Why do sloths move so slowly and host their own algae?
The Slowest Genius
Why do sloths move so slowly and host their own algae?
High in the rainforest canopy, a sloth hangs upside-down from a branch, barely moving. While monkeys leap and birds dart past, the sloth takes a full minute just to reach for the next leaf. And if you look closely at its fur, you'll see something strange: it's tinted green. Not brown like most mammals — green, like it's growing a tiny forest on its back.
The secret starts with what sloths eat: leaves. Just leaves, all day, every day. Leaves are everywhere in the rainforest, so that sounds like an easy lunch. But here's the problem — leaves are terrible food. They're packed with tough fiber and give you almost no energy, like trying to fuel your body by eating cardboard.
