The world we live in is changing. And these changes don’t just affect us humans, they also affect the wildlife we ​​share our planet with. One such creature, the famously unhurried sloth, has found itself stuck in a wall of survival—a race with climate change that it cannot outrun.
In a recent study titled “Sluggish Metabolism May Make Survival Untenable Under Climate Change Scenarios,” researchers outline a challenging future for these slow-moving creatures in Central and South America.
Sloths and their environment
Before we dive into the plight these animals face, let’s get up close and personal with our subject – two-toed sloths (Choloepus Hoffmanni).
It is worth noting that these creatures are made to live in high and low areas. But it is how they react to environmental changes that worries scientists.
Sloths under climate change
The study, conducted by Dr. Rebecca Cliff of the Sloth Metabolism Research Institute (SMRI), focused on the metabolic response of sloths to increased temperatures.
“Sloths are inherently limited by their slow metabolism and unique inability to effectively regulate their body temperature, unlike most mammals,” Dr. Cliff said. “Our research suggests that sloths, especially at high altitudes, may not be able to survive the significant increase in temperature predicted for 2100.”
The researchers measured the sloths’ oxygen consumption and body temperature under conditions that mimicked predicted climate change. What they found paints a disturbing picture.
feeling warm
Mountain sloths increase their resting metabolic rate (RMR) as temperatures rise.
Plains sloths, although better adapted to heat, will enter a metabolic depression—a type of low-energy state—when temperatures cross their comfort zone. Scientists call this region the “thermally active zone” (TAZ).
Difficulty adapting to climate change
Fast forward to the year 2100, where the forecast predicts a temperature increase of between 2 and 6 degrees Celsius in sloth habitats.
Mountain sloths are supposed to carry a heavy metabolic load. Their limited energy processing capacity, combined with their lack of geographic flexibility, may prevent them from adapting to this warm climate.
And here’s another hiccup: sloths digest food up to 24 times slower than other herbivores of the same size. Therefore, any increase in metabolic demand due to climate change cannot be easily offset by increased food intake, making it difficult for them to balance energy.
Challenges for mountain sloths
The most eye-opening part of this research is related to high-altitude sloths. Their limited ability to migrate to colder areas and limited metabolic flexibility could drive these populations to extinction if temperatures continue to rise.
Lowland sloths may be able to develop a survival strategy by moving to higher elevations, but this is not an option for mountain sloths.
This biological hardiness, along with the increased metabolic demand in warmer climates, can push these populations into a survival crisis.
Politics and international cooperation
While local and regional efforts are essential, sloth survival depends largely on broader political initiatives and international cooperation.
Global agreements aimed at reducing carbon emissions and slowing global warming are essential to preserving the environments on which sloths and other wildlife depend.
Programs such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) play a central role in creating global climate policies that can indirectly benefit sloths by fostering a healthier planet.
Additionally, cooperation between countries that host sloth populations and those that can provide expertise or funding for conservation initiatives is essential.
Together, these efforts can form a comprehensive strategy that addresses both local challenges and global threats to sloths and ensures that their lives can continue unhindered in their natural habitats.
Urgency of conservation efforts
So, what does all this mean for the future of our slow-moving friends? Conservation efforts must be made to protect sloth populations. This is especially important for those living in high altitude areas affected by climate change.
The researchers emphasize the need for more research on adaptive strategies and conservation policies. The hope is to find ways to lessen the impact of sloths in our rapidly warming world.
Whether we’re talking about biodiversity, ecosystem stability, or even just the intrinsic value of life, if we allow these creatures to disappear, everyone will lose.
We have the facts, we have the figures. Now, the question is, how do we change this story? How can we give lazy people a fighting chance against climate change?
This study has been published in the journal PeerJ.
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