Why do sloths move so slowly?

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00:00Sloths move slowly primarily due to their extremely low metabolic rate, which is among the slowest of any mammal.

00:07This slow metabolism is a result of their leaf-based diet, which provides very little energy and takes a long time to digest.

00:15To conserve energy, sloths have evolved to move deliberately and slowly, often traveling just a few feet per minute.

00:22Their muscle mass is also lower than that of most mammals, further limiting their speed.

00:28But their sluggishness is actually an effective survival strategy.

00:33Moving slowly helps sloths avoid detection by predators such as eagles and jaguars.

00:38Their greenish-tinged fur, often home to algae, also helps them blend into the treetops.

00:44Combined, these traits make sloths masters of stealth rather than speed.

00:48Their lifestyle is perfectly suited to the tropical forests they inhabit, where energy conservation and camouflage are key to survival.