Climate Change Threatens Sloth Survival by 2100

Rising temperatures could lead to extinction for high-altitude sloths due to their slow metabolism and limited adaptability.

New research published in PeerJ highlights the vulnerability of sloths, particularly those in high-altitude regions, to climate change.
Sloths' slow metabolism and inability to regulate body temperature make them especially susceptible to rising temperatures.
Highland sloths face a sharp increase in resting metabolic rate (RMR) as temperatures rise, which they cannot easily balance with increased food intake.
Lowland sloths may cope by migrating to higher altitudes, but high-altitude sloths are geographically constrained and lack this option.
The study calls for urgent conservation efforts and further research into adaptive strategies to protect sloth populations from the impacts of climate change.