Sloth Plush Toys, Facts and Information
Discover sloth stuffed animals, plus facts and information at Animals N More.
The three-toed sloth stuffed animals shown here are some Cuddlekin Lil Sloths from Wild Republic, the large sloths in the back are Cuddlekins from Wild Republic, the old style on the left and the new style on the right. There is a large sloth with baby by Ganz and a Jim Shore Mini Sloth resin figurine at right. Sloth below the mother sloth shows a new Eco Sloth from Wildlife Artists, as well as their new Hand Puppet Sloth. Wildlife Artists also has a little Sloth Key Clip. And there is a little stacking sloth salt and pepper shaker from Ganz. Notice the Dollibu Sloth Plush Pen in the back. And there is a Sloth Lil Snuggler from Douglas at right in back. Find them for sale at our sponsor's online gift shop.
Living in the trees of the tropical forests of South and Central America is a slow-moving mammal called the Sloth. There are three-toed sloths, among which is the ai (maned sloth), and the two-toed sloths, among which is the unau. Sloths are about 16 to 29 inches long. The head is short and flat and has big eyes, a snub nose, and primitive ears. The body is covered with long, grayish-brown hair. The tail is small in three-toed sloths and absent or vestigial in two-toed sloths.
Sloths can live up to ten years. They spend all of their lives hanging suspended from the boughs of trees, with the
legs and face turned upward and the back downward. The limbs are long and well developed, and terminate in long curved claws that hook over and grasp the supporting bough. The forelimbs are longer, better developed, and more mobile than the hindlimbs, particularly in the three-toed sloths. The animal moves by advancing one limb at a time in a slow, deliberate fashion.
Sloths descend to the ground only about once each week in order to defecate and urinate. When placed on the ground they lie on their backs or crawl with the greatest difficulty. The sloth sleeps during the day, all curled up. In this position they resemble a stump of a bough and is well camouflaged from the assault of natural enemies such as the jaguar.
The animal is mostly silent but sometimes utters a low, plaintive call. It eats foliage and shoots, which are pulled within reach of the mouth with typical slow movements. Each year the female produces a single offspring, which clings to the mother until it can take care of itself.
Scientific classification: Sloths belong to the order Pilosa. Three-toed sloths make up the genus Bradypus in the family Bradypodidae. The ai is classified as Bradypus tridactylus. Two-toed sloths make up the genus Choloepus in the family Megalonychidae. The unau is classified as Choloepus hoffmanni.
