Sloths! The strange life of the world's slowest mammal

Humans have gone to the Moon and discovered the Higgs boson, but when it comes to understanding animals, we've still got a long way to go. Whether we're seeing a viral video of romping baby pandas or a picture of penguins "holding hands," it's hard for us not to project our own values — innocence, fidelity, temperance, hard work — onto animals. So you've probably never considered if moose get drunk, penguins cheat on their mates or worker ants lay about. They do — and that's just for starters. In The Truth About Animals, Lucy Cooke takes us on a worldwide journey to meet everyone from a Colombian hippo castrator to a Chinese panda porn peddler, all to lay bare the secret — and often hilarious — habits of the animal kingdom. Charming and at times downright weird, this modern bestiary is perfect for anyone who has ever suspected that virtue might be unnatural. Sloths, as the most maligned of all beasts, get their own chapter in this menagerie of misunderstood creatures.

Why are sloths always smiling? Perhaps it's because they've mastered the art of taking it slow in a world whose frenzied pace is driving the rest of us crazy. Here, in a mindfulness book like no other, Lucy Cooke's fabulous photographs of these always-chill creatures are paired with words of wisdom, all to inspire us to slow down, stop to enjoy the little things, and come up relaxed, centered and smiling.

Sloth expert Dr. Rebecca Cliffe teamed up with world renowned wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas to produce this stunning coffee-table book which takes readers on an immersive journey through the jungles of South America to discover the secret lives of sloths. The story is illustrated through spectacular imagery capturing some of the most intimate and rarely seen moments, while the narrative reveals some of the latest scientific discoveries and provides fascinating insights into the previously unknown habits of these unusual animals. A portion of all proceeds from the sale of this book go towards supporting the work of the Sloth Conservation Foundation.

Wildlife conservationist and photographer Sam Trull's world changed forever when she gave up her comfortable life in the United States for the wilds of Costa Rica. After almost twenty years of working with animals, one creature in particular had captured her heart: the sloth. In her stunning photo series, Trull shares intimate portraits of these captivating and endearing animals from her unique perspective as their protector, mother and friend. Woven in with these images are unforgettable stories of heartbreak and survival, as well as interesting facts about these intelligent and beautiful creatures.

A wonderfully entertaining and thoroughly researched celebration of the sloth. Walking readers through the sloth's evolutionary history — from the prehistoric ground sloth to the modern pygmy — William Hartston reveals the sloth's fascinating journey from maligned mammal to cause célèbre. Playfully peppered with science and filled with factoids, Sloths is a love-letter to the most anachronistic, and just a little bit ridiculous, of animals.

Our rapidly changing world is becoming an increasingly hostile home for the world's slowest mammal. Their rainforest home is disappearing fast and as urban areas expand a growing number of sloths are falling victim to electrocutions, road traffic collisions, domestic dog attacks and human cruelty. The sloths in this talk were photographed at sanctuaries in Central America, which are a great place for tourists to see sloths. But not all sanctuaries release their sloths back into the wild, and many offer the opportunity to hug or hold a sloth, which causes these strange creatures dangerous amounts of stress. Please say no to "sloth selfies" and only visit sanctuaries that have scientifically supported rehab and release programs for their sloths. I recommend the following organizations (where these photos were taken):

The Toucan Rescue Ranch, San Jose, Costa Rica
The Jaguar Rescue Center, Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica
APPC, Gamboa, Panama

For more information on sloth conservation, I recommend the following organizations:

The Zoological Society of London's EDGE campaign are working to protect the two species of sloth listed as endangered.

The Sloth Institute and Sloth Conservation Foundation are two organizations working in Costa Rica to protect the sloths and their environment. Both are excellent resources for conservation information and worthy of your financial support.

More information about sloth conservation and sanctuaries can be found at Slothville.