Quick facts

Are sloths really that slow?

Sloths are famous for taking life at a very relaxed pace — and while they definitely embrace “power-saving mode,” they can move surprisingly fast when they want to, covering up to 30 metres in under a minute! They just prefer to conserve energy. Living within home ranges of around 10 acres, they know every branch and shortcut, so there’s rarely any need to rush. 

Their slow lifestyle is perfectly suited to their diet. Sloths feed on leaves and flowers that are low in nutrients, so they survive with a very low metabolism. Their large, multi-chambered stomachs allow them to absorb as much goodness as possible — and it can take up to a month to digest a single meal! That means a piece of sweetcorn Cinnamon munches today could stay in her system 7–15 times longer than it would in ours. Because digestion is so slow, they only climb down to the ground about once a week — just to go to the toilet.

Single mothers

Sloths are mostly solitary creatures. Males and females live alone, only meeting briefly to mate. Once a baby is born, mum raises it entirely on her own, while dad returns to his own tree — leaving mother and youngster to continue their peaceful upside-down life among the leaves. 

Life upside-down

Sloths spend almost all of their time hanging upside down — eating, sleeping, and even giving birth while suspended from branches.

Their bodies are perfectly adapted for this unusual lifestyle. One of the most remarkable traits is their fur, which grows from belly to back (the reverse of most mammals). This clever feature helps rainwater flow away from their bodies while they hang upside down, keeping them drier in their rainforest home. 

Their thick, grooved fur even supports algae and tiny insects, creating a miniature ecosystem — and blending them perfectly into the leafy canopy. 

Clever climbers

Hanging upside down also means their heart sits below their limbs, so sloths have naturally high blood pressure to pump blood up into their arms and legs and prevent them from fainting. They move in a slow, steady, hand-over-hand motion as they climb — conserving precious energy — but don’t be fooled… when necessary, sloths can shift surprisingly quickly! 

Geographic range

Bolivia, Plurinational States of; Brazil (Amazonas, Acre, Roraima, Pará, Amapá, Maranhão); Colombia (Colombia (mainland)); Ecuador (Ecuador (mainland)); French Guiana; Guyana; Peru; Suriname; Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of (Venezuela (mainland))

Like many rainforest residents, sloths face serious dangers in the wild — most of them caused by humans. 

• Habitat loss is the biggest threat. Vast areas of rainforest are being destroyed for: 

• Large-scale agriculture (such as cattle pasture and soybean farms), 

• Logging and mining, 

• Urban development — especially in places like Suriname and Brazil. 

Over 9% of their remaining habitat in Brazil is estimated to have been lost in recent years alone. 

• Wildfires are becoming more frequent. These can kill sloths directly or leave them without the trees they rely on for food, shelter, and movement. 
• Illegal wildlife trade also threatens this species. Young sloths are sometimes taken from the forest and sold as pets — although just how many is hard to measure. 

• Hunting pressure is relatively low, as sloths are well camouflaged high in the canopy and often remain motionless, making them difficult to spot. Some Indigenous groups even have cultural taboos against eating sloths. While they may be hunted opportunistically, they are not commonly targeted for bushmeat like other forest animals (e.g., armadillos or anteaters). 

IUCN Red List

Cinnamon is our resident sloth at The Living Rainforest. She settled into the Amazonica glasshouse back in 2011 and has been a firm favourite with both visitors and staff ever since. 

Like most sloths, Cinnamon is most active at night. During the day she spends much of her time resting high in the branches, only appearing when she’s ready for something to eat. She’s not shy about letting her keepers know when it’s feeding time! You might also notice small bite marks on plants like hibiscus — a sign she’s been helping herself to the wide range of plants in the glasshouse. 

Once the lights go off and the glasshouse quietens down, Cinnamon sets off on her slow and steady nightly wander, exploring her home and sampling the freshest plants along the way.

Where to find her

After a busy night exploring the Amazonica glasshouse, Cinnamon likes to spend her days resting. Look up — she’s often curled up fast asleep high in the branches. If you’re struggling to spot her, just ask one of our Keepers. They keep a close eye on her and will happily point you in the right direction. To make things easier, her information sign is moved to wherever she was last seen. 

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