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// The Brown-throated Sloth 
// Story: Nature is So Fascinating 
// by Powderjaggy 
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Photo credit: Charles J Sharp


"Hello, class. Our guest today is Lola the sloth. You may have heard that there are two main types of sloth, the two-toed sloths and the three-toed sloths. Lola is a brown-throated sloth, one of the four species of three-toed sloths.

"Both two-toed and three-toed sloths have three toes on each of their hind feet. But three-toed sloths have three toes on each front foot as well, while two-toed sloths only have two. They're also different in some of their habits. Two-toed sloths are often... crankier, in my experience. And they prefer to sleep during the day, but three-toed sloths can be active during the day and the night... um, as much as a sloth can be active, at least. 

"Whether two-toed or three-toed, sloths spend most of their lives upside down in the trees. Of course, we don't have a tree in the classroom, so Lola is clinging to me instead. With their long, hooked claws, sloths can hang from branches while hardly using any energy at all. They don't sleep quite as much as many ponies think they do though. Sloths can sleep up to 18 hours a day, but they usually sleep for 9 to 10 hours.

"Some creatures might assume that because they move so slowly, sloths have a hard time surviving in the rainforests where they live, which are full of dangerous predators. But being so slow actually helps them stay hidden from their enemies, even when they're on the move. They are so easygoing, in fact, that algae will grow in their hair, and many kinds of insects make their homes there, too. That might not sound like a pleasant experience to most creatures, but it allows sloths to look and smell just like part of a tree, letting them to blend right in. Sometimes I wish I could disappear like a sloth... it would be quite helpful.

"Everycreature lives at their own pace, and sloths have found a pace that works for them. The leaves that they like to eat are not very nutritious and take a long time for them to digest. Spending so little energy and moving so slowly, they can take as much time as they need to do this without worrying too much about being seen by predators. 

"Sloths have some other wonderful features that help them live upside-down. Their hair grows from their belly towards their back, so rainwater quickly drips off them, keeping them dry after rainstorms. Three-toed sloths also have more bones in their neck than most other mammals. Almost all mammals, from a bunny rabbit to a pony to a giraffe, have seven neck bones. But a three-toed sloth can have anywhere from eight to ten! This lets them turn their head to look behind themselves—um, I guess that would be below themselves most of the time—without having to move the rest of their body. Excuse me, Lola, do you mind showing the class how far you can turn your head around?"

...

...

...

"This may take a little while..."



"You may be surprised to hear that sloths are very good swimmers. However, they don't like being on the ground very much. Crawling around quickly tires them out, and they cannot hide from predators like they can in the trees. But about once a week, they come down from the trees to, um, go to the bathroom. Three-toed sloths use their small, stubby tail to dig a hole in the ground where they bury their... waste.  

"There's probably an important reason for them to take this a long and dangerous journey every week, but nopony knows exactly what it is. I've tried asking Lola, but... she hasn't told me. 

"That's okay. The only things about yourself that you need to share with others are the ones you feel comfortable sharing, and that's true for every one of us in this room. Have a lovely day, everycreature, and stay kind to each other."