Huge prehistoric tunnels where giant sloths lived are being studied in Brazil (6 photos)

I invite you to look at real evidence of megafauna, whose home was once South America.





The entire south of Brazil is crisscrossed with tunnels: some of them are more than fifty meters long, and a person can easily walk through them. These amazing places were discovered less than twenty years ago, and they have not even been properly studied yet.

Chance find

You've probably heard of underground cities, but what about the huge tunnels dug by giant sloths thousands of years ago? They are found throughout southern Brazil and these tunnels are quite unique. Local scientists call them paleoburrows, which literally translates as “ancient burrow.” These burrows are truly ancient, because they appeared at least 12-15 thousand years ago (and maybe even earlier): it was then that the megafauna of South America became extinct.



A full-length person can easily walk through some holes

These tunnels were first discovered in the early 2000s completely by accident. Geologist Heinrich Frank, who holds a professorship at the University of Rio Grande do Sul, was driving past the construction site. At a construction site, equipment dug up a strange hole in the hill, and Frank decided to return to it a few days later with the equipment. A small tunnel about five meters long appeared before his eyes, and it was very strange. The geologist carefully examined it from the inside, and on the ceiling he noticed traces of huge claws. Frank understood that no element, no natural phenomenon could create a cave with similar characteristics.





Giant claw marks

Therefore, it was logical, although quite wild, to assume that some large animal had dug this tunnel. Just imagine how the imagination of a resident of South America can play out, because this continent is inhabited by simply countless species of animals. But, of course, no modern creature known to science is capable of digging such a hole, so Frank came to the conclusion that this was the work of the “paws” of some ancient beast.

Hundreds of giant sloth houses

Soon, similar tunnels began to be found in other regions of Brazil; now hundreds of similar shelters are known. Some of them stretch 60 meters in length and about 1.8 meters in height. It is assumed that they were created by ancient giant sloths - Megatherium. They were real giants and weighed about four tons. At the same time, sloths walked on their hind legs, and standing they were about 6 meters, which means twice as tall as a modern elephant.



Giant sloth.

In addition to sloths, such burrows could also be built by glyptodons - another giants of the past, the ancestors of modern armadillos. Only they were somewhat smaller: about two tons. Scientists believe that the largest tunnels were built by sloths, and smaller holes were dug by glyptodons.



And here are the remains of a glyptodon.

By the way, modern researchers are far from the first guests in these giant holes. During their studies, scientists often came across evidence that ancient people used tunnels as temporary shelters. Also, apparently, various rituals and even burials were carried out here: there are drawings preserved here and there on the walls, and inside the burrows there are fragments of ancient ceramics and tools.

Now that these tunnels have become known, scientists are in a race against time. These shelters are not protected in any way and can be destroyed: by vandals, the elements or the same construction site.



Explorers inside a giant hole

In addition, the Brazilians are on the verge of opening an entire scientific field: paleontology does not study the dwellings of animals of the past at all. Of course, first of all, because they were not preserved. We know that dinosaurs lived, their bones and fossilized eggs have reached us, but we do not know what exactly their home was like: scientists can only speculate and put forward theories. But with giant sloths and armadillos, everything is different: their homes have survived into the 21st century.