AU GRAPHIC PREHISTORIC ANIMALSl GIANT SLOTH MEGATHERIUM C I ILLUSTRATED BY ALESSANDRO POLUZZI Smart Apple Media
WHAT IS A GIANT SLOTHD MEGATHERIUM MEANS GREAT BEAST Megatherium was the biggest of the giant sloths and lived 2 million to as 10 000 years ago during the Pleistocene period To Fossils of its skeletons have been found in South America and North America see page 22 i It was as big and heavy as an A Indian elephant ii Its claws were 2 5 feet 76 cm long i It ate leaves E A twigs nuts and possibly scavenged meat ii It walked on all four feet but could rear on its hind legs i It had a big A gut like an elephant's to ferment and break down its rough diet iOA Its skin was studded with bony lumps MEGATHERIUM AMERICANIUM FROM AMERICA GREW TO BE 20 FEET 2 6 m LONG AND WEIGHED UP TO 3 TONS 2 722 KG ii It walked on the N sides of its feet This would be Megatherium and
ANIMAL FACTS ecause of their size strength and fearsome claws the biggest giant sloths had no natural predators If they were attacked the osteoderms in their skin acted like chainmail armor Some scientists think giant sloths The smaller giant ground sloth species might have chased meat eaters were at predators away from their kills during times the mercy of ice age such as the sabertooth cat of famine Although they moved iant sloths first appeared slowly few animals would want to 23 million years ago in South risk getting in the way of a America when it was a separate wandering Megatherium continent They had huge bones and joints and evolved to be massively strong The biggest were browsers and stood upright They used their fat tails to steady themselves so they could reach up high to the biggest branches Compared with Megatherium the modern day three toed sloth left is tiny Today's sloth avoids predators by living in trees and rarely touches the ground The skeletons of giant sloths above show that they looked very different from today's
