How sloths bypass the chemical defenses of their food

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Plants use various tactics to prevent being eaten, but sloths have evolved to consume foliage that would be poisonous to most other animals.

This footage from BBC Earth's Secrets of Our Living Planet explores the specialized adaptations that allow sloths to thrive. While plants develop complex defenses to deter herbivores, sloths have mastered the ability to eat plants that would otherwise be toxic to other species.

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