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Top 10 Slowest Animals in the World
But do you know what the world’s slowest animals are? Are you eager to find out? We’ve compiled a list of the world’s ten slowest animals.
What are the Slowest Animals in The World?
There are several extremely fast birds that can swoop on their prey at incredible speeds, and everyone is aware that the cheetah is the fastest land animal. Would you be able to think of any other extremely slow animals besides the tortoise, snail, and sloth, though?
Below, you’ll find a collection of some of nature’s slowest animals, along with each one’s picture, top speed, and some interesting facts.
Here is a list of the top 10 Slowest Animals in the World.
| Rank | Name |
| 1 | Three-Toed Sloth |
| 2 | Star Fish |
| 3 | Garden Snail |
| 4 | Giant Tortoise |
| 5 | Koala Bear |
| 6 | Banana Slug |
| 7 | Sea Horses |
| 8 | Loris |
| 9 | Gila Monster |
| 10 | Manatee |
Continue Reading: Top 10 Fastest Animals In The World (2022)
1. Three-Toed Sloth
The slowest animal in the world is Three-Toed Sloth, it can only move with a maximum speed of 0.003 miles per hour.
Three-toed sloths are extremely confined to one particular location because they won’t travel more than 100 feet in a single day.
Sloths move slowly because they have extremely low metabolic rates, a slow digestive system, and a limited nutritional requirement of a few leaves and twigs.
Combining very long arms and short shoulder blades, the sloth’s anatomical structure sets it apart from other mammals and contributes to its sluggish way of moving. This allows them to reach far without exerting themselves excessively.
One could say that sloths in America’s tropical rainforests spend a significant portion of their lives in tree branches. They used to have leaves from trees and use less energy by not moving their bodies.
2. Star Fish
In all, there are 2000 different species of starfish to be found in the world’s oceans. Strangely, starfish can only move short distances and rely on the ocean currents for transportation. Starfish have a speed of 0.02 miles per hour, which is equally slow.
Their body structure, which resembles a star, itself causes the ocean to move slowly. Since starfish lack a blood supply and a brain, slicing them into pieces will result in the growth of new starfish from each fragment.
3. Garden Snail
You may not be aware that garden snails only move a meter or so per hour. This speed is equivalent to about.0006 miles per hour! The foot of the garden snail, which is boneless, contracts its muscles to move. This causes the release of slime or mucus, which enables the snail to lubricate its path and move more easily.
For snails trying to flee a predator, speed isn’t really necessary because of the thick shell on their back. For protection, they can easily withdraw into their shell. Additionally, the heavier shell reduces its speed.
They are mostly found in wetlands and move by contracting their muscles. Garden snails spend years in hibernation and enjoy hiding from the sun.
It is one of the Slowest Animals in the World.
4. Giant Tortoise
The longest-living vertebrate and one with a reputation for moving slowly is the tortoise. Most giant tortoises are found in the Galapagos and Seychelles Islands. They move slowly because of their heavy bodies, which can weigh up to 350 kg.
The giant tortoise moves slowly due to its thick legs and heavy shell. They were primarily found in grasslands and wet areas. They have the ability to store more water internally and the stamina to go an entire year without food or water.
5. Koala Bear
The koala bear (Phascolarctos cinereus), like the sloth, has an extremely slow metabolic rate and a diet high in fiber but low in nutrients. The two main ways that koalas conserve energy are by sleeping and moving very slowly.
Koalas almost never store fat in their bodies and it is one of the slowest animals in the World.
They spend most of their time living on trees, eating eucalyptus leaves, and not moving around much. They have an excellent sense of smell but terrible eyesight.
6. Banana Slug
Slugs are slow gastropod mollusks that lack a shell. Perhaps because of this, they can outrun their cousins, garden snails, in a race the banana slug, is a very slow-moving species of slug, with a top speed of just over 8 centimeters per minute, or 0.48 kilometers per hour.
All slugs move by using the muscles in their one foot to propel themselves forward while secreting slime-like mucus to lubricate their way.
Banana slugs can create a chord to rappel down from heights using a mucus gland at the end of their tail.
Slugs are only capable of 0.2 miles per hour of faster movement. They can also survive underground for a long time in moist conditions.
7. Sea Horses
Sea horses are a unique species of fish that can be found worldwide in tropical waters. Due to their enigmatic body structure, unlike other fish species, they are unable to move around as much in the water.
Sea horses can only move quickly at 0.5 miles per hour. Sea horses are stationary within a particular area for the duration of their lives due to their extremely slow movements.
8. Loris
The Slow Loris is a very slog animal, as its name might suggest. They only move at a speed of 1.18 miles per hour. These nocturnal primates usually cover a distance of 5 miles at night in search of prey. They move very slowly most of the time, but when they come across prey, they can move a little more quickly and strike.
The only venomous primate in the world is the Slow Loris. Toxins in their mouth and elbows help to defend them against predators. To add to their defenses, they will apply these poisons to their fur. This is probably one of the reasons why this animal can move so slowly without constantly facing attacks from predators.
9. Gila Monster
The Gila Monster may move more quickly than some of the other creatures on this list, but not much! They can only move at a speed of about one mile per hour. Since they are only about 20 inches long, they are not even close to being the fastest lizards in the United States, despite being the largest native species. Gila Monsters spend the majority of the day lying out in the sun.
The southwest of the United States and northwest Mexico is home to the Gila Monster. They are inhabitants of the Mohave, Chihuahuan, and Sonoran Deserts.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that a Gila Monster looks for attractive targets given how slow and lazy they are. This frequently includes eggs and young mammals.
Gila Monsters eat whole things. Additionally, they have the ability to store fat in their tails, which they use to survive the winter months when they stay in their underground residence.
10. Manatee
Manatees, also known as sea cows, are adorable herbivorous marine animals found in the Amazon, Caribbean, and Indian oceans. Manatees used to live in shallow water and were always found floating rather than moving.
Actually, manatees have no predators and will not be harmed during their lifetime. Because of these conditions, manatees are among the slowest animals on the planet. They spent the majority of their time eating and resting, making them larger in size.
Summary
- Three-Toed Sloth
- Star Fish
- Garden Snail
- Giant Tortoise
- Koala Bear
- Banana Slug
- Sea Horses
- Loris
- Gila Monster
- Manatee
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