Slow and steady, celebrate the sloth

International Sloth Day is a day to celebrate by doing absolutely nothing at all, observing beautiful sloths, or combining the two. This day recognizes sloths and their slow daily routines. Take your time to observe them, there’s no rush.

Since 2010, International Sloth Day, which is celebrated on October 20, honors the adorable slow-moving, tree-dwelling, and leaf-eating mammals. The AIUNAU Foundation (https://www.aiunau.org/en/), “a non-profit foundation born from the need to contribute to the protection of wildlife,” created this day in order to raise awareness about the life cycle and natural habitat of the sloth.” It was originally first celebrated in Columbia.

Some interesting facts about sloths from National Day Calendar  are:

• A sloth’s body is usually 50 to 60 centimeter long. Skeletons of now extinct species of sloth suggest some varieties used to be as large as elephants.
• Sloths can move along the ground at just 2 meters (6.5 feet) per minute! In the trees they are slightly quicker at 3 meters (10 feet) per minute.
• Sloths can extend their tongues 10 to 12 inches out of their mouths.
• The sloth has very long, sharp, and strong claws that they use to hold on to tree branches. The claws are also their only natural defense against predators.
• Two-toed sloths are nocturnal, being most active at night. While three-toed sloths are diurnal which means they are most active during the day.
• In the wild, sloths live on average 10 – 16 years and in captivity over 30 years.

One of the best ways to celebrate International Sloth Day is to visit a local zoo and spend the day observing them. Some people also volunteer time and money to conservation and wildlife organizations that are working to preserve the habitat of the sloth. And, if you can’t see them in person, at least you can use the day to be like a sloth and enjoy the day doing things at a very slow pace.