As this brown-throated three-toed sloth slowly and methodically descended to the bare lower branches of a cecropia tree, Dani knew it was unusual to witness this moment. Sloths only come down from their tree-top homes around once every eight days, to defecate. Why they cannot do this from up in their tree is still a mystery.
Grazing on the leaves and buds of trees, sloths have a low-nutrient diet. This lack of energy earns them their name, as they move extremely slowly. To gain additional nutrients, sloths lick the algae that naturally grow on their fur in the rainy season. The slight green tinge the algae give their fur also provides them with good camouflage.
Spain
Dani is an economist who is passionate about nature and photography in equal parts. He believes that nature photography can contribute to spreading the message of conservation, and that there is no greater reward for an image than to get another person to want to preserve a living being or a place. In recent years his work has been awarded in many international photography contests.
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