an international team of scientists identified the remains of an ancient being raised from the bottom of a flooded Mexican cave. It turned out that they belong to previously unknown to science mind of a giant sloth.
the discovery is reported on the website of the University of California in San Diego. Massive almost completely preserved skeleton was found by divers of the National Institute of anthropology and history Mexico (INAH) in 2007. He lay in the bottom of the cave called Black hole (Hoyo Negro) for thousands of years.
Divers raised from the bottom of the remains of literally in pieces, allowing to gradually build a complete skeleton. The latter were raised a massive hip joint, the weight of which was about 36 kg, and the size in diameter of about 1.2 meters. Operation on his rise started at the end of 2019. She was successful, and the scientists received the last fragment identification.
it Was established that the skeleton belonged to a giant sloth the size of a modern elephant that roamed ancient America in the same time as saber-toothed tigers and woolly mammoths. He was previously unknown to science species, called Nohochichak xibalbahkah. In Mayan language it means “Great claw, living in the underground world.”
Scientists have created three-dimensional digital model. In their opinion, the weight of this sloth could reach 900 lbs. Probably, he died, falling into one of the deepest Molodtsov an extensive network of caves. Scientists believe that giant sloths are very poorly seen in the dark. The prehistoric creature, perhaps, flew about 30 meters. A fall from that height should kill him instantly.
by the Way, in this same cave were previously discovered the remains of extinct species of bear and the young woman killed about 13 thousand years ago. According to scientists, the giant sloth himself caught in a deadly trap about 40 thousand years ago.
