“International Sloth Day is CELEBRATED annually around the world on OCTOBER 20.”
National Geographic Kids, 5,000 Awesome Facts
There are so many different holidays that involve animals that occur all throughout the year. In October, the whole month is designated for Bat Appreciation Month, Feral Hog Month, Squirrel Awareness, World Animal Month, and National Animal & Safety month. I suppose that sloths fall in the category of World Animal Month & National Animal Safety month.
October 20 was officially named “International Sloth Day” by AIUNAU, a non-profit group formed that is dedicated to the conservation of wildlife in Columbia such as sloths, anteaters and armadillos. (www.aiunau.org). It is intended to bring awareness to the mistreatment of sloths in the hands of poachers and those that take these animals for domestic pets.
Sloths seem like they are carefree and don’t mind hanging out with anybody. However, that is not the truth. Sloths do not like to be handled, and it is pointed out that their heart rates increase dramatically when coming into human touching contact. Because they seem so lackadaisical it’s easy to assume that they are able to be in any environment. Poachers will usually aim for the babies of a sloth because they are the easiest and the most desired.
However, that proves detrimental to the adult and the baby because it takes at least 10 months for a baby sloth to fully be on its own. No matter how cute a sloth is it is not good to take it from it’s environment of leaves and trees. It is imperative to their survival.
Sloths are located in the lowlands of South America and Central America.
Sloth day is celebrated by doing such things as:
- Adopt a sloth
- Sponsor a sloth crossing
- Plant sloth family trees
- Go to the Slothopedia website
- Get a sloth book
- Donate to an organization that is dedicated to sloth’s and their survival
Sponsoring a sloth crossing helps in protecting these animals as they slowly make their way across streets in their environment, and planting sloth trees where they live will increase more habitation for them. Sloth books such as “Life in the Sloth Lane”, by Rebecca Cliffe, “Slow Down and Smell the Hibiscus” by Lucy Cook, (www.Christianbook.com), or “Scratch and Sketch sloths & Friends” (Trace along) by Inc. Peter Pauper Press. Any book that one can find on sloths would be very helpful in the realization of how cool these creatures are and why they need to be protected.
Please visit slothopedia.com or google “Sloth Protection” to learn more how to donate and learn about why Sloth Day is such an important day on our calendar.
http://www.christian.book.com, slothopedia.com
CHARLEY WAFFLE 