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JENA, Germany (AP) – To thine own sloth, be true.

For three years, scientists at the University of Jena tried to persuade Mats the sloth to co-operate in an experiment on animal movement.

But nothing they tried, not even the promise of cucumbers and spaghetti, could persuade the lethargic Mats to get up off the floor of his cage, climb a pole and climb back down.

So Wednesday, scientists at the university’s Institute of Systematic Zoology and Evolutionary Biology said they had finally given up. It was, perhaps, a triumph of nature over nudging researchers.

“Mats obviously wanted absolutely nothing to do with furthering science,” said Axel Burchardt, a university spokesman.

Mats’ new home is the zoo in the northwestern city of Duisburg where, according to reports, he is very comfortable.