Why Slokum, The Sloth, Cannot Shiver
Updated: May 13, 2022
Did you know sloths live in Central and South American tropical forests? They live mostly on trees and come down rarely, about once a week, to relieve themselves. That’s when they are most in danger from eagles, jaguars, and other predators. Harpy eagles can actually swoop down from the sky and pick a sloth right off the tree.
Did you know there are two-toed sloths and three-toed sloths? The three-toes sloths always look as though they are smiling and can turn their heads almost all the way around. They will sit upright on trees, whereas two-toed sloths spend most of their time hanging upside down.
Sloths do everything upside down. Sleep. Give birth. Die.
Sloths are slow. They sleep two thirds of each day, up to 20 hours, and when wake up, they don’t move much, and often remain still. Their metabolism is so slow it takes them up to a month to digest their food, which mostly consists of twigs and leaves. They are so slow that algae grow on their fur. Because of algae, their fur appears to be green, although it is not, but this helps the sloths blend with the leaves and trees in tropical forests. A sloth’s safest spot is being up on a tree. Motionless. Still. Most predators do not climb as high as a sloth does. A sloth’s fur makes for a good home for moths, beetles, algae, mold, and fungi.
Here is a conversation I had with Slokum, the sloth the other day.
SLOTH: Nice of you to come to see me. I was thinking about you.
ME: Really? Why?
SLOTH: I am cold. Awfully cold.
ME: Weather’s turned, yes.
SLOTH: I need to warm myself.
ME: How can I help?
SLOTH: I need to shiver.
ME: Okay.
SLOTH: But I cannot shiver.
ME: Why not?
SLOTH: I don’t have the muscles I need to shiver.
ME: Why don't you exercise a bit? You know? Run? Walk? Build those muscles?
SLOTH: I walk. I run. How long do you take to walk 6 feet?
ME: Like a second. How about you?
SLOTH: Me? Ten.
ME: Ha.
SLOTH: No. Really.
ME: I have eyes. I have a watch.
SLOTH: Fine. Fine. Fine. Takes me twelve minutes.
ME: That’s your top speed? No wonder algae grows on you.
SLOTH: Hey, I LOVE my algae. It’s my CAMOUFLAGE. Why would I run if I can hide?
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