My New Favorite Animal

In our class we have been studying the rainforest. This week it has been an intense study of the rainforest. We have covered -- anacondas. :) Tomorrow I HOPE we can press on to harpy eagles and sloths. (We were supposed to move on from anacondas/boa constrictors TO sloths today, but I blab on far too long. -- Yesterday we mapped out how anacondas eat and today we measured how many kindergarteners are needed to make an anaconda. Fun.)

To the point of the blog post: as I have been reading and "studying" over the various animals in the rainforest I think I have found a new favorite animal. Well, at least a new SECOND favorite animal. (I think my FIRST favorite animal must still go to the Orca whale.)

Anyways, my new (second) favorite animal is... the ... SLOTH.

I hope this does not reflect on my character. --ha ha--

I just think they are cute. Those long arms, the round eyes, the LONG nails -- cute.

I also started to enjoy them because, guess what? They are highly misunderstood.

Do you realize WHY they go so slow? Do you realize WHY they sleep 12-14 (?) hours a day? It's because of their diet. The stuff (leaves) they eat do not give them enough energy to move a lot and/or to move with speed. We are each created differently and with different/unique gifts and talents. God has made them to be slow and He has limited them to need a lot of sleep. Don't mock. He is glorifying God when he is hanging from the tree and sleeping. (Did you know they have such a strong grip that some remain attached to the tree even after death? They go to the bathroom -- on the rainforest floor -- about once a week because they drink so little water. They are good swimmers.)

I think it's humorous that his hair grows algae because he hangs from the trees for so long.

A video I am thinking about showing to the students tomorrow... in order to "integrate" the teaching of the sloth AND the harpy eagle...

Harpy Eagle Grabs the Sloth

Though it may be a bit too traumatizing, I feel it shows the AWESOMENESS of God's creation, the power and size of the harpy eagle...and the helplessness of the poor sloth, who was chosen to be dinner.

There's also some great videos about sloths crossing the road. (No, they don't get squished.)