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When are sloths most active?
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sloth
Juvenile three-toed sloth (Bradypus) climbing a tree branch.
Sloths are generally considered to be nocturnal animals. However, their activity patterns can vary by species:12
- Three-toed sloths: While they are mainly nocturnal, they may be active during either the day or the night. Regardless of the time, they are sedentary creatures, spending only about 10 percent of their time in motion.1
- General behavior: Across the suborder, sloths are solitary and spend the vast majority of their time resting, sunning, or feeding in the forest canopy.2
Because they are heterothermic—meaning they have imperfect control over their body temperature—they can become torpid if their body temperature drops too low, which influences their overall activity levels.2