Jan 3, 2009

Dangling Sloth

Rebecca sent me this link from listverse.com, in which they layout what they believe to be the ten ugliest animals on the planet. I'm happy to report that each and every one of them has appeared here, along with a couple of the exact photos they used.

But I was charmed by this sloth photo, and had to share. These creatures are omnivores, and are known to dine on small lizards. How embarrassing would it be to be a small lizard and be caught by a sloth? My dying efforts would be spent hoping that none of my friends watched me get nabbed. That's not how I would want to be remembered.

An interesting side note: a sloth's fur lays in an opposite direction from most mammals. Most mammals have hair that grows toward the extremities. Not so with Mr. Sloth. His hair grows towards his torso, since he spends to much time dangling.

Thanks, Rebecca.

13 comments:

Sabina E. said...

that sloth is so cute!!! It's far from being ugly... lol

Anonymous said...

It's as ugly as sin! (a deadly sin, that is.)

Anonymous said...

Well done, Wombat. Well done. I think you've out uglied them. They seem hooked on vertebrates--I don't see a nasty wormish parasite with worse behavior among them (throbbing antennae or suicidal leap into the pool, anyone? Remember those? Ugh). Listvese could learn a thing or two from their betters.

Anonymous said...

Sloths are so neat to look at. Their claws are scary! But agree that if you get caught by of all things a sloth, you're better off doomed to be eaten. Poor little lizard.

Anonymous said...

I was looiking through the list in the link, and I don't recall you having an article of the Blob fish!
Where is it?

Raging Wombat said...

Here it is, from Halloween two years ago:

http://uglyoverload.blogspot.com/2006/10/from-netherworld.html

Raging Wombat said...

Thanks, booge. But I wouldn't know about half of the animals I post on if readers didn't alert me to them. Credit goes to you folks.

Anonymous said...

Booo... sloths aren't ugly at all. I think they're downright adorable. :D
Same goes for the Axolotl on the list and tarsiers... although the big eyes on the tarsiers are kinda creepy :P

Melvin Laso said...

Niiice. Sloths look very weird... like muppets or something. Thanks for the info you posted. I like how I learn something new each time I visit this blog.

Alison said...

I can imagine a lizard stopping to sun itself on a lichen-covered branch, only to discover it's actually the sloth's...hand?

Raging Wombat said...

Thanks, Rascal. I learn something new here all the time too.

Vanessa said...

I adore sloths, they are one of my favourites. I think he is adorable.

Anonymous said...

Fact: Sloths rarely go to ground and when they do its to defficate at the base of their tree. They do defficate up in the air for some strange reason.