Giant Sloth (Megatherium) by Safari

Giant Sloth handpaintet, solid-synthetic figure.

Megatherium was a mammal with shaggy fur. It had curled claws on its back feet and long claws on the front used for digging and pulling tree branches. It walked on its front knuckles and on the sides of its back feet. It was very clumsy because of its unusual claws. Some scientists believe that is the reason they are extinct. Megatherium had a thick tail with a blunt point. They usually grew to 18 to 20 feet (6 metres) long. Megatherium was as big as an elephant.Megatherium lived 2,000,000 to 11,000 years ago. Some scientists believe that it lived a few 100's of years ago because of fur and skin found in caves.