You're listening to Sleep Tight Science.

Did you know that sloths can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes underwater?

Hmm?

This helps to make them very skillful swimmers.

So why do sloths move so slowly?

It is no secret that sloths are very slow.

They move about six to eight feet per minute,

which is about one quarter as fast as us.

Three-toed sloths are the slowest animals on earth, even slower than tortoises and snails.

One reason sloths move so slowly is because of the food they eat.

Sloss mainly eat leaves, and it can take up to one month for them to digest a single meal. Leaves are not very nutritious, so sloths need to save as much of their energy as possible to survive,

which means moving less.

Also, because they move so slow, it is harder for predators to see them.

Predators like jaguars and harpy eagles rely on sight to hunt, and the sloth's slow movement helps them to stay safe.

So their slowness is actually saving them from becoming extinct.

Another thing that happens as a result of their being so slow is that algae actually grows on their fur.

This helps them blend into the trees and hide from their enemies.

One of the only times that sloths do not move slowly is when they are in the water.

Sloths are very good swimmers.

They can move three times faster in the water. Their long front arms

and being able to hold their breath for a long time makes them great swimmers. They will

often jump in the water and use it as a shortcut, or a way to get through the forest more quickly. So, what is the difference between a two-toed sloth and a three-toed sloth.

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