"A rolling stone gathers no moss," but there is one living animal that does gather moss--the three-toed sloth of South America.
``
A
rolling
stone
gathers
no
moss
,
''
but
there
is
one
living
animal
that
does
gather
moss
--
the
three-toed
sloth
of
South
America
.
This slowest-moving member of the animal kingdom is so inactive that moss actually gathers on its body and turns it green--strange as it seems!
This
slowest-moving
member
of
the
animal
kingdom
is
so
inactive
that
moss
actually
gathers
on
its
body
and
turns
it
green
--
strange
as
it
seems
!
Most of the sloth's life is spent motionless, hanging upside down from a limb.
Most
of
the
sloth
's
life
is
spent
motionless
,
hanging
upside
down
from
a
limb
.
And that is the way its hair grows.
And
that
is
the
way
its
hair
grows
.
Long and coarse, the strands from receptacles for the damp jungle algae turn the brown fur a mossy green.
Long
and
coarse
,
the
strands
from
receptacles
for
the
damp
jungle
algae
turn
the
brown
fur
a
mossy
green
.
Actually this moss helps the animal survive because it serves as a perfect camouflage against the leafy trees and hides the sloth from the jungle's swift-moving hunters.
Actually
this
moss
helps
the
animal
survive
because
it
serves
as
a
perfect
camouflage
against
the
leafy
trees
and
hides
the
sloth
from
the
jungle
's
swift-moving
hunters
.
The sloth would have little chance of survival on the ground.
The
sloth
would
have
little
chance
of
survival
on
the
ground
.
With long, curved claws hooded over the limb of a leafy tree, it spends the long hot hours during the day drowsing and eating.
With
long
,
curved
claws
hooded
over
the
limb
of
a
leafy
tree
,
it
spends
the
long
hot
hours
during
the
day
drowsing
and
eating
.
Inch by inch, it strips the leafy limbs bare and crawls slowly down the trunk to find a new dining spot, but only at night.
Inch
by
inch
,
it
strips
the
leafy
limbs
bare
and
crawls
slowly
down
the
trunk
to
find
a
new
dining
spot
,
but
only
at
night
.
In addition to looking rather like a vegetable, the sloth is a strict vegetarian.
In
addition
to
looking
rather
like
a
vegetable
,
the
sloth
is
a
strict
vegetarian
.
Running out of its favorite leaf is about the only thing that will make a sloth move.
Running
out
of
its
favorite
leaf
is
about
the
only
thing
that
will
make
a
sloth
move
.
Then its appetite may even force the animal into swimming a stream to reach a succulent.
Then
its
appetite
may
even
force
the
animal
into
swimming
a
stream
to
reach
a
succulent
.
It will also force it into fighting to keep the tree all to itself.
It
will
also
force
it
into
fighting
to
keep
the
tree
all
to
itself
.
The sloth is lazy and prefers to be alone, but it will tolerate its own s!
The
sloth
is
lazy
and
prefers
to
be
alone
,
but
it
will
tolerate
its
own
s
!
"A rolling stone gathers no moss," but there is one living animal that does gather moss--the three-toed sloth of South America. This slowest-moving member of the animal kingdom is so inactive that moss actually gathers on its body and turns it green--strange as it seems!  Most of the sloth's life is spent motionless, hanging upside down from a limb. And that is the way its hair grows. Long and coarse, the strands from receptacles for the damp jungle algae turn the brown fur a mossy green. Actually this moss helps the animal survive because it serves as a perfect camouflage against the leafy trees and hides the sloth from the jungle's swift-moving hunters. The sloth would have little chance of survival on the ground. With long, curved claws hooded over the limb of a leafy tree, it spends the long hot hours during the day drowsing and eating. Inch by inch, it strips the leafy limbs bare and crawls slowly down the trunk to find a new dining spot, but only at night.  In addition to looking rather like a vegetable, the sloth is a strict vegetarian. Running out of its favorite leaf is about the only thing that will make a sloth move. Then its appetite may even force the animal into swimming a stream to reach a succulent. It will also force it into fighting to keep the tree all to itself. The sloth is lazy and prefers to be alone, but it will tolerate its own s!