- They are surprisingly good swimmers: While they are clumsy on land, sloths are excellent swimmers. They can move three times faster in water than on the ground and can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes underwater (longer than a dolphin!).
- They don’t sleep all day: Despite their lazy reputation, wild sloths only sleep about 8 to 10 hours a day—roughly the same amount as a human. The idea that they sleep 20+ hours comes from observing bored sloths in captivity.
Baby sloths are born with their eyes open, all their teeth, and the ability to climb immediately.
- Grip of steel: Their grip is so strong that their specialized tendons lock into place, allowing them to hang from branches without using any muscles. This grip is so effective that sloths have been known to remain hanging from a tree even after they die.