Three years ago, we were at the Baltimore Aquarium as a family. My 11year old daughter said, “I hope I see a Sloth.” I laughed because I honestly didn’t think sloths were real. How could they be when for 53 years, I have never heard of a sloth? High in a tree was a brown lump of a sloth. I had no real sense of what that animal was, where it originated, or what was so special about it. I knew we’d see many animals while on this 10-day trip. Overall, I was extremely excited about all of them (minus any snakes, as I am not a fan), but I was excited about the possibility of seeing a sloth.
On day two, we left the riverboat on a boat through the amazon river and arrived at the Indigenous Village. At the village, we witnessed a traditional tribal dance and then saw and held several village animals—Monkeys, snakes, owls, birds, and a sloth. As I cuddled up to this sloth, I couldn’t believe the calmness of the animal. It wrapped itself around me with its long claws and a big smile.
A few interesting facts about the beloved animals. Sloths are mainly found in Central and South America, in tall trees in tropical rainforests. Their lifespan is 20-30 years, top speed is .16 MPH, length is 2-2.5 feet. Their specialized hands and feet are used to drag them on the ground since they can’t walk. They are noted for their slowness and spend most of their time hanging upside down in trees. Sloths can also hold their breath for up to 40 minutes in the water. Most mammals have seven vertebrae in their necks, 3 toed sloths have eight or nine which allows them to turn their heads in a 270-degree arch.
Brazil offers so many unique wildlife. I enjoyed them all. Although I love my new friend Nathan, he holds my absolute least favorite animal in the world. To each their own…….
Wait…. What???? How is this scary? SMH