Animals - Nocturnal Building

Two-toed Sloth - Georgie
Choloepus didactylus
Range:	Central America and northern South America
Habitat:	Canopy of tropical rainforest
Diet:	Mostly leaves and buds, twigs, fruit, and small prey. At the zoo they eat fruit, vegetables, leaf eater biscuits, hard-boiled eggs and canned primate diet.
Fun Facts:	One offspring is born every year. The baby clings to the mother's fur for about five months. "Sloth" means laziness because they sleep about 15 hours a day. They are very slow moving and have a slow metabolism. Their metabolism is so slow that the sloth only defecates about once a week. The sloth eats, sleeps, mates, and gives birth while hanging by their powerful arms and claws upside down. They only come to the ground to change trees and defecate. Many predators eat sloths, so they protect themselves with camouflage. A green crest of algae grows in their hair, making them blend in with the foliage around them. They will claw and nip if they are cornered. They are excellent swimmers. To escape from predators, they will sometimes dive into a nearby river. Rarely does the sloth descend to the ground. It is impossible for them to walk with their claws, so they must drag their bodies on the ground.