wuldnt it die out because of "evolution"? how come it continue to live?
2007-07-01 12:20:13 · 18 answers · asked by Wikisidr 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Good point. I have no idea. I guess because God likes them- they're cute.
2007-07-01 12:22:48 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 7⤋
The living species of sloths are very well suited to their environment.
Their low metabolic rate allows it to live on lower quality forage than many other animals, and its slow movements actually help protect it from detection from predators like harpy eagles.
So evolution has selected these features that might not seem very 'intelligent' from a design perspective. Evolution selects what works, not necessarily what would be the most ideal adaptation in an environment.
There are many other species of sloth, however, which are now extinct. The giant ground sloths that once roamed most of North America are now gone, unable to adapt to changing environments and new predators (possibly including humans). These sloths did die out because of evolution.
2007-07-01 19:26:25 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
The sloth continues to survive precisely because it is so supremely well adapted to its environment. The fact that you've asked this question makes it painfully obvious you still don't understand how evolution actually works. It might help to appreciate that natural selection operates in objective (physical) reality and that subjective (perceived) experience -- ie., what you think of sloths -- plays no part whatever.
2007-07-01 19:40:08 · answer #3 · answered by Diogenes 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It has monopolized the food supply available for it and has found ways of surviving and avoiding predators. That's natural selection in action - the sloth is best at what it does in the environment it lives in. If that changes, it will die. End of story.
If you're so interested in evolution, why not read about it from a proper book of biology? Your attempts at understanding it from speculation are embarrassing for the rest of us.
2007-07-01 19:24:05 · answer #4 · answered by Bad Liberal 7 · 8⤊ 1⤋
The sloth lives because of evolution. It fills a niche in its environment. Please, go learn something about the world! Have you been to South America? Have you experienced the bio-diversity in the rain forest? I have. Its evolution in action. My involvement with the natural world convinces me of this truth.
2007-07-01 19:24:59 · answer #5 · answered by in a handbasket 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It continued to live because it was sufficiently well adapted to its environment, just as evolution predicts.
I'm not a praying person, but...
Dear God,
Please show me some sign that this person is not serious about these questions.
Thank you,
Paul
2007-07-01 19:26:22 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 1⤋
Ask the sloth... I'm sure it will help you scratch the surface of this question well enough to bite into a reasonable conclusion.
[][][] r u randy? [][][]
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2007-07-01 19:24:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
How endangered are they? Perhaps they'll go extinct if their numbers are falling.
But why would you think they're for the chop? It's not the name, is it?
CD
2007-07-01 19:23:29 · answer #8 · answered by Super Atheist 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
sloths are not very tasty, not much meat on them, few to no predators. but i do think they are endangered
2007-07-01 19:27:45 · answer #9 · answered by specal k 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
how come snails haven't been naturally selected? or rendered extinct by the french.
2007-07-01 19:24:37 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
All of your questions are answered in any first year biology course.
2007-07-01 19:23:46 · answer #11 · answered by fourmorebeers 6 · 8⤊ 1⤋