Harlan’s Ground Sloth
Paramylodon harlani
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Chordata
Mammalia
Pilosa
Mylodontoidea
Mylodontidae
Paramylodon harlani
The North American Ground Sloth, Paramylodon harlani, was a massive, slow-moving herbivore that once lumbered across the plains and woodlands of Ice Age North America. Covered in thick hide reinforced by bony armor and equipped with long, curved claws for pulling down vegetation, Paramylodon was a gentle giant well adapted to its Pleistocene environment.
Description
Harlan’s Ground Sloth (Paramylodon harlani) — This large ground sloth lived from the Late Pliocene to the end of the Pleistocene (~3 million to 11,000 years ago). It was slightly smaller than its South American relatives but still formidable, reaching 3 meters in length, standing 1.8–2 meters tall when upright, and weighing around 1,000–1,500 kilograms. Like Mylodon, Paramylodon had skin embedded with tiny osteoderms, providing protection against predators. Its sturdy limbs and powerful claws were used to dig, forage, and grasp vegetation. Fossilized footprints and dung reveal it fed on shrubs, leaves, and grasses.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
1400
1.8
2.7
3.5
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Herbivores – Browsers
Hunt History
Paramylodon harlani coexisted with Paleo-Indians during the late Pleistocene. Evidence suggests that early humans hunted or scavenged them for meat and hides. Their thick skin and slow movement made them vulnerable to coordinated attacks. Some sites also show potential ritual significance of their remains.
Earliest Archaeological Evidence of Human Predation:
Rancho La Brea, California (~13,000 BP) — Paramylodon remains found in asphalt seeps alongside human tools and other megafauna.
Hinds Cave, Texas (~11,000 BP) — Sloth dung deposits and bones associated with human activity, possibly indicating exploitation.
Cutler Hammock, Florida (~12,000 BP) — Fragmentary bones with cut marks suggest butchering or scavenging by early Americans.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
10000
BP
Late Pleistocene
North America
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
7
Est. Renderable Fat
98
kg
Targeted Organs
Subcutaneous pads, visceral fat
Adipose Depots
Subcutaneous pads (inguinal/abdominal), visceral; marrow
Preferred Cuts
Marrow & abdominal depots
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
4