Sloths live in trees, high up in the rainforest. They live in tropical forests of Central and South America. And they move slowly.

There are six species of sloth. Two kinds are two-toed sloths. Four kinds are three-toed sloths.

Two-toed sloths are about the size of small dogs. Three-toed sloths look like they are always smiling.

Sloths hang upside down from tree branches. They spend most of their lives this way. Long, curved claws hook onto the branches.

Sloths mostly eat leaves. Green algae grow in a sloth's fur. The algae help it blend in with the green leaves.

A curled-up sloth can look like a termite nest. It can also look like a knot in the wood. Sloths are not blind, but they cannot see well.

About once a week, a sloth comes down. It goes to the bathroom.

A mother sloth has one baby at a time. It crawls onto her belly right after it is born.

Sloths are mammals, so a mother feeds her baby milk. The baby learns which leaves are safe to eat. It tastes leaves from its mother's mouth.

Words to know

• claws: hooks
• algae: green growth
• mammals: milk feeders
• termite: insect