Massive Tunnels That Were Dug By A Giant Sloth That Lived 10,000 Years Ago
Most of us know massive tunnels were built by humans. But, this massive tunnel were which scientists think were dug by a giant sloth, discovered in Brazil. Giant mamals lived 10,000 years ago. This gigantic tunnels called “palaeoburrows”.These enormous tunnels can measure up to 2,000 feet long and over six feet tall. These caves was relatively unknown until a Brazilian geologist noticed something while driving down the highway.
Charles also collected Megatherium fossils during his voyage on the Beagle in 1832. The pieces were used complete the Megatherium skeleton still on display today at the Natural History Museum in London. 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. In 1796, comparative anatomist Georges Cuvier determined the relationships and appearance of Megatherium, establishing it was a sloth. At first, he believed that the animal used its enormous claws to climb trees, like modern sloths, but he later changed his hypothesis to support a subterranean lifestyle, with the claws used to dig tunnels. Megatherium americanum was up to 10 times the size of living sloths reaching weights of up to four tonnes (similar to a present day bull elephant). Image credits: Jim Linwood / failing_angel