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Put your paws in the air and get ready to celebrate International Sloth Day on the third Saturday of October! This day was created to raise awareness and appreciation for these slow-moving creatures. Did you know that sloths are some of the oldest living mammals known to humankind, with fossil records dating back over 35 million years? Not only are they incredibly cute, but they also have an important role in their ecosystems. So take a moment on this special day to learn about these unique animals and how we can help conserve them.
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1800s</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Early Sloth Studies</div><div class='timeline-text'>Naturalists in the 19th century begin studying sloths in their natural habitats, providing mankind with early scientific insights into their unique behavior and ecosystems.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1942</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Scientific Classification</div><div class='timeline-text'>Scientist Robert Hoffstetter clarified the taxonomy of sloths, leading to better understanding and categorization of the variety within the species.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1975</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Conservation Efforts Begin</div><div class='timeline-text'>Non-governmental organizations start raising awareness about the threats to sloth populations due to deforestation and habitat loss, marking the beginning of conservation efforts.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2010</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Sloth Sanctuary Founded</div><div class='timeline-text'>The Sloth Conservation Foundation (SloCo) was established, dedicated to saving sloths in the wild through research and conservation initiatives.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2011</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First International Sloth Day</div><div class='timeline-text'>The AIUNAU foundation in Colombia established the first International Sloth Day to promote respect and conservation efforts for sloths around the world.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Watch a sloth video</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Check out YouTube for some fun, educational and entertaining videos about sloths. There are so many to choose from - some feature baby sloths, some show sloths in the wild, and some focus on the conservation of these slow-moving animals.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Go to a sloth sanctuary</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>If you're lucky enough to live near a sloth sanctuary, take a day to visit them and learn more about these amazing creatures. Many sanctuaries offer educational tours and have up close encounters with sloths.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Organize a fundraiser</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Use International Sloth Day to help raise money for sloth conservation efforts. You can host an online fundraiser on social media, organize a walkathon or bake sale, or collect donations from friends and family.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Make some sloth crafts</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>What better way to celebrate International Sloth Day than by making some fun and creative sloth crafts? You can make paper mache masks of sloths, draw pictures, make clay sculptures or paint your own sloth portrait.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Write a letter</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Write a letter to your local government representative or a wildlife conservation organization and ask them what they are doing to protect sloths. Encourage them to take action on behalf of these gentle creatures.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Raise awareness of sloths</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>International Sloth Day is important because it helps to raise awareness of sloths, their unique biology, and the conservation challenges they face in the wild. By highlighting sloth issues on this day, people around the world can be made aware of these animals and the need to protect them.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Encourage responsible tourism</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Another reason why International Sloth Day is important is that it encourages eco-tourism and responsible interaction with sloths. This can help to preserve natural habitats and prevent degradation caused by tourists who may not be aware of harm they could cause to environment or wildlife by visiting certain areas.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Promote research & education</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Lastly, International Sloth Day is important as it gives scientists a chance to study these incredible animals in greater depth, helping us to better understand their behavior and ecology. It also provides an opportunity for educators to teach students about these animals through facts, activities, and games.</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Sloths are the World's Slowest Mammal</h3><p class='facts-content'>The slow-motion lifestyle of sloths is not just a character trait - it is a survival strategy. Their low energy diet of leaves requires them to conserve energy, hence their slow movements.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Sloths Spend Most of Their Life Hanging Upside Down</h3><p class='facts-content'>Sloths spend almost their entire lives hanging upside down from tree branches - they eat, sleep, mate and even give birth in this position.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>A Sloth Only Poops Once a Week</h3><p class='facts-content'>Remarkably, sloths leave their comfortable treetops only once a week which is when they need to defecate. This process is quite risky as it makes them vulnerable to predators.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Sloths are Excellent Swimmers</h3><p class='facts-content'>Despite their slow movements on land, sloths are surprisingly good swimmers. They can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes while submerged, which is significantly longer than humans.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Sloths Host Their Own Ecosystem</h3><p class='facts-content'>Sloths have symbiotic relationships with several types of organisms. Algae grow on their fur, which camouflages them, while the insects and beetles they host help fertilize the algae.</p></div></div>
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