The most spectacular of the four North American ground sloths. This huge animal weighed as much as a mammoth, could rear up as high as a giraffe and had claws the size of a man’s forearm

Pronunciation of scientific name
E-ree-moh-THEE-ree-um

Statistics
Length: up to 6m, Weight: over 3 tonnes. On their back legs they could reach as high as a giraffe

Physical Description
Giant ground sloths were some of the strangest mammals ever to have lived and resembled no other animal. Although related to modern tree sloths, they lived on the ground and rivalled the mammoths in size. Their remarkable claws were up to 50cm long, the size of a man’s forearm. Massive hind quarters gave way to much slimmer shoulders and a tiny head.

Distribution
Originally from South America (fossils have been found in Argentina) the giant ground sloths spread north to the southern part of North America

Habitat
Grassland.

Diet
Giant ground sloths were herbivores. From the preserved dung of other species of ground sloth it seems they were not fussy eaters and munched through all parts of plants and trees, fruits, leaves and twigs.

Behaviour
The oddly balanced anatomy and massive claws of the giant ground sloths gave them a strange walk. From footprints in South America we know that at least some of the time they walked on just their hind legs.

Reproduction
Slight differences in fossils from South America suggest that males and females may have differed in size and/or appearnace. This hints at a social structure based on gender.

Conservation status
Extinct from approximately 12,500 years ago.

Voice
Ground sloths did have bones in their throat which allowed them to vocalise and it is thought that they may have called to each other. Modern day female tree sloths call when they are ready to mate.

Best place to see
Remains can be found at the British Museum of Natural History (London), Florida Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Arts and Sciences (Daytona, Florida)

Closest relative
There are several species of ground sloths which are related quite closely to modern tree sloths.