When Sloths Were 20 Feet Tall

These prehistoric titans commanded the plains of South America. These are the Giant Ground Sloths. | Thanks for sponsoring this video, BetterHelp! You can get 10% off your first month of professional therapy at betterhelp.com/animalogic.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
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CREDITS
Created by Dylan Dubeau
Executive Producer, Director, and Director of Photography: Dylan Dubeau
Host: Talia Lowi-Merri
Writer, Producer, Camera Operator: Andres Salazar
Editors: Jim Pitts and Cat Senior
Art by Danielle Dufault
Additional Images courtesy of Roman Uchytel
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Learn More:
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Taking a deep look at the past and the animals that lived in it.
#Paleologic

[@animalogic]

Thanks for watching! Make sure to check out our sponsor, BetterHelp! Animalogic viewers, get 10% off your first month of professional therapy at betterhelp.com/animalogic. Thank you to BetterHelp for sponsoring this video! BetterHelp therapists are licensed, trained, and accredited psychologists (PhD / PsyD), marriage and family therapists (MFT), clinical social workers (LCSW), or licensed professional counselors (LPC). BetterHelp is committed to not only doing whatever it can to ensure the highest quality service for its customers and experience for its therapists, but the company is also committed to making therapy as accessible and transparent as possible.

[@MysticLGD]

Wuw

[@nicbommarito8837]

MAMMOTHS!!! 🦣🦣🦣

[@jjhggdcqz]

Please make a video about quetzalcoatlus.

[@jjhggdcqz]

Please make a video about nanuqsaurus.

[@jimmyshrimbe9361]

Please, think more about accepting their sponsorship. Better help is a scam.

[@alceratops6853]

If Ice Age was real, Sid would wear Diego like a fur coat

[@tjarkschweizer]

Pretty sure Sid is supposed to be an ancestor of modern sloth's.

[@rizzly_bear_420]

if the ice age was real

[@bhuggins6059]

​@@rizzly_bear_420 it was...? Were still in one Oh wait did you mean the movie?

[@bhuggins6059]

Sid is apparently supposed to be a Megalonyx, which was I think just a bit over 6ft on all fours

[@ajaxtelamonian5134]

There were smaller ground sloths byeah and be able to tell Manny to piss off.

[@gattycroc8073]

between giant ground sloths, supersized caimans, predatory marsupial relatives, and late surviving notosuchians I hope that there is a documentary or any paleo media that takes place in South Amarica back when it was isolated.

[@matthewwelsh294]

You forget the biggest snake ever 😂 😂

[@ThisGuyNatures]

We did have some weird animals back then, South America was the Australia of the Paleocene. 😂

[@gattycroc8073]

@@ThisGuyNatures and Miocene.

[@sethlt9681]

Dude just imagine what's still there undiscovered

[@Nmethyltransferase]

"Walking With Beasts," Episode #4 "Sabre Tooth" takes place 1 million years ago, about 1.5 million years after the Interchange.

[@user-en1wb1cf9f]

Slight correction: Megatherium wasn't the largest ground sloth during the time, it was Eremotherium laurillardi. Both could reach 6 meters in length but Eremotherium had a more robust skeleton so it was heavier.

[@homeslice9712]

Ratio

[@deathsnitemaresinfullust2269]

So they are Both "the biggest" one just weighed more....?

[@SpliffingBrit]

@@deathsnitemaresinfullust2269 biggest usually refers to the most massive, or voluminous, where as they would both be the tallest ground sloth?

[@skyt3265]

🙄

[@jumanjiman86]

Neat

[@cintronproductions9430]

If Ice Age were realistic, Sid would be the one strangling Diego instead of the other way around, LOL.

[@simonj3413]

TBF Sid was meant to be a Megalonyx rather than a Megatherium, but yeah, Diego would still have more respect for a 2,000 pound sloth.

[@jeffreyrosenkrantz]

I was completely unaware of these amazing creatures until a recent visit to one of their caves in the Chilean Patagonia. Very remarkable experience!

[@MaynardCrow]

Too bad the natives genocided them.

[@milenkosapunardouglas8707]

Here in patagonia it's called milodon

[@barrysmith4610]

Sad that they are extinct. Can you imagine them roaming about in our modern world

[@22espec]

I can imagine Incas taming then and fighting the Spanish with them

[@lavona8204]

Snorlax 🥺

[@nicolavincenzo7927]

@@22espec that would be a great movie

[@SnakeTheBoss13]

Hunting mammoths and giant sloths, ancient humans were absolute madlads

[@smefour]

Hungry lads

[@solar0wind]

The megafauna was likely very tame towards humans because they didn't evolve to fear something so small. It's annoying when people pretend that Native Americans and other indigenous Americans are morally superior for "living in balance with nature". Yeah, after killing of dozens of species. They're human, just like everyone else, and it's quite hard for humans not to go around and slaughter whatever they can. It's just a pity that so many animals, especially of the megafauna, died out, be it in Europe or in the Americas. Also on most other continents apart from the African savannah.

[@cameronbethea123]

@@solar0wind It is likely that more than just human hunting contributed to the extinction of megafauna, climate change and habitat loss, along with pressure and competition from other nonhuman animals played significant roles. Also, it's important to keep in mind that it's normal and natural for species to go extinct, regardless of human intervention. The earth is constantly changing, it's a brutal and harsh battleground where only the fittest survive, and where the definition of fitness is in constant flux. Some species will fail to adapt. You can't fault these early peoples for hunting megafauna like mammoth and sloth so that they could feed their families, they did what they had to do to survive. You or I would do the same thing in their shoes, simply out of necessity.

[@ethandollarhide7943]

I have loved the Giant Ground Sloth ever since I watched the one in " Walking with Beasts" kill a Saber Toothed Cat with one claw swipe.

[@greggougeon4422]

I have heard they might still have been hairy. One reason is we have found skin with fur on it from a giant ground sloth. Another reason for fur is sloths have a much slower metabolism than regular mammals so fur would have beem needed to keep warm

[@Percy_Fawcett]

Still, it was an interesting theory and the picture looked cool

[@germanomagnone]

5:59 You should check the skulls, what you say is a Giant Ground Sloth skull, actually is of a Diprotodon, an Australian giant wombat. Giant Ground Sloth didn't have front teeth.

[@levihuttner3260]

Wow that's a pretty bad mistake

[@astick5249]

*Oh*

[@sethlt9681]

Ty for the correction that's interesting

[@theincredibleharry151]

Dang you’re right

[@CUATROMORCE]

kind of heartbreaking to remember that the rise of our own species was so dependent on extinguishing many other marvelous species.

[@L3onking]

@@mhdfrb9971 that's what they say about genocide but sure fam 💅🏾

[@LautaroArgentino]

@@L3onking what?

[@LautaroArgentino]

@@L3onking how many genocides you know were justified on the grounds of natural selection? Enslavement was never justified on the grounds of natural selection. Social Darwinism sure, but not natural selection.

[@skyt3265]

circle of life bro

[@Voo504Doo]

@@L3onking you are crazy

[@nuttmann]

this is what Sid The Sloth would've looked like if Ice Age was accurate. and he looks BADASS! 👌

[@pimcramer2569]

Hah needed to scroll way to long to the comments to find a Sid comment! Upvote

[@Blessed4ever-zt3rw]

​@@pimcramer2569same

[@sparkleparticle]

SLOTHZILLA my fav! There's one at the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

[@eliforeal5261]

Correction: 5:58 isn't a ground sloth skull, it's a diprotodon

[@pablocordova4680]

Cierto, Is a Diprotodon skull

[@vianandroid]

Theoretically, giant ground sloth also speculated as the seed dispersal for avocado's giant seeds.

[@leny7858]

considering the long history of life on earth, 10,000 years ago is next to nothing, really remarkable how close we are to our ancestors who were hunting these giant beasts

[@kellyezebra]

When I was little, like younger than 5, back in the eighties, my mom would tell me all about and read to me about giant ground sloths and dimetrodons and eohippus. I still remember the feeling of sharing her delight in them even though I didn’t quite understand all the concepts of, like, evolution or extinction or supercontinents. Fueled a lifelong love of ancient megafauna and learning about evolution and paleo history!

[@tanialopez1133]

This Channel has learn me very much things that I don’t know before I look on your first video ❤❤❤

[@RyanMc66]

Keep pumping out Paleologic!

[@bigDbigDbigD]

I want to tell you how much I enjoy the drawings done during your presentations!

[@tamarrajames3590]

What amazing animals, thank you for this.🖤🇨🇦

[@ChellChell4]

I JUST WENT TO A MUSEUM THAT HAD THE FOSSIL OF THIS ANIMAL WTF, WHAT A COINCIDENCE!

[@robertschmidt4696]

Tier Zoo made a video about these guys! Glad to learn even more about them!

[@sciencenerd7639]

delightful video, thanks you guys

[@doominator4072]

These are definitely my favourite mammals of bygone eras.

[@Cerulean_Forest]

I love the combination of the drawing with the talking head shots. also nice ammonite necklace

[@scottzema3103]

Fascinating. You pick the best animals!

[@elmono6299]

Giant Ground Sloths are very underrated prehistoric beasts. Really wish people knew about them more like their tree climbing descendents. 🦥

[@Allan003]

May we give a shout out video to "Antilocapra Americana" or the Pronghorn?! I love seeing them in southern Alberta, they look like they came straight over from the African Savanna!

[@robbie356]

theyre really unique, according to google they arent even bovines or cervids. theyre related to giraffes

[@Junketh71]

In Walking with Beasts the Megatherium was depicted eating carrion as well.

[@tonywhite4578]

I love watching these videos I learned a lot from them

[@000coolkid9]

Npc

[@estervillafane]

Excelente trabajo muy interesante 👏👏👏

[@josesalinasmorales5332]

Some ground sloths were omnivores.

[@douglasthescottishtwin3989]

Such as Mylodon

[@shadow5o]

There are local legends about a giant creature in the Amazon rainforest the locals call «Mapinguari», that is believed to resemble a ground sloth which has survive up to modern times. The only evidence we have however are eyewitness accounts from the locals, which makes it very far fetched for the legend to be actually true. But if the legends are old enough to date back to when early humans settlers first arrived and encountered them in south-America, then it is incredible how cultural memories can be preserved over thousands of generations oraly like this.

[@hyrumhanson3390]

Also 10,000 years is an eyeblink in the timespan of an ecosystem, up in idaho there are elephant bones that are less than 400 years old.

[@siechamontillado]

When I first saw the notification for a video about a giant ground sloth, I was amazed anyone wanted to make a documentary about my cousin Billy. 24 Keystone Lights in 3 hrs and that man becomes a boulder on the lawn.

[@PlantKidShorts]

What app do you use to draw because your art is AMAZING! 🤩

[@Rex-The-Wolf]

I hope youll do the bell bird next xD that call of theirs is helarious! But how is it possible for them to sound so loud, weird and funny xD

[@Nelvana352]

Elephants, Smurfs, Sloths and Armadillos are Xenarthras in that Puddle

[@Oh-mq6vq]

First! Always had a passion for Palaeontology, so happy to see it on this channel! 🦖

[@will2Collett]

The Peabody museum at Harvard in Cambridge has a monstrous example of Giant Ground sloth. Very impressive looking animal.

[@Bob-yb5om]

Please could you cover the Andrewsarchus at some point? I'm curious to see what Danielle's interpretation of their appearance is.

[@Sophieslazy]

Thanks for all the info! Why did we become such small creatures? I can't seem to remember the reason, if I've ever heard it before xD

[@chadjones1266]

Thanks again

[@michaelobrien5891]

Also, thank you, ground sloths, for avocados.

[@anaxolotl6637]

All fun and games till one of these guys become a manhunter

[@LandgraabIV]

I'm from South America. I have never seen any of their caves but I've seen the fossils.

[@TragoudistrosMPH]

Challenge accepted? 😁 Find one!

[@Justout133]

Huh, I have that exact giant sloth figurine on my desk. I got it from a cool little dinosaur museum in Morrison Colorado.

[@blackbird3456]

I'd like an episode on esperornis (the penguin like bird). Or the elephant bird (kiwi's ancestor).

[@eveningdreamermusic]

there's a giant sloth skeleton in the Paris Natural History Museum and it's one of my favorites to go and say hi to when I'm going there.

[@GMed_26]

My favorite prehistoric mammals! 🦥💚

[@sujoyteslesl]

Still my favourite display at the ROM.

[@PirvateerKurei]

I saw my first skeleton of one in the DC Smithsonian Museum of Natural history and was stunned at the sheer size of it. I could definitely imagine it would be a sloth with a nasty attitude

[@meg2831]

Where can I get toys like the ones you used in the video? They look so awesome. My nephew would go bonkers for them.

[@timholland2282]

Thank you, I've seen the miniature now. Thank you. Yes tha... god!

[@AccidentalNinja]

It's difficult to visualize them without hair, much like it's difficult to visualize dinosaurs with feathers. I'm thinking kind of like a shaved bear.

[@cintronproductions9430]

IKR? I know it makes sense for them to be hairless because of their massive size and savannah habitat, but still, the image of a hairless giant sloth is cursed AF.

[@Forestguardian]

You should talk about great white sharks, they're by far one of the coolest living animals

[@mringram]

Informative

[@portillamail]

Thank you very much

[@TheCartoonGamer8000]

* Insert Ice Age jokes here *

[@MichaelTargaryen8809]

can you please inform me more on the giant ichneumon wasp that was in my bavkyard yesterday i had a full blown panic attack at the sight of it!!!!

[@XSemperIdem5]

Just leaning on a sloth plushie as I watch this 😅 But wow, those burrows. I didn't know they dug burrows.

[@vomothytigan5377]

I heard they found a fossorial species of giant ground sloth, but didn't imagine their burrows would be these freaking massive caves!

[@fabricdragon]

I'm a bit confused by the skulls shown, as i thought they didnt have the same kind of teeth? also i was told they were the primary distribution mode of the avocado, was that wrong?

[@Charlkie711]

> sees betterhelp money hungry therapist garbage promo. > Pause video to make this comment. > Send.jpg > Close video

[@marydifetters4226]

Well presented. Can you find historic animal that show were an animal begin and end up on time? Like the Tasmanian devil ! Yea

[@Abishek_Muthian]

What if the giant sloths were slow & droopy just like current day sloths? The claws on sloths today look just as scary and those who would see it for the first time might consider it to be an alien monster; Perhaps giant sloths were just slowly digging their caves like our sloths crawl on trees! Edit: Typo

[@jamesivie5717]

I have an old book written by Roy Chapman Andrews, called Strange Beasts of the Past, that reports a find of a ground sloth skeleton in a cave with hair, that indicated that it died only about 2,000 years ago.

[@SkeevyEvieuTheBat]

There's a shasta sloth skeleton, not fossil, in kartchner caverns, Tucson Arizona, which I think is quite neat! If we as a society ever clone some relatively recently extinct animals, I hope ground sloths would be one among those chosen species

[@liambrandley2716]

I hope you will do videos on dinosaurs such as abelisaurs like carnotaurus or hadrosaurs like parasaurolophus

[@ripvanallosaur113]

Can we go further back to the Jurassic? I'd like to hear more about the Allosaurus please.

[@tusker9959]

3:03 And mastodon

[@susanavera7711]

Would love to learn about the South American “zero” fox

[@phillipbloy4436]

Yes

[@hollyodii5969]

Talk about the terror birds!

[@shawnohagan5503]

Great video

[@theinvisi-verseandotherstuff]

You could do Pelagornis for the next Paleologic video.

[@Eggnog88]

I love you Animalogic

[@ashleyheider7594]

10k years ago is an evolutionary blip. There's at least a few still alive in the wild.

[@aemen8796]

Now I have to think what the last Ground sloth think before it dies. 😭 Their size must have intimidated early humans.

[@newtagwhodis4535]

I need this as a pet 😍

[@tzeccentric7848]

Extinct? Maybe. But there’s the legend of the Mapinguari, which some believe could be a living giant ground sloth.

[@Dr.IanPlect]

Some are convinced by religion too.

[@riseofthebon3951]

“These were not animals you would mess around with” as opposed to all the other 4 ton mammals who are recommended animals to cross.

[@dont-hurt-me2519]

Palaeozoic: Estemmenosuchus Mesozoic: Quetzalcoatlus Cenozoic: Daeodon

[@TB-1927]

Paleologic Spinosaurus please!!! That's my most favourite dino!!!

[@tytoalba4794]

It really tell us of what our hunter gatherer ancestor is capable of with stone and spear let alone our industrialized human today

[@jimmyzbike]

What a marvelous wonder

[@josesalinasmorales5332]

Woolly mammoth.

[@kevwashere7277]

ah yes, the bug smacker IFYKYK

[@peachscentedskulls]

favorite animal to ever exist full stop

[@jayjordan833]

That thing must have been scary slow lol

[@cintronproductions9430]

Scary slow, yes, but it would still be a horrible idea to get close to it, elephant seals today can be outrun by a toddler but if a person is dumb enough to get close within biting range, well, RIP.

[@TehSymbiote]

Lets gooo! Megatherium!

[@drchastr208]

thank you. very interesting btw.

[@arindamacharjee1420]

2:00 Atleast it's fast while scratching with a slow yawn!!

[@toonrex2806]

For your next Paleologic video, you should a revisit of Tyrannosaurus rex.

[@_P0tat07_]

Can you do a video about giant armadillos 😂

[@AncalagonTheDread]

Megatherium was also believed to have small bones in-between their ribs that acted as chainmail They were the apex predator that forgot to be a predator!🤣

[@DjurrenArt]

Sloths were so OP, Mother Nature had to nerf them into the hanging moss carpets we see today.

[@bazzboda4785]

Polypterids or Painted Dogs would be great.

[@user-oo2yj9il2e]

I found one in Arkansas the first ever to be found there