In fact, sloths have an entire ecosystem living in their fur made up of different species of algae, fungi, moths and insects. That’s millions of organisms for company! Sloth hairs have a unique structure that involves microcracks. These microcracks create the perfect environment for algae and fungi to thrive.
When we were reading we ran into the inquiry “Do sloths have fur?”.
We should dig in. sloths have a thick brown and slightly-greenish fur coat and are about the size of a cat around 2 feet (61 centimetres) long. Sloths have a short, flat head, big eyes, a short snout, a short or non-existent tail, long legs, tiny ears and sturdy, curved claws are on each foot.
How do sloths camouflage?
Sloths have an unusual method of camouflage . Cracks in their hair allow many different species of algae and fungi to grow which makes them appear green. Some species of fungi living in sloth fur have been found to be active against certain strains of bacteria, cancer and parasites!
Are sloths solitary animals?
Sloths are naturally solitary animals, but they are not all alone up there in the canopy. In fact, sloths have an entire ecosystem living in their fur made up of different species of algae, fungi, moths and insects. That’s millions of organisms for company!
Why do sloths have green hair?
They could cure cancer Sloths have an unusual method of camouflage . Cracks in their hair allow many different species of algae and fungi to grow which makes them appear green. Some species of fungi living in sloth fur have been found to be active against certain strains of bacteria, cancer and parasites!
One of the next things we wondered was; why is sloth hair so important?
Here is what my research found. sloth hair also provides home to an entire ecosystem of invertebrates — some species of which are found nowhere else on earth (like the ‘sloth moth’). A single sloth can host up to 950 moths and beetles within its fur at once.