International Sloth Day is coming up on Oct. 20th, and honestly, it’s not the kind of holiday you would likely think of celebrating. However, if you get through this article, it’ll be the kind of holiday that makes you wonder, “Why don’t we celebrate it more often?” I mean, who wouldn’t want an excuse to slow down, mellow out, and do absolutely nothing?
Created in 2010 by the AIUNAU Foundation, a non-profit from Colombia, International Sloth Day is meant to bring attention to sloths and their conservation. Insultingly, sloths are often seen as lazy, unproductive animals; yet you’d only be halfway right. They’re actually fascinating creatures with a lifestyle that’s all about efficiency even if they are lazy.
Sloths come in two main types: two-toed and three-toed. That difference goes beyond just how many claws they’ve got: three-toed sloths are generally smaller and slower, and they also have this trademark permanent smile on their faces that make them look like they’re always jolly. If I could live like them, I would be too. Their cousins, the two-toed sloths, are a bit bigger and more active at night.
Fun fact: sloths only poop once a week. And when they do, they climb all the way down from the trees to do it, which is actually super dangerous for them. And why do they do this? There’s not really a clear reason. There’s not a verified reason as to why they do this instead of just going from the trees.
Another fun fact: sloths have more neck vertebrae than a giraffe. They can turn their heads almost 270 degrees, which sounds fake, but isn’t. Plus, their fur grows the other way (from belly to back) since they hang upside down most of the time. Sometimes they even grow actual green algae on themselves. Nature is cool, huh?
Sloths live in Central and South American rainforests, but their homes are shrinking fast because of deforestation. That’s right, despite cute, meme-worthy, and having guest cameos in Zootopia, they’re also in danger. That’s kind of what this day is about not just sloths being slow, but making sure they stick around long enough for future generations to appreciate, admire, and be weirded out by too.
So on Oct. 20th, maybe take a little longer to get out of bed, or just sit still and chill for a bit. The sloths would approve.