Sloth

Sloth
Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Kingdom	Animalia
Phylum Information
Phylum	Chordata
Class Information
Class	Mammalia
Order Information
Order	Pilosa
Sub-order	Folivora
Family Information
Family	Bradypodidae, Megalonychidae
Genus Information
Genera	Bradypus Choloepus
Species Information
Species	B. pygmaeus B. torquatus B. tridactylus B. variegatus C. didactylus C. hoffmanni
Population statistics

Sloths are several species of South American mammals of the familys Bradypodidae and Megalonychidae, of which the genera is represented by the living two and three-toed sloths.

Habits

Living sloths use their clawed feet to hang upside down from tree branches, where they feed on leaves. The remarkably non-nutritious nature of such a diet may necessitate their habitual lethargy.

Sloths defecate extremely infrequently (typically once a week). Yet remarkably, instead of just letting go from the treetops, they descend to the ground to use a single favoured sloth lavatory, which over the years may grow to mountainous proportions, exposing themselves to considerable danger in the process.

The two-toed sloth is in fact so inert that symbiotic algae commonly grows in its fur, making it the only mammal that appears to be green. This, along with its typical motionlessness, affords it excellent camouflage in the trees.

Creationist perspective

Creation scientists believe that the sloth, in common with all ground dwelling animals, originated in the Middle East. After the Great Flood they were probably dispersed by rafting which enabled them to colonize South America as part of the Post-Diluvian Diasporas.

Links

• Xenarthra.org about sloths and similar mammals