Giant Sloth vs. Ancient Man

Scientists have uncovered evidence of ancient humans engaged in a deadly face-off with a giant sloth, showing for the first time how our ancestors might have tackled such a formidable prey.

Standing over 2 meters tall, with forelegs tipped with claws, giant sloths lived until around 11,000 years ago. Most scientists believe over-hunting by humans eventually led to their extinction.

Fossilised footprints in the salt flats of White Sands National Monument, in the southwestern U.S. state of New Mexico, reveal humans walking in the exact footsteps of a giant sloth and then confronting it, possibly hurling spears.

In addition to tracks of humans stalking the sloth, there are more human tracks further away. From this, scientists infer that the humans worked as a group, with a separate team distracting and misdirecting the sloth to outwit it.

Source: Reuters


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