International Sloth Day 2016

Awww, would you just take a look at that gorgeous, cute, friendly face. How can anyone not love sloths? They are my favourite animal, obviously after our Little Orange Dog. So how happy was I when I noticed that today, 20th October, 2016 is International Sloth Day? Answer, deliriously happy. In honour of the day, I may well take my sloth back pack to work with me. That is how happy I am. You remember the sloth bag? No? Well just for you then...

Cute isn't it, but let's be honest, a tad childish, but then I am very immature on occasion, so it rather suits me. Anyway, I'm digressing somewhat. I can just hear you all saying, 'that makes a change!'

Anyway, I have adored sloths since watching a documentary about them quite some years ago. Before that, I'd never really seen one, and certainly didn't know that they only come down from their tree once a week to go to the toilet. They obviously don't drink copious amounts of tea, otherwise they'd be up and down that tree like a thing possessed, or not, because they don't move very quickly at all.

I wouldn't know that this sleepy little chap is actually an amazing swimmer, or that the green stuff on his coat is algae because, well he's a sloth and they don't move much. Most of all I wouldn't have known just how charming they are. It's those cute sloth faces that really get me. They look so gentle and content, like they don't have a care in the world and they always look as though they are smiling.

Unfortunately, because they are so cute and charming, people want to keep them as pets. Let's face it, it sounds idyllic, a pet who only toilets once a week and spends most of it's time asleep. Wrong, sloths are wild animals and like all wild animals should be observed in the wild only. From what I've read they are very sensitive to stress and need specialist care. So please, let's keep them where they are supposed to be, sleeping in a tree in their natural habitat.

Sometimes they get hurt, and sadly, sometimes they do get taken to be sold on as pets, sometimes they need the help of charities and professionals to get them well and rehabilitate them ready for a life in their natural environment again. Thankfully, there are people and organisations out there doing just that, rehabilitating injured animals and teaching orphans how to climb, swim and fend for themselves (my dream job).

International Sloth Day was started by the lovely people at AIUNAU. If you're a sloth fan, head over to their site and take a look at what they are doing to help these little chaps and their other wild friends here. As for me? Well I'm just pleased that International Sloth Day is a 'thing' and I have the best excuse to post pictures of them.

So happy International Sloth Day to all you sloth fans out there. I wish you a sloth like evening, relaxing.

Help my mum is obsessed with sloths!