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This Is Why You Should Never Rescue A Swimming Sloth

They are actually pretty good swimmers.

Sloths are not known for being particularly speedy on the ground.

But in the water all that changes.

View this video on YouTube

BBC

Sometimes sloths fall directly from trees into rivers.

But their long arms mean paddling through the water is no problem at all.

Look at it go!

In fact, fossil evidence suggests there was once a species of giant aquatic sloths that were adapted for life in the water.

Not everyone knows that sloths are very capable swimmers. Sometimes people try to "rescue" sloths and put them back on dry land.

View this video on YouTube

youtube.com

All this means is that the sloths have to make the long journey back to where you picked them up by land, which they're not quite so good at.

So if you ever see a sloth in water, leave it alone to follow its dreams.