‘Incredibly rare’ fossil of a giant ground sloth from 11,000 years ago discovered by Manatee County utility workers

BRADENTON, Fla. – Manatee County utility crews recently uncovered an extraordinary piece of history while digging a trench for a waterline.

The backstory:

They discovered a fossilized claw from a giant ground sloth, initially mistaken for an ordinary tool during the excavation.

According to Charlie Hunsicker, the director of Manatee County’s Natural Resources Department, “They were digging away and found what they thought was an ordinary tool.”

However, it turned out to be anything but ordinary. “This was a wonderful story of happenstance,” Hunsicker remarked.

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Dig deeper:

The fossil dates back over 11,000 years and belongs to a Jefferson’s ground sloth, a smaller version compared to their larger relatives that initially roamed South America.

Hunsicker explained, “When South America and North America joined, those animals migrated up through Texas, Mexico, and into the Southeast. All of this was really a tropical jungle and forest at the time.”

What’s next:

The Manatee County team transported the claw to the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature, where efforts are underway to preserve it for future display.

Andrew Sandall described the Giant Ground Sloth as capable of reaching sizes comparable to a modern-day elephant, measuring up to 20 feet long and weighing over 8,000 pounds. “This one is a little bit smaller, but they could be absolute giants,” he noted.

What they’re saying:

Andrew Sandall, CEO of The Bishop Museum, emphasized the rarity of the discovery. “This is a little pocket of megafauna that lived in Florida and finding evidence of them that survived is really, really rare,” he stated.

According to the Bishop Museum, this find is a one-in-a-million occurrence, offering invaluable insights into the region’s prehistoric life. Sandall added, “For people to be able to see these and realize they are walking on land that once housed these giant creatures is quite something. It is mind-blowing.”