for a swim!
Sloths are very strong animals with three toes and fur that lets green algae grow on, to blend into the canopy. Their fur even hosts moths, beetles and fungi, creating a unique tiny ecosystem.
How to Help Endangered Sloths
An Atlas of Endangered Species
The answer is simple: protect their natural habitats. Just like all wild creatures, we can help by choosing recycled paper and wood and toilet paper and kitchen roll, avoiding palm oil and living simple sustainable lives.
There are also organisations that fund the building of canopy bridges, to let sloths safely navigate fragmented forests, so they can travel above, to prevent contact with the world below.
For more information, visit the Sloth Conservation Foundation.
In Costa Rica (a country that looks after its animals more than most), around 3000 sloths are lost each year, due to urban sprawl. If you sponsor one their sloth crossings, you’ll receive a video of the team installing it, and a photo of the rope bridge, when completed.
