What is it about baby sloths that makes them so cute? I mean, the answer might be obvious. And there’s certainly more than one reason. But still… they’re so strange, yet so darn adorable.
A situation like this, though? Oh, boy! Amazing. We know that sloths are adored for their laid back, sleepy lifestyles, but the fact that this little guy passed out mid-snack is almost too much. And thanks to the Cincinnati Zoo, we can all enjoy the goofy little moment together. Check it out!
@cincinnatizooJuno the baby sloth fell asleep mid-snack! #cincinnatizoo #animals #sloth #babyanimals
It looks like he’s frozen in time or something, doesn’t it? And he’s holding onto that little piece of lettuce like it’s his most prized possession, which cracks me up. Hey, snack time can be exhausting! Then again, everything is exhausting when you’re a sloth. He sure does look comfy either way.
Related: Sloth Moving in Slow Motion Leaves People Surprised They’re Really That Slow
If you happen to have a chance to visit the Cincinnati Zoo, stop by and say hi to this sleepy little guy for me. He might be catching some Z’s, or perhaps snacking (or both), but either way, he’s bound to be casually hanging out somewhere. Pun intended! Boom. Also… why do I suddenly feel so tired now, too? This is the sleepiest domino effect I’ve ever experienced.
How much do sloths sleep?
The myth that sloths sleep all day long simply isn’t true. This idea has actually manifested over decades of casual observation and, well, a bad reputation.
But the fact is, sloths in the wild only sleep for about 8-10 hours per day.
However, while sloths don’t actually spend all day sleeping, that doesn’t mean they’re very active either.
They actually spend the majority of their waking hours in something that professionals like to call ‘active rest’—they are not sleeping, but they are completely inactive and often have their eyes closed.
Sloths have the lowest metabolic rate of any non-hibernating mammal as well, and the vast majority of their diet is leaf-based.
Leaves themselves do not contain many calories, and due to their slow metabolism, the sloth’s daily caloric requirement is also pretty low (about 100-150 calories per day).
This means sloths don’t need to spend too much time running around looking for food.
Instead, they spend as much of the day as they can in an inactive state (which is easily perceived as sleep) in order to conserve energy and avoid detection by predators!
So while most folks think they’re being lazy, they’re actually being pretty smart.
Studying sloths in the wild is tricky
Due to the difficulties associated with studying sloths in the wild, the vast majority of research into sloth behavior and sleep has been conducted on captive sloths.
However, it is becoming increasingly accepted that animal behavior in captivity can’t necessarily be assumed to be the same as those in the wild.
For example, in zoos and rescue centers, sloths don’t have to forage for the perfect leaves, worry about behavioral thermoregulation, or remain on high-alert for predators.
Additionally, without the use of invasive and expensive methods, it is very difficult for an observer to differentiate between ‘sleep’ and ‘rest’.
Taking all of this into account, it’s highly likely that the amount of time captive sloths spend sleeping is different from their wild counterparts. And if you think about it… it makes sense.
At any rate, sloths are still known for being lazy little creatures. And personally, I love it.
In fact, we should all take a page out of their books and slow down a little bit. Just make sure you finish your snack first!
