The three-toed sloths are considered the slowest land mammals. Their slow pace is rather famous and, on an average, it is 0.24 km/h. They are close to the size of a large cat or a small dog with their head and body having a combined length of 45 cm and a weight of 3.5-4.5 kg.
Sloths are designed for a life on the treetops. Most of their life is spent hanging from branches with a powerful grip, which is provided by their long claws. This capacity enables them to sleep in the trees-sometimes as long as 15-20 hours a day.
Sloths give birth while hanging from the trees. Their babies are often seen clinging to their mothers, and they travel by hanging onto their mothers for the first nine months of their lives. On land, their weak hind legs provide no power and their long claws become an obstacle. If they are caught on land, the three-toed sloths have no chance to escape the predators, such as big cats, and can only try to defend themselves by clawing and biting.
Picture Credit : Google
