Coastal sloth (SciiFii)

The coastal sloth (Marinamegalonyx californianus), also known as the elephant sloth, is a species of semiaquatic ground sloth that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the coastlines across the Pacific parts of North America to help boost biodiversity. The male coastal sloths, which can grow to be about 3.3 meters (11 feet) in length, are larger than the 2.1 meter (6.9 feet) females. As its name suggests, the coastal sloth has adaptation for an aquatic lifestyle, such as dense and heavy bones to counteract buoyancy, the internal nostrils migrating farther into the head to help with breathing while completely submerged, the snout becoming wider and more elongated to consume aquatic plants better, and the head angling farther and farther downwards to aid in bottom feeding. The long tail is used for diving and balance similarly to the beavers (Castor spp.) and platypuses. The coastal sloth is able to walk across the seafloor and dig up food with its claws. It does not do high-powered swimming, relying on paddling if necessary. As one of its common names suggests, the male coastal sloth has a short elephant seal-like trunk which inflates to attract females and to intimidate rivals. The coastal sloths are generalist grazers that primarily feed on seaweed and seagrasses close to shore, but are known to feed on seagrasses farther off the coast. The coastal sloths are social animals that live in herds consisting of up to around 50 individuals at a time. During the breeding seasons, the coastal sloth males use their inflatable trunks to intimidate rivals and, if those don't work, they resort to clawing their rivals until the looser backs down, and the winner gets a right to mate with the females. About 1-3 calves per female are born around 7 months after the breeding seasons, the young become sexually mature about 2 years of age and are fully grown around 3-4 years of age. The coastal sloth's average lifespan in the wild is around 40 years, but is around 50-60 years in captivity, if properly cared for. The conservation status of the coastal sloth is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the coastal sloth's wide range and its tolerance to many of the humaj activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii