Thinkabara🦥 Three-Toed Sloth Facts for Kids
🐾 Mammals Grades K–5
The three-toed sloth is a plant-eating mammal that lives in South America and North America. Sloths move so slowly that tiny green algae grow in their fur, helping them hide.
🦥 Three-Toed Sloth fact file
- Scientific name
- Bradypus
- Animal group
- Mammal
- Where it lives
- South America and North America
- Habitat
- Rainforests of Central and South America
- Diet
- Herbivore (plant-eater) — Leaves, buds and twigs
- Size
- About 2 feet long
- Weight
- About 8–10 lb
- Life span
- About 20–30 years
- Status
- Least Concern (brown-throated three-toed sloth)
📏 A sloth weighs about as much as a gallon of milk.
⭐ 5 fun facts about three-toed sloths
- Sloths move so slowly that tiny green algae grow in their fur, helping them hide.
- They hang upside down for eating, sleeping and even having babies.
- Sloths climb down to the ground only about once a week — to poop!
- Three-toed sloths can turn their heads about 270 degrees.
- Sloths are surprisingly good swimmers.
Where do three-toed sloths live?
Wild three-toed sloths are found in South America and North America. Rainforests of Central and South America. If you want to see one in the United States, you might spot one in the wild — or visit a zoo or wildlife park.
What do three-toed sloths eat?
Three-toed sloths are herbivores, which means they eat plants. Their menu: leaves, buds and twigs.
Is the three-toed sloth endangered?
Status: Least Concern (brown-throated three-toed sloth). That means there are plenty in the wild right now — good news! You can help wild animals by learning about them, saving energy, cutting down on plastic and supporting zoos, aquariums and parks that protect wildlife.
Three-Toed Sloth quiz
Why can a sloth’s fur look green?
What kind of eater is the three-toed sloth?
What kind of animal is the three-toed sloth?
On which continent can you find wild three-toed sloths?
✏️ Write about the three-toed sloth
1. The most surprising fact I learned is…
2. If I could ask a three-toed sloth one question, I would ask…
3. Draw the three-toed sloth in its habitat:
🖍️ Draw and color
How to draw a slothThree-Toed Sloth questions kids ask
Where do three-toed sloths live?
Three-toed sloths live in South America and North America. Their habitat: Rainforests of Central and South America.
What do three-toed sloths eat?
Three-toed sloths are herbivores (plant-eater). They eat: Leaves, buds and twigs.
How big is a three-toed sloth?
About 2 feet long. Weight: About 8–10 lb. A sloth weighs about as much as a gallon of milk.
How long do three-toed sloths live?
About 20–30 years.
Is the three-toed sloth endangered?
Its conservation status is: Least Concern (brown-throated three-toed sloth). That means there are plenty in the wild right now — good news!
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