09/03/2026
Did you know sloths can turn their heads 270° and swim faster than they walk? 🦥
Here are 5 surprising facts about Costa Rica’s most beloved slow traveler…
🦥 Sloths can rotate their heads almost like owls
Three-toed sloths such as the Brown-throated Sloth have extra neck vertebrae, allowing them to rotate their heads up to 270° to look for predators without moving their bodies.
🦥They spend about 90% of their lives upside down
Sloths are perfectly adapted to hanging from branches. Their curved claws act like natural hooks, letting them sleep, eat, and even give birth while hanging.
🦥 Baby sloths stay with their mothers for months
Baby sloths cling to their mother’s belly for about 6 months. During this time they learn which leaves are safe to eat and how to move through the trees.
🦥 They are surprisingly good swimmers
Despite being slow in trees, sloths can swim three times faster than they move on land and can float easily thanks to their long limbs and ability to slow their heart rate.
🦥 Sloths are one of the top wildlife sightings in Manuel Antonio
Visitors exploring the rainforest trails in Manuel Antonio National Park often spot both the Brown-throated Sloth and the Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth, usually high in the trees taking their famous slow naps.
