In Otter News: Why are sloths so slow?
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Georgie the Two-Toed Sloth is 26-year-old and is one of the zoo’s longtime residents.
Georgie is nocturnal, so as the lights turn off in his exhibit: he knows he gets breakfast. For example, this might be a cooked winter squash and greens.
Lead keeper, Emily Perala, tells us, “They’re pretty incredible animals. They’re pretty unique because they have really, really slow metabolisms.” It takes one month for him to digest his food.
This is why they move so slowly. Emily tells us, “It’s not because he’s lazy.”
Sloths are great climbers, they can swim, but they don’t really walk.
Lead Keeper Emily tells us, "They don't really do a whole lot over than digest."
“His hands are curved, and his claws are curved. They’re great hooks for moving around.”
Emily adds that many people are interested in sloths, but “they don’t really do a whole lot over than digest.”