Surprise! Sloths Can Swim!

Sloths are known for being the slowest mammal. But they have a surprising secret. They’re superstrong swimmers!

Sloths live in the tropical rainforests of Central and South America. They spend their lives hanging from trees and eating leaves. To save energy, sloths don’t travel much. “If they don’t need to move far, they won’t,” says Sara Ferreiro Carballal. She’s an environmental scientist who studies sloths. But sometimes sloths do change locations, says Ferreiro Carballal. They do this to find food or a mate, or if they feel threatened.

Sloths often live near water. Sometimes the only way to reach another area is to swim across a river. Sloths can float, tread water, and swim three times faster than they move on land! They can also hold their breath underwater for up to 40 minutes. They do this by slowing down their heart rate. Not bad for the tropical rainforest’s favorite slowpoke!