Quick Take
- Sloths are famously slow on land, but water completely changes the equation in a way you wouldn't expect. See how sloths swim →
- Sloths never took a single swimming lesson, yet they are born knowing exactly what to do in water. Discover their instinct →
- A flooded rainforest poses a real survival problem for sloths, and their solution might surprise you. How sloths cross floods →
- Sloths enter water for reasons that have nothing to do with finding food, and at least one of those reasons is oddly relatable. Why sloths enter water →
When you think of sloths, swimming abilities probably aren’t the first thing that comes to mind. However, thanks to this adorable Instagram post by @bbcearth, viewers have been able to see sloths swimming up close. The way the sloth swims seems to contradict its reputation for slow movement. Sloths are known to be slow-moving and relaxed, so seeing one swim so actively is an interesting sight. Read on to learn more about how and why sloths can swim.
Sloths use their long limbs and curved claws to swim gracefully through water.
©Leandro Reichert/Shutterstock.com
Why Sloths Swim
Despite being known for their slow and lazy behavior, sloths can be surprisingly active. This includes swimming, which is not an everyday sight but is something they know how to do. Sloths are able to swim because they take advantage of the weightlessness of water. While they are slow and clumsy on land, moving through water seems easier for them. Using their long arms and curved claws, they can propel themselves forward efficiently. Like many other mammals, sloths know how to swim purely by instinct. While humans require lessons, sloths instinctively know how to keep themselves afloat. Although sloths spend most of their lives in trees, they occasionally enter the water when circumstances require it.
Sloths might swim for several reasons, including necessity and, occasionally, enjoyment. One theory is that the water is a good spot to avoid danger and predators. Water increases their mobility, allowing them to escape predators more quickly than they could on land.
A more practical reason they might enter the water is simply to cross it. In their rainforest environments, rivers often flood, separating trees from each other. Swimming is often the best way to get around. Some researchers have also suggested that entering the water may help sloths regulate their body temperature, although crossing flooded areas and avoiding threats are thought to be more important reasons.
