We sequenced a fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene and studied archival material to verify its identity, which if genuine, would extend the range of Megatherium over 600% and alter our views on ground sloth evolution. The Yale Peabody Museum holds a sample of meat preserved from the 1951 meal, interestingly labeled as a South American giant ground sloth ( Megatherium), not mammoth. This event, well received by the press and general public, became an enduring legend for the Club and popularized the notorious annual tradition of serving rare and exotic food at Club dinners that continues to this day. Famously, members of The Explorers Club purportedly dined on frozen mammoth from Alaska, USA, in 1951. Further, these humongous beasts dug up by using bare hands, as claw marks were left imprinted in the walls of the tunnels.Accounts of woolly mammoths ( Mammuthus primigenius) preserved so well in ice that their meat is still edible have a long history of intriguing the public and influencing paleontological thought on Quaternary extinctions and climate, with some scientists resorting to catastrophism to explain the instantaneous freezing necessary to preserve edible meat. Meaning, the Brazilian tunnels were built by generations of extinct giant sloths, one after the other. They also manifest the ability to plan since some tunnels were built in portion but were continued later. What baffles Frank and his team is that, apparently, Megatherium may have worked in groups. Megatherium dug other tunnels are more complex, teeming with junctions and branches, according to Popular Mechanics. The extinct giant sloth built some of them that are as long as 2,000 feet long. When the tunnels were first found in 2000, Brazilian scientist Heinrich Frank counted his discovery of staggering 1,500 tunnels already. This feature, together with short but sizeable tail, is attributed to their slow motion. Unlike their modern cousins, extinct giant sloths have robust bone construction. It is believed that Megatherium walked alongside early men and through the dawn of civilization. The extinct giant sloths lived during the Holocene period, right after the decline of the dinosaurs.
The Megatherium can grow to as high as twice the size of grown men when standing upright, according to Prehistoric Wildlife. However, it is believed that they are omnivores as well, given their size which can scavenge or crush smaller animals. These mega creatures are thought to be a primary herbivore.
Tens of thousands of years ago, extinct giant sloths roamed South America. Since these shelters aren't cramped to provide protection against the elements and predators, why did extinct giant sloths build them anyway? Is the Megatherium capable of using digging tools? These are the questions that baffle the researchers today. The ceilings are high enough for tall men to explore unobstructed and without the need to crouch low. Found deep in the jungles of Brazil, these tunnels are large enough for scientists to walk through. An extinct species of giant ground sloths called Megatherium are efficient tunnel diggers.