A variety of different plants would also be necessary, because researchers believe they fed on a large number of species. Because of their immense size, they obviously would have needed large enclosures to live in, with heavily reinforced fencing. Scientists simply do not know exactly what these animals would need to survive in a zoological setting. They were incredibly large animals, and their massive claws would have been extremely dangerous. No, giant sloths would not make good pets. Humans did not domesticate giant sloths in any way. These two factors, when combined, resulted in the extinction of the species. While hunters likely pushed the species to extinction, researchers also believe that usable habitat had begun to decline as well. Their population began to decline around the same time that human populations began expanding. Giant Sloth and Human InteractionĪrchaeologists believe that humans hunted giant sloths. Unfortunately, some things are impossible to study when an animal is already extinct. Some scientists also speculate that these creatures might have stolen the kills of other animals, but other researchers dispute this. Researchers believe their diet consisted mostly of grasses, agave plants, yuccas, and more. These creatures used their large bodies to reach the tops of trees, but also ate bushes and shrubbery as well. Giant sloths were herbivores, which means they ate plants. The distribution of these creatures varies based on the species at hand, and the time period. Many species spread up into North America. Megatherium lived in South America, but other giant sloth species lived in various places across the world. Most Megatherium inhabited grasslands and other open or semi-open areas. 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. The largest giant sloth, Megatherium, lived in a variety of habitats. The extra support from their tail helped keep them from falling over. To reach the best leaves, giant sloths stood on their hind legs. Their lengthy tails were thick and muscular, which supported the animal almost like a third leg. A Tale of a Tail – Unlike modern-day sloths, which have short stumps for tails, giant sloths had impressively long tails.The plates, known as “osteoderms,” were bony discs that sat at the neck, shoulders, and/or back of the animals. Armored Animals – In addition to the protection of their massive size, some species of giant sloths had protective plates beneath their skin. Just for comparison, the largest polar bear ever captured stood 12 ft.
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