FEWER THAN 10,000 YEARS AGO
Further Reading: Lister, A. M. “The Evolution of the Giant Deer, Megaloceros giganteus (Blumenbach).” Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 112 (1994): 65–100; Moen, R. A., J. Pastor, and Y. Cohen. “Antler Growth and Extinction of Irish Elk.” Evolutionary Ecology Research 1 (1999): 235–49.
GIANT GROUND SLOTH
Giant Ground Sloth—The human silhouette in this picture gives an idea of how huge these extinct sloths were. They could even rear up on their hind legs to reach lofty food. (Natural History Museum at Tring)
Giant Ground Sloth—The ground sloths were perhaps the most impressive of all the extinct South American mammals. The largest species (Megatherium americanum), the one depicted here, was about the same size as a fully grown elephant. (Renata Cunha)
Scientific name: Megatherium americanum Scientific classification: Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Pilosa Family: Megatheriidae When did it become extinct? The last giant ground sloths are thought to have died out around 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. Where did it live? The giant ground sloths were found throughout South America. South America is probably the most biodiverse landmass on earth, yet, many thousands of years ago, the fauna of this continent was even more remarkable. A perfect example of this long-gone South American fauna is a ground-dwelling sloth that was the same size as an elephant. This was the giant ground sloth, and it was an immense and unusual animal. Fully grown, the giant ground sloth was about 6 m long, and estimates of its weight range between 4 and 5 tonnes. Several skeletons (real and copies) of this animal are to be found in museum collections around the world, and one of the most astonishing things about these remains is the size of the bones. The limb bones and their supporting structures are massive and give an impression of a heavy, powerful animal. In life, the digits of
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