The sloth is a very slow moving mammal. It moves only two meters an hour. If the sloth would spend much time on the forest floor he would be defenseless against more aggressive animals. Maybe its lack of speed is the sloth’s best defense.  It’s the slowest moving mammal and very hard to spot in the jungle when it is at rest in the trees.  Another good defense is its color. It grows a moss that camouflages the sloth completely. It is also the moss that attracts insects and is home to thousands of bugs.
         The sloth is built to hang. It has either three or two toes with long curved nails that grip. From the upside down hanging position the sloth can feed, sleep, bread, walk and whistle. Sloths stay on the trees of the lower canopy. They eat leaves and plants and can’t eat meat because they do not have teeth.
           The Tucana Indians of Brazil-Columbia border tell myths about the sloth letting light into the world. Sloth’s may be slow but are symbolic to the rain forest and its people.

BY: BRYAN