A Snuggle of Thank Yous For Sloth Day
Gregarious animals, or animals that live in groups, often have unique collective nouns to refer to them. For example, a group of flamingos is called a flamboyance, while a group of owls is known as a parliament. You may have also heard of a conspiracy of ravens or a murder of crows.
But what about sloths? It’s understandable that there isn’t an official collective noun for an animal that typically lives a solitary life. However, like many things in nature, there are exceptions. There are indeed situations where you might encounter more than one sloth together:
- Rescue Centers: Orphaned baby sloths are often placed together in baskets where they can cuddle and cling to each other for warmth and comfort, reducing the need for human contact. (Photo of babies in a basket)
- In the Wild: It’s rare to see multiple adult sloths together in the jungle, but we’ve observed several sloths hanging out in the same tree or in trees close to each other. This could be due to a group of male sloths responding to a female in estrus, or, unfortunately, it might be a consequence of habitat degradation.
Who decides on a collective noun?
In truth, no one—and everyone! There isn’t an official institution that coins such terms. A few years ago, we asked our community on social media to suggest names, and then we launched a poll with the options: a snuggle, a smile, a siesta, and a slumber of sloths. The winning choice was:
A Group of Supporters is a Sloth Community
Seven years ago, we started SloCo with the goal of promoting science and conservation. We’re thrilled to have thousands of people who joined us in our mission of protecting the slowest mammal and promoting the peaceful coexistence of humans and wildlife.
Becky, Tamara, Patricio, Deily, Mariano, Diego, Deyber, José, Amelia, and I, Cecilia, who is writing this today, are just the hands and eyes in Costa Rica. Together, we are part of a global, gigantic community.
We truly celebrated International Sloth Day!
We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for celebrating SlothTober with us. Thank you for your generosity, for engaging with us on social media, and for all the many ways you support SloCo and the sloths. We couldn’t do this without you!
Thank you for being part of our sloth-loving community—a true snuggle of supporters who make this all possible. We’re sending a big, warm hug to each of you for standing with us and the sloths!
Cecilia Pamich
Communications & Outreach
