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sloth
Modern sloths live upside-down in the forests of South America. Despite their long, sharply curved claws, they are herbivores and mainly eat tree leaves as their teeth are too primitive and weak, due to a lack of enamel, to chew anything else. The claws are part of their adaptation to life in the trees and help them remain sleeping and suspended underneath branches for hours. Sloths are generally nocturnal and move around little when awake. When they do move, it is at a slow and deliberate speed. This slow way of life is necessary to navigate the web of small peripheral tree branches where they feed and is further reflected in their rate of metabolism. Sloths take their sweet time digesting food and consequently, only defecate once or twice in a one week period. The defecation usually takes place at the base of tree where the sloth excavates a spot for it with its short, stubby tail. This event marks one of the rare occasions that sloths will venture to the ground.
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