How do sloths move through tree branches and vines?

Sloths are specialized mammals whose anatomy is adapted for suspending their bodies from trees rather than supporting them from below. To move through tree branches and vines, they utilize their large, hooklike extremities to grasp and navigate their environment.1

While two-toed sloths spend almost all of their time hanging horizontally, three-toed sloths move in a similar fashion, though they also frequently sit in the forks of trees. Because their limbs are designed for suspension, sloths are largely helpless on the ground and must rely on their claws to drag themselves if they are not grasping a branch or vine. Their characteristically slow movement is a deliberate strategy to conserve energy, necessitated by their low-calorie diet and low metabolic rate.213