91 - Bones

Theme 147.

Taken in the Natural History Museum, this is the skeleton of a giant sloth - now extinct. I didn't bother with photos of the huge dinosaur in the main hall, as the world, its neighbour and extended family were photographing the thing (besides, I ended up with one of my favourite photos, taken from high up, looking over that same hall).

The information sign says:

Extinct mammal - Megatherium americanum

The giant ground sloth lived in the cool, dry scrub and grasslands of South America until about 10,000 years ago. At first glance its skeleton is often mistaken for that of a dinosaur, but the giant ground sloth was actually a mammal, an extinct relative of the living tree sloths. Its scientific name, Megatherium, just means 'big animal'.

Strong cutting ridges on its teeth suggest that the animal may have browsed on leaves. Footprints recently discovered in Argentina show that it walked on its pad-like hind feet with its tail raised off the ground. Since the giant ground sloth had no other natural enemies, its extinction seems likely to have been linked to the first arrival of humans in South America.

(a side note by an illustration adds that "This skeleton is made of plaster. It was made in 1848 from casts of bones belonging to two or more partial skeletons preserved in the collections of the British Museum and the Royal College of Surgeons. It has been on public display since 1850." - I didn't read the sign before posting this, honest! Well not the side print bit anyway... but they are casts of bones, and very old!)