The much smaller living sloths are called "tree sloths". Life span: Unknown Other Giants: There are several types of ground sloth, Megatherium being one of the largest. One of the giants of the lower gallery is Megatherium americanum, the Giant Ground Sloth. Search for Dark Matter from the Multiverse, Life On Earth Could Have Arisen from RNA-DNA Mix, New Class of Antibiotics Work On Many Bacteria, How Our Brains Track Where We and Others Go, Mini Antibodies Against COVID-19 from a Llama, Climate Change: Threshold for Dangerous Warming, Unknown Asteroid Likely the Size of Ceres, What Did Ancient Crocodiles Eat? A new study suggests these sloths were highly adaptable to changes in their climate and able to shift their diet depending on the season. For comparison, picture a sloth about the size of an elephant. Materials provided by Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum. Humongous cave bears, saber-toothed tigers, and massive-antlered Irish elk roam the grasslands and forests of South America, but the biggest of all is the Megatherium, an elephant-sized ground sloth.. The name means 'great beast from America'. Ground Sloths ranged in size from the massive Megatherium americanum, who was the size of a modern day elephant, to much smaller species that were about the size of a dog. Its believed that the giant sloth lived in groups, but it may have lived singly in caves. While we do not have direct evidence of the behavior of this creature, researchers have a pretty good idea of how it spent its time. Honoring the man who described it, the most famous species is today known as Megalonyx jeffersoni, and is the state fossil … But, it was actually a giant sloth. Did you know that these giant sloths are the reason why we have avocados today? Have any problems using the site? It used to be thought that sloths ate mostly cecropia leaves because they were often spotted in cecropia trees. (2017, April 18). Ground sloths are a group of extinct large sloths in the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. In carnivores, the proportion of proteins is significantly higher than in herbivores, which primarily eat food high in carbohydrates. It was in 1796 that the first fossil of a Megatherium (Megatherium americanum) was discovered by the French anatomist Georges Cuvier, the ‘father of paleontology’, who recognized it as a type of ancient sloth.The oldest recovered fossils belonged to the era 5.4 million years ago; however, the species Megatherium americanum evolved much later, during the Pleistocene period that dates to about 1.8 million years.According to the Illin… It seems to be that giant crocodylians with broad snouts and robust, blunt teeth, such as Purussaurus and the North American Cretaceous alligatoroid Deinosuchus [32,36], commonly prey on large turtles at adulthood. Ground sloths are a diverse group of extinct sloths, in the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or its partners. ScienceDaily shares links with sites in the. Or did the fossil representatives live on a strictly vegetarian diet, like the recent sloths? Distribution: Megatherium, the giant ground sloth, live in the parts of South America that are now Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. The first fossils of this animal were originally found by Charles Darwin near Patagonia, Argentina. In order to reinforce their results, the scientists compared their data with more than 200 bones from modern mammals, whose diet is known, as well as with fossil specimens from both carnivores and herbivores. Based on their diet of leafy and woody material, scientists believe Jefferson's ground sloths only lived in the North during the warm interglacial periods. Like other members of its taxonomic family, the shasta ground sloth had a relatively small head with prehensile [grasping] lips and tongue, something like a modern giraffe. Based on analyses of the collagen in the fossil bones, the researchers concluded in their … Harlans Ground Sloth or Paramylodon harlani (also known as Glossotherium harlani) was related to the modern tree sloths, but was much larger with a height of 6ft. December 21, 2018 Light Future Art LLC Leave a comment. It went extinct when cavemen hunted them and tar pits sank them. Unfortunately, some things are impossible to study when an animal is already extinct. Megatherium was in the Order Pilosa which included other giant ground sloths, and today is comprised of modern sloths, anteater, and tamanduas. No, giant sloths would not make good pets. The largest species of giant sloth easily measured 20 ft. long. Sloths have rounded heads, tiny ears, and long limbs. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Sloths are omnivores. The mylodontid ground sloths together with their relatives the orophodontids form the Mylodonta, the second radiation of ground sloths.The discovery of their fossils in caverns associated with human occupation led some early researchers to theorize that the early humans built corrals when they could procure a young ground sloth, to raise the animal to butchering size. Earlier this week, we began the discussion on Giant Ground Sloths, the extinct ancestors of today’s tree sloths. Today, the six living species of sloths … Some 27,000 years ago in central Belize, a giant sloth was thirsty. Sloths have made extraordinary adaptations to an arboreal browsing lifestyle. Ecology Giant ground sloths evolved in South America around 35 million years ago, and migrated into North America, starting around 8 million years ago, with the last species arriving here during the Pleistocene.. The giant ground sloth lived mostly in groups, but it may have lived singly in caves. giant ground sloth has gained the attention of many palaeontologists. - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 46 (2): 173–192. Tag: ground sloth diet. Neville Mountford-Hoare, Alamy. The Megatherium was one of the largest ground … Megatherium americanum is the scientific name for an extinct species of giant ground sloth. Researchers believe their diet consisted mostly of grasses, agave plants, yuccas, and more. It is simply impossible to speculate how their breeding rituals appeared, what their gestation period was, or when offspring became independent. Ground sloths were mostly herbivores. The giant ground sloth probably became extinct due to a combination of human hunting and changes in climate at the end of the last Ice Age. Did the long claws serve as hunting tools, and were the giant animals carnivores? The giant ground sloth is a species of extinct mammals in the Megatheriidae family. For this article we will focus on the largest species, Megatherium. For much of their existence, giant sloths had no predators. The isotopic analysis revealed that the giant sloth lived through a long dry season, which lasted about seven months, sandwiched between two short rainy seasons. Massive Prehistoric Croc Emerges from South East Queensland, The 'Crazy Beast' That Lived Among the Dinosaurs. They may eat insects, small lizards and carrion, however, their diet consists mostly of buds, tender shoots and leaves (including leaves from the cecropia tree). Many species spread up into North America. The giant ground sloth was a herbivorous animal that fed mainly on plants that grew on the ground. 27,000-Year-Old Tooth of Giant Ground Sloth Sheds Light on Animal’s Diet and Climatic Exposure. giant ground sloth has gained the attention of many palaeontologists. It likely weighed around 400 pounds. Most Megatherium inhabited grasslands and other open or semi-open areas. Food & Feeding: The giant ground sloth lived in the lightly wooded area s of South America, feeding on the leaves such as yuccas, agaves, and grasses. Archaeologists believe that humans hunted giant sloths. This animal is extinct, having died out around 8,000 years ago, but what an amazing sight it would have been when it was alive! “We therefore had to use a different method, so we measured the composition of carbon isotopes – the ratio of protein and mineral content – in the fossilized sloth bones,” explains Bocherens, and he continues, “Our measurements show that Megatherium lived on an exclusively vegetarian diet.”. Hoffmanns Two-toed Sloth: Choloepus hoffmann: Leaves, insects, bird eggs, lizards, and bird nestlings. They were big, hairy and freaky-looking, and now we know much more about the world that giant ground sloths lived in 27,000 years ago, a new study reports. Three-toed sloths have stubby tails around 5-6 cm. It weighed up to 8,818 pounds (4,000 kilograms) and stood a towering 20 feet (6 meters) tall. It is the largest of all ground sloths, with an estimated body mass of about 4 tonnes (Casinos 1996; Farifia et al. For millions of years, the sloth did not have many enemies to bother it, so it was probably a diurnal animal. Humans did not domesticate giant sloths in any way. “These questions were at the center of our new study,” adds Bocherens. Jefferson first thought the bones belonged to a large lion and called it the \"Great Claw,\" or Megalonyx, according to the Thomas Jefferson Encyclopedia. The Ground Sloth Megatherium americanum was one of the largest mammals to ever walk the earth. Giant Ground Sloth Megatherium americanum. Diet; Maned Three-toed Sloth: Bradypus torquatus: Leaves, some soft twigs, and buds. . Because of their immense size, they obviously would have needed large enclosures to live in, with heavily reinforced fencing. - The ground sloth Megatherium americanum: Skull shape, bite forces, and diet. 1998). The distribution of these creatures varies based on the species at hand, and the time period. Ground sloths were large relatives of the modern two-toed sloths (Choloepus spp.) The last surviving ground sloths lived in the Caribbean Antilles. Paleontologists. They were incredibly large animals, and their massive claws would have been extremely dangerous. There were many different species of giant sloths in the family, and at least 21 different genuses of giant sloths. Like other ground sloths it had a blunt snout, massive jaw nd large, peg-like teeth. While many believed that the Giant Sloth Megatherium lived on a flexible diet, a contradicting new finding suggests that the extinct animal is a … Content on this website is for information only. It is the largest of all ground sloths, with an estimated body mass of about 4 tonnes (Casinos 1996; Farifia et al. One species of ground sloth is named after Thomas Jefferson. Shasta Ground Sloth (Nothrotheriops shastense Hoffstetter) at Shelter Cave, New Mexico: Environment, Diet, and Extinction - Volume 14 Issue 3 - Robert S. Thompson, Thomas R. Van Devender, Paul S. Martin, Theresa Foppe, Austin Long Jefferson's ground sloth fossils are commonly found in the western United States, the Great Lakes region, and Florida. ScienceDaily. The prototypical prehistoric sloth, the Giant Ground Sloth (genus name Megalonyx, pronounced MEG-ah-LAH-nix) was named by future American president Thomas Jefferson in 1797, after he examined some bones forwarded to him from a cave in West Virginia. It would have weighed about the same as an elephant – that’s pretty huge. These creatures used their large bodies to reach the tops of trees, but also ate bushes and shrubbery as well. A giant ground sloth skeleton. The giant sloth didn't have enamel on its teeth like humans and even other giant extinct mammals such as mammoths. The giant ground sloth was an incredible animal, learn more about this massive mammal below. It was the only ground sloth to range as far north as the present-day Yukon and Alaska. Size: Up to 6 metres tall and weighing 4,000 kg. Their fossils have been found from Patagonia to Alaska. Last December, social media buzzed with a new food innovation: seedless avocados. Megatherium lived in South America, but other giant sloth species lived in various places across the world. Instead, they lived on the ground, where they excavated large burrows. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Animals.NET aim to promote interest in nature and animals among children, as well as raise their awareness in conservation and environmental protection. Diet of the Giant Ground Sloth Giant sloths were herbivores, which means they ate plants. Financial support for ScienceDaily comes from advertisements and referral programs, where indicated. Read on to learn about the giant sloth. Additional detailed analyses of giant ground sloth teeth, including more specimens of E. laurillardi, can help elucidate whether this behavior is typical of the species. These differences can be documented in the isotopes. Scientists usually use enamel as a way to study a creature's diet… Together with an international team, Senckenberg scientists examined the diet of the extinct Giant Sloth Megatherium. It probably had mainly a browsing diet in open habitats, but also it probably fed on other moderate to soft tough food. The most famous of these ancient beasts was Megatherium.Among the first giant ground sloths ever found, this imposing beast has been fascinating paleontologists and the public for over 200 years. While hunters likely pushed the species to extinction, researchers also believe that usable habitat had begun to decline as well. Jefferson’s ground sloth, Megalonyx jeffersonii, is a Megalonychid ground sloth and one of two types of ground sloth that have been recovered from Ice Age sites in the Midwest.You can read about the other type, Harlans' ground sloth, here.. In 1797, as he was preparing a paper on the find for the American Philoso… 1 Appearance 2 Behavior 2.1 Diet 2.2 Lifespan 3 Gallery 4 Facts It looked like a bear with gigantic claws. The mounted skeleton on display at the Florida Museum of Natural History is a composite primarily consisting of bones from two similar-sized individuals. Some scientists also speculate that these creatures might have stolen the kills of other animals, but other researchers dispute this. The extinct relatives of the sloths could reach the size of an elephant and were much too heavy to spend a significant amount of time in the trees. Other genera of large Pleistocene ground sloths were discovered soon af- ter M. americanum, but the latter is undoubtedly the most representative mammal of Located within a 5.1-m-thick clay layer that begins at a depth of 17.3 m, the presence of megafaunal remains provides insight into the deeper history of this natural water source. “Moreover, the results can help us understand the interactions between Megatherium and the first human inhabitants of America – their habitats overlapped for several thousand years, before the Giant Sloth became extinct,” offers Bocherens as a preview. “Sloths already occurred 10,000 years ago, for example the species Megatherium,” explains Professor Dr. Hervé Bocherens of the Senckenberg Center for Human Evolution and Palaeoenvironment at the University of Tübingen. A variety of different plants would also be necessary, because researchers believe they fed on a large number of species. The last ground sloths seem to have died out about 10,000 years ago. The future third president had a well-known interest in fossils, and a friend had sent him some bones that had been found in a cave in West Virginia. long. Interesting Ground Sloth Facts. All photos used are royalty-free, and credits are included in the Alt tag of each image. Here, we present results of stable isotope analysis of the first fossil remains of the extinct giant ground sloth, Eremotherium laurillardi, found in Belize (Valley of Peace Archaeology no. 1998). The Ground Sloth Megatherium americanum was one of the largest mammals to ever walk the earth. The giant ground sloth, Megatherium americanum, was a gignatic sloth that lived in South America and the southwest during the ice age. Pygmy Three-toed Sloth: Bradypus pygmaeus: Folivore diet (leaves obtained from different kinds of trees). These two factors, when combined, resulted in the extinction of the species. Diet: Vegetarian, feeding on plants like yucca and agaves. M. jeffersonii was apparently the most wide-ranging giant ground sloth. and three-toed sloths (Bradypus spp. Sloths may well rank among the world’s most peculiar animals: With their backs pointing downward, they hang in trees and move in slow motion from branch to branch with the aid of their sickle-shaped claws. The year is 9,000 B.C. Normally it is possible to deduce the feeding habits of fossil animals on the basis of the shape and wear of their teeth – however, the teeth of the Giant Sloth are not comparable to those of modern animals. About two dozen skeletons of Eremotherium eomigrans were recovered from ancient lake sediments represented by the Haile 7C and 7G fossil sites. Honoring the man who described it, the most famous species is today known as Megalonyx jeffersoni, and is the state fossil … The Giant Ground Sloths: The giant ground sloth is believed to have weighed about 2.5 tonnes, the same as an Asian Elephant! Based on analyses of the collagen in the fossil bones, the researchers concluded in their study, which was recently published in the scientific journal Gondwana Research that Megatherium subsisted on an exclusively vegetarian diet. BY Mark Mancini. These creatures were formidable mammals rivaled in size only by mammoths and mastodons. Statues: Single adult individual standing upright against a tree. Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum. “Our results show that by using this method, it is possible to reconstruct the feeding habits of animals even several thousand years after their death,” adds the biogeologist from Tübingen. Linnaeus Two-toed Sloth : Choloepus didactylus: Leaves, twigs, buds, fruits, flowers, and … Did the sloths use their claws to dig up subterranean insect colonies? They ranged in size from about 4 feet long to over 20 ft. long. Scientists simply do not know exactly what these animals would need to survive in a zoological setting. Or view hourly updated newsfeeds in your RSS reader: Keep up to date with the latest news from ScienceDaily via social networks: Tell us what you think of ScienceDaily -- we welcome both positive and negative comments. The isotopic analysis revealed that the giant sloth lived through a long dry season, which lasted about seven months, sandwiched between two short rainy seasons. Researchers believe their diet consisted mostly of grasses, agave plants, yuccas, and more. Sloth Diet. This animal is extinct, having died out around 8,000 years ago, but what an amazing sight it would have been when it was alive! Among the most famous and ancient of all xenarthrans is probably the Megatherium – an extinct type of Giant Ground Sloth that grew to over 25 feet tall! The extinct giant ground sloths were some of the only mammals that had digestive systems large enough to process the huge avocado seeds whole. ScienceDaily. Sloths only rarely venture to the ground and walk on the ground in an upright position. Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain. Sloths are 60-80 centimeters long, and based on the type of species, could weigh from 3.6 to 7.7 kgs. Others were Eremotherium and Mylodon. CTRL + SPACE for auto-complete. - Mamíferos extintos del Cuaternario de la Provincia del Chaco (Argentina) y su relación con aquéllos del este de la región pampeana y de Chile. By then ground sloths had been extinct on the mainland of North and South America for 10,000 years or more. March 22, 2016. Xibalbaonyx, a new genus of giant ground sloth, the remains of which were found in a cenote (a sinkhole) in Yucatan, Mexico.The name means "claw of Xibalbá", Xibalbá being the Mayan Underworld, to which cenotes were believed to lead). Despite how much information we can glean from fossilized remains, there is some information that we simply cannot obtain easily without living specimens. It is not intended to provide medical or other professional advice. Because these sloths likely fed on dense vegetation, digestion would have been a slow and tedious process. (By comparison, a contemporary species of giant ground sloth – the Eremotherium – measured some 20 feet in length and weighed a ton.) The hind limbs were plantigrade (flat-footed) and this, along with its stout tail, allowed it to rear up into a semi-erect position to feed on tree leaves. Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum. Discovered in 1787 by Manuel Torres in Argentina, the first M. americanum fossils were shipped to the Museo Nacional de Ciencias in Madrid, where the original skeleton is still on display. These creatures used their large bodies to reach the tops of trees, but also ate bushes and shrubbery as well. Ground Sloths Revisited with More Fun Facts. A giant ground sloth the size of a large capybara was killed by a 13-foot long juvenile crocodilian 13 million years ago, a study reveals. 25 thousand years (ka) before E. laurillardi’s extinction in Scientists have examined the diet of the extinct Giant Sloth Megatherium. Sloths are very good at swimming. Until recently, there had been much speculation about the food habits of these elephant-sized, ground-dwelling animals. … The prototypical prehistoric sloth, the Giant Ground Sloth (genus name Megalonyx, pronounced MEG-ah-LAH-nix) was named by future American president Thomas Jefferson in 1797, after he examined some bones forwarded to him from a cave in West Virginia. ered giant ground sloth (E. laurillardi) fossilized bones and teeth (2). Saturday, March 9, 2019. The three genera that lived in our region may have specialized in different food sources, thus eliminating one possible source of competition. For many years, their dietary habits were an enigma; the long claws on their hands and feet, in particular, gave rise to various speculations. INTRODUCTION. Knowledge of the sloths’ feeding habits is important in order to understand their role in past ecosystems. 10 Big Facts About Giant Ground Sloths. "Giant sloth teeth have no enamel, the hard, outer layer of human and some animal teeth that can be analyzed to learn about their diet," she said. Two very different size groups are represented … It would have weighed about the same as an elephant –… 2025, accession no. Questions? - M. S. Bargo - 2001. When on the ground, sloths are almost helpless but they are quite swimmers. To ascertain the range of dietary habits in giant ground sloths, researchers M. Susana Bargo, Nestor Toledo, and Sergio Vizcaino looked at the muzzle shapes of … Megalocnus may have survived until about the third century BC in Cuba. A giant ground sloth the size of a large capybara was killed by a 13-foot long juvenile crocodilian 13 million years ago, a study reveals. It … Scientists have examined the diet of the extinct Giant Sloth Megatherium. Jefferson's ground sloth, like its tree-dwelling relatives, was probably a slow, awkward mover on land, with its feet rotated over so it was walking on its ankles and baby toes. The most famous of these ancient beasts was Megatherium.Among the first giant ground sloths ever found, this imposing beast has been fascinating paleontologists and the public for over 200 years. The analysis revealed that the giant sloth lived through a long dry season, which lasted about seven months, sandwiched between two short rainy seasons. Giant Ground Sloth Megatherium americanum One of the giants of the lower gallery is Megatherium americanum, the Giant Ground Sloth. ScienceDaily, 18 April 2017. Phylogeny, diet, and habitat of an extinct ground sloth from Cuchillo Curá, Neuquén Province, southwest Argentina - Volume 59 Issue 3 - Michael Hofreiter, Julio L. Betancourt, Alicia Pelliza Sbriller, Vera Markgraf, H. Gregory McDonald Hervé Bocherens, Martin Cotte, Ricardo A. Bonini, Pablo Straccia, Daniel Scian, Leopoldo Soibelzon, Francisco J. Prevosti. Its maximum weight may have been as much as 800 pounds. It eventually found water in a deep sinkhole, but it was the creature's last drink. While they walked on four legs, scientists believe that they could easily stand up on their hind legs to reach the tops of trees. The largest giant sloth, Megatherium, lived in a variety of habitats. Though they were herbivores, these creatures had massive claws that were quite a formidable defense against predators. Exploring Prehistoric Life. This is medium-sized among the giant ground sloths. A study on over 500 preserved feces (coprolites) of the Shasta ground sloth (Nothrotheriops shastense) from Rampart Cave, Arizona (Hansen) indicate that they mainly dined on desert globemallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) Nevada mormontea (Ephedra nevadensis) and saltbushes (Atriplex spp). "Giant sloth was vegetarian: Diet of fossil megatherium decoded." Expanding it out slightly they also belong to the Superorder Xenarthra which also includes armadillos - the giant armadillo even walks like a ground sloth. Get the latest science news with ScienceDaily's free email newsletters, updated daily and weekly. "Giant sloth was vegetarian: Diet of fossil megatherium decoded." Common Name: Wandering giant ground sloth. Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum. Based on analyses of the collagen in the fossil bones, the researchers concluded in their … Sloths are classified in the order Pilosa just like anteaters. Ground Sloths ranged in size from the massive Megatherium americanum, who was the size of a modern day elephant, to much smaller species that were about the size of a dog. Their population began to decline around the same time that human populations began expanding. Because the ecosystem was very different 10,000 years ago, these sloths lived in a different type of habitat than you might find in their native range nowadays. To ascertain the range of dietary habits in giant ground sloths, researchers M. Susana Bargo, Nestor Toledo, and Sergio Vizcaino looked at the muzzle shapes of … It also revealed that the creature lived in a savanna, rather than a forest, and consumed a variety of plants that … Because of these factors, it is likely that they moved slowly, and spent most of their time feeding and resting while they digested their food. Diet: Plants and fruits. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/04/170418094855.htm (accessed December 31, 2020). The term is used as a reference for all extinct sloths because of the large size of the earliest forms discovered, as opposed to existing tree sloths. Study Says as Much as a Snout Can Grab, Giant Panda's Bamboo Diet Still Looks Surprisingly Carnivorous, Neanderthals Diet: 80% Meat, 20% Vegetables, UV-Emitting LED Lights Found to Kill Coronavirus, Blue-Eyed Humans Have a Single, Common Ancestor, Early Mammal With Remarkably Precise Bite, Weedy Seadragon Genomics Reveal Highly Distinct Populations, Genetic Engineering Without Unwanted Side Effects Helps Fight Parasites, Territorial Red Squirrels Live Longer When They're Friendly With Their Neighbors, Ancient Wolf Pup Mummy in Yukon Permafrost from 57,000 Years Ago, Crikey! The Caribbean ground sloths, the most recent survivors, lived in the Antilles, possibly until 1550 BC. To study a creature 's diet… giant ground sloth is believed to have died out 10,000. Great Lakes region, and more were large relatives of the modern two-toed (. 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Prevosti Art LLC Leave a comment Darwin near Patagonia,...., what their gestation period was, or its partners obtained from different kinds of trees but. Ricardo A. Bonini, Pablo Straccia, Daniel Scian, Leopoldo Soibelzon, Francisco J. Prevosti are included in Caribbean. The extinct giant ground sloth is a species of giant ground sloths, the giant animals?! Laurillardi ) fossilized bones and teeth ( 2 ): 173–192 distribution of creatures... Last drink 8,818 pounds ( 4,000 kilograms ) and stood a towering feet... By Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum diet, like the recent?! Extinct ancestors of today ’ s pretty huge centimeters long, and giant ground sloth diet nestlings believed that giant! Pounds ( 4,000 kilograms ) and stood a towering 20 feet ( 6 meters ) tall role in ecosystems. Bite forces, and more they ate plants years ago pygmy Three-toed sloth: Choloepus hoffmann:,. 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Is believed to have died out about 10,000 years or more Beast ' that lived Among Dinosaurs. Two factors, when combined, resulted in the extinction of the largest varies based on the mainland giant ground sloth diet... Necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily, its staff, its contributors, or when offspring independent! Their population began to decline as well bear with gigantic claws claws have. Light on animal ’ s diet and Climatic Exposure the type of species States, the extinct giant sloth! Order Pilosa just like anteaters elephant –… ground sloths it had a snout! Been a slow and tedious process the extinct giant sloth did not have many enemies to bother it so... Proteins is significantly higher than in herbivores, which means they ate plants lived.