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Sloths are, without a doubt, animals surrounded by mystique and wonder. How could one exist in such a slow tempo when everything around us is so fast-paced? So slow, actually, that you start growing cancer-curing algae and fungi in your fur? I, for one, would love to be as efficient, as relaxed, and as crucial for our environment as the adorable sloth is! And us, the Bored Panda collective, aren't the only ones so enamored with sloths - there's even an International Sloth Day dedicated to them, and it's today!

We love ourselves a momentous day, and there's no better one to celebrate than Sloth Day. That's why we are dedicating this list to everything about these heart-achingly cute sloths - you'll find a myriad of adorable sloth pictures and some interesting facts here! And if that isn't enough to honor this day, you can always visit The Sloth Conservation Foundation and donate to them or even adopt your own adorable sloth! 

So, scroll down below, check out the photos, and read more about sloths. Don't forget to vote for these cute animals and share this article with your sloth-loving friends!

#1

Looks Like A Baby Sloth, Acts Like A Baby Sloth, But It's Actually Fully Grown Pigmy Sloth

Looks Like A Baby Sloth, Acts Like A Baby Sloth, But It's Actually Fully Grown Pigmy Sloth

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#3

Ecuadorian Police Officers Rescue A Sloth Clinging To A Pole And Attempting To Cross A Busy Highway

Ecuadorian Police Officers Rescue A Sloth Clinging To A Pole And Attempting To Cross A Busy Highway

Comisión de Tránsito del Ecuador , Comisión de Tránsito del Ecuador Report

To find out more about these incredible animals, we spoke with Sam Trull, co-founder and director at The Sloth Institute, the non-profit organization specializing in rescue, research and education with a particular focus on the behavior, health, and welfare of released, wild and captive sloths.

It turns out that sloths are an important part of the larger ecosystem and the smaller ecosystem that happens in their fur, Sam said. “On a larger scale, sloths are the main prey species for many predators (sadly) and also can help disperse some seeds in the forest (for trees like guarumo). In addition, because of the ecosystem that they have in their hair (algae, fungus, moths, beetles, etc.) they disperse these smaller organisms around the forest as well. Sloths may be slow... but they are faster than algae,” she explained.

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When asked what makes these beautiful creatures so slow, Sam said that it’s because they can conserve energy and also so they can go undetected in the forest. “By being slow they are super quiet and it makes it much harder for a predator to find them. Sometimes when our researchers are out in the forest, it can be easy to lose a sloth if you look away for a few minutes and don't know which way they went...because you can't hear which way they went!” 

“In addition, having the slowest metabolism of any mammal, by being slow, sloths exert less energy when they move which is an important way to save energy. They also don't bring in a lot of calories since their diets consist of mostly plant materials,” Sam explained.

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#7

Here's A Picture Of Two Baby Sloths Cuddling I Thought You All Needed

Here's A Picture Of Two Baby Sloths Cuddling I Thought You All Needed

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Sadly, sloths face a lot of threats in our modern world that often don’t get as much spotlight as they need. It turns out that there are 6 species of sloths and 2 of those species are threatened as defined by the IUCN (International Union on Conservation and Nature).  

“The pygmy sloth is found only on one island off the coast of Panama and is considered critically endangered and the maned sloth is found only in one part of forest on the Atlantic coast of Brazil and is considered vulnerable by the IUCN. The other species of sloths are considered 'least concern' by the IUCN.”

“However, I always say that just because sloths are not considered endangered does not mean that they are not IN danger,” Sam said and added: “Sloths all over their habitat range face many threats.”

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#12

Mervin The Two Toed Sloth Fell Asleep While Eating His Cauliflower

Mervin The Two Toed Sloth Fell Asleep While Eating His Cauliflower

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“The main threat, of course, being habitat destruction (both large scale and small scale), climate change (the food they eat relies on a delicate balance of the right amount of rain and sun), and, of course, human threats to their environment like being electrocuted by uninsulated power lines or attacked by roaming dogs, hit by cars, etc.”

People can help sloths by donating to non-profits like The Sloth Institute that save sloths in the wild. “But the biggest thing that EVERYONE can do is educate themselves on the threats that sloths face and how to be a responsible sloth tourist,” Sam said.

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“Sloths are very popular these days. This might lead someone to think that popularity is a good thing... but for sloths, being popular is actually bad in many ways. They are often exploited for encounter experiences/tourist opportunities to hold them and touch them, to take 'selfies' with them.”

Sam continued: “All of these activities are not only stressful to the sloth in the experience but they also are directly leading to sloths being taken from the wild and babies being taken away from their mothers. There are some responsible zoos that have sloths in their care, but there are many places that are not ethical and actually purchase sloths from people who steal them from the wild.”

#17

Had A Sloth Over Yesterday Thanks To Flying Fox Conservation In Chicago

Had A Sloth Over Yesterday Thanks To Flying Fox Conservation In Chicago

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Sam urges everyone, before visiting a facility with a sloth, to always ask where it came from and if they are showing babies alone without their mothers. “That is a BIG red flag that the place is not ethical. Never pay to touch, feed, hold or take photos with sloths,” she concluded.

Labeled as the world's laziest animal for decades, sloths are far from simple! We've found some facts on The Sloth Conservation Foundation page written by leading sloth expert Rebecca Cliffe, and have decided to share them with you - so keep on reading. 

First of all, the sloths of our day have evolved from giant ground sloths; the tallest of them was around 6 meters high. Suddenly not so cute and innocent, huh? There's also evidence suggesting that several sloth species lived underwater and fed on seagrass. Maybe that's why, to this day, sloths are excellent swimmers? 

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#22

One Of The Best, Most Memorable Days Of My Life. My Niece Planned A Surprise Date For Me To Spend With My Spirit Animal. Meet Perry And Her Brand New Baby. I Didn't Wash My Face For A Week

One Of The Best, Most Memorable Days Of My Life. My Niece Planned A Surprise Date For Me To Spend With My Spirit Animal. Meet Perry And Her Brand New Baby. I Didn't Wash My Face For A Week

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No human could defeat a sloth in an arm-wrestling match - though seemingly feeble, sloths are actually three times stronger than an average person! Moreover, thanks to a highly specialized muscle arrangement, sloths can withstand the force of a jaguar that's set out to rip it out of a tree. And, due to their ability to lock certain tendons, sloths can hang onto branches without wasting any energy. This locking mechanism is so powerful that sloths might be left hanging onto the tree even after their death.

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#27

While Driving Along A Mountain Road In Costa Rica A Wild Sloth Appears With A Surprise

While Driving Along A Mountain Road In Costa Rica A Wild Sloth Appears With A Surprise

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Sloths have notoriously bad vision - they see poorly in dim light and are completely blind when it's bright! However, these adorable tree-climbers compensate for it with an excellent sense of smell and a top-notch spatial memory. It is thought that their lousy eyesight adds to their slowness, and it only makes sense when you think of it; nobody in their right might would scurry through branches without clearly seeing what's in front of them!

#29

He Learns At A Slower Pace Than The Rest Of His Classmates

He Learns At A Slower Pace Than The Rest Of His Classmates

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Laura Mende (Human)
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

...But that's fine. He is loved and supported by everyone. Go little guy!!!

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#30

So, There I Was, Driving Down The Road And Suddenly - Sloth

So, There I Was, Driving Down The Road And Suddenly - Sloth

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Holly Herr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How many times do the words "suddenly" and "sloth" appear in the same sentence??

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Fights between two male sloths most often end with the losing party falling out of a tree. No worries, though! A sloth’s unique physique is designed to withstand falls from up to 100 feet without sustaining any injuries. That's like jumping off a ten-story building and casually walking away upon landing. And though scientists have managed to find out this exotic detail about a sloth’s life, nobody really knows their exact lifespan. Considering that sloths don't do well in captivity, but the oldest zoo-kept sloth is around 50 years old, experts think that they live much longer in the wilderness. It once again proves that a slow-paced and relaxed way of life is the key to longevity. At least, I believe so.

#31

A Buddy And I Were Getting Stoned On Some Random Beach Beach In Costa Rica When This Guy Unexpectedly Descended From The Trees To See What We Were Up To, He Insisted On A Selfie

A Buddy And I Were Getting Stoned On Some Random Beach Beach In Costa Rica When This Guy Unexpectedly Descended From The Trees To See What We Were Up To, He Insisted On A Selfie

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If you'd like to read even more about our beloved cute sloths, don't forget to visit The Sloth Conservation Foundation - its founder, Rebecca Cliffe, is the leading expert on everything about sloths, and her knowledge is invaluable. Just be warned that you might accidentally end up adopting a sloth!

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#34

My Sister Works For A Wildlife Reserve And Took A Picture Of This Happy Sleeping Sloth

My Sister Works For A Wildlife Reserve And Took A Picture Of This Happy Sleeping Sloth

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#37

Yeah I'm Hanging Out On The Ground, So What?

Yeah I'm Hanging Out On The Ground, So What?

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Eagle Girl
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'll lift you up. Whatever you need sweet lil sloth... I got you

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#39

Morning Stretches

Morning Stretches

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Note: this post originally had 89 images. It’s been shortened to the top 39 images based on user votes.