What do sloths eat?

Sloths eat leaves, shoots and fruits from trees and get most of their water from juicy plants. They are called folivores, since their diet consists of buds, tender shoots and leaves of the Cecropia tree. Some two-toed sloths eat insects, small reptiles and birds.

Sloths spend most of their lives on treetops, sleeping for 15 to 18 hours each day. They even mate and give birth while hanging from trees. Sloths are one of the slowest mammals, often moving only when necessary or in danger. They are clumsy on land but are very good swimmers. A sloth caught on land by a predator has a very slim chance of escaping.