Sloths move slowly due to evolutionary adaptations that prioritize energy conservation for survival. Their low-calorie leaf-based diet and extremely slow metabolism—about 40-45% of what's typical for their size—limit available energy, making rapid movement unsustainable.

Metabolic Adaptations

Sloths digest a single leaf in about a month, with stomach contents comprising up to 37% of their body weight, leaving little room or energy for more food or activity. They maintain reduced muscle mass, around 30% of what's expected, and exhibit heterothermy, allowing body temperature to drop for further energy savings.

Camouflage Strategy

Poor eyesight from evolutionary history forces reliance on slowness to avoid detection by visual predators like jaguars and harpy eagles, enhanced by algae growing on their fur for blending into trees. This steady, stealthy pace covers just 41 yards daily, proving effective over 64 million years.