What are ground sloths?
Q: What are ground sloths?
A: Ground sloths are a group of extinct large sloths in the mammalian superorder Xenarthra. The much smaller living sloths are called "tree sloths".
Q: When did the last surviving ground sloth live?
A: The last surviving ground sloth lived in the Caribbean Antilles, with Megalocnus possibly surviving until about the third century BC in Cuba.
Q: Why were some island populations able to survive longer than their continental mainland relatives?
A: Some island populations were able to survive longer because humans got to the islands much later, allowing them more time before they were hunted or otherwise affected by humans.
Q: When did most of the ground sloth evolution take place?
A: Most of the ground sloth evolution took place during the mid to late Tertiary of South America while it was isolated from other continents.
Q: How did some species get into North America?
A: The presence of islands between American continents in Miocene allowed some species to get into North America.
Q: Were xenarthrans successful during Great American Biotic Interchange?
A: Yes, xenarthrans as a whole were one of the more successful South American groups during this period, with at least five genera identified in North American fossils as evidence for successful migration northward.
