Medium Ground Sloth
Nothrotherium maquinense
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Chordata
Mammalia
Pilosa
Megatherioidea
Nothrotheriidae
Nothrotherium maquinense
The Tree-Climbing Ground Sloth of Brazil, Nothrotherium maquinense, was a nimble member of the ancient megafauna—an arboreal ground sloth that once roamed the forests and savannas of Pleistocene South America. Unlike its giant relatives, this smaller sloth likely spent part of its life climbing trees and feeding on leaves above ground level.
Description
Nothrotherium maquinense was considerably smaller and more agile than the gigantic Megatherium. Fossil evidence from Brazilian caves suggests that it had curved claws adapted not only for digging and grasping but potentially for climbing, giving rise to its reputation as a semi-arboreal ground sloth. Its teeth indicate a herbivorous diet of tough leaves and twigs, consistent with dry forest and savanna habitats that dominated late Pleistocene Brazil.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
400
1
1.5
2
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Omnivores – Balanced
Hunt History
There is limited but compelling evidence that Nothrotherium maquinense may have been hunted by early human populations during the Late Pleistocene. Humans arriving in South America roughly 15,000 years ago would have encountered this smaller sloth species, likely targeting it for meat and hide. Stone tools and cut marks on sloth bones from cave sites suggest opportunistic hunting or scavenging rather than organized predation.
Archaeological Evidence:
Toca das Onças, Bahia, Brazil (~12,000 years ago): Fossil remains of Nothrotherium maquinense found with lithic artifacts suggest human association.
Lapa do Santo, Minas Gerais (~11,000 years ago): Evidence of cut marks on sloth bones possibly linked to butchery.
Toca da Boa Vista, Bahia (~10,500 years ago): Bone assemblages showing potential human modification and association with hearth sites.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
10000
BP
Late Pleistocene
South America
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
5
Est. Renderable Fat
20
kg
Targeted Organs
Visceral & subcutaneous
Adipose Depots
Visceral/subcutaneous (general)
Preferred Cuts
Visceral depot
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
3