“Sloths are extremely VULNERABLE on the ground: More than HALF of all sloth DEATHS in the WILD occur during their weekly BATHROOM EXPEDITIONS.”

National Geographic Kids, 5,000 Awesome facts, sloth #12

Because sloths have such small, slow movements, hang in trees all day, and blend in well with their surroundings, they don’t have too many enemies that they have to fight off. However, they are subsciptible to jungle predators such as jaguars and harpy eagles who hunt on movement.

Sloths do not poop in the tree they are hanging from. Instead, once a week, they will go to the bottom of the tree and drop off brown pellets, do a little shake of their butt or stub of a tail (which only three-toed sloths have) and cover up their deed to crawl back up. Actually, three-toed sloths are the only ones to make a latrine with their stubby tail and cover it up whereas the two-toed sloths who do not make a latrine and do not cover up their deed.

Because of this bathroom once-a-week movement is what would make a jaguar or other predatory animal take notice and go in for the kill. Sloths would not be too hard to catch if this were to happen.

Harpy eagles and ocelets have been known to swipe off sloths in the highest part of the tree as they move to eat the younger leaves, and when moving down to do their thing.

Anacondas have also been known to prey on sloths.

However, deforestation, degradation of habitat, and illegal smuggling are one of the biggest danger to the sloth. Sloths depend on trees for their habitat, and they don’t do well in captivity.

Sources:

http://www.slothconservation.org

nationalgeographic.org/sloth