Should You Hold a Sloth?

No, you cannot hold sloths. They have found through research that sloths go through great distress if held or touched by strangers. The staff will hold them and bring them close to you but you cannot touch or hold them. ... Strangers holding sloths increases their heart rate which isn't good for them.

Why you shouldn't hold a sloth?

They can cause the sloth undue distress

There has been research done that shows that sloths definitely do not like being held. When they are held, their heart rates increase and they are visibly more alert, indicating that being held by people can be very distressing and disorienting.

Do sloths like to be held?

When used as props for tourist photos, they are constantly surrounded by noise and poorly handled by both guides and tourists alike. Research shows that sloths are frequently held by their claws or arms with no support at all, causing them to experience high levels of fear and stress.

Marcus Vance

Marcus Vance

Cybersecurity & Digital Privacy Researcher

Marcus Vance is a cybersecurity auditor and technology writer dedicated to educating the public about online safety, data privacy regulations, enterprise security, and emerging cyber threats.