Giant sloth and horse fossils found under cenote in Yucatán

Archeologists successful Mexico person recovered fossils of extinct animals successful a cenote successful Umán, Yucatán, including those of a elephantine sloth and prehistoric horses.

Speleologist (cave researcher) Cristián Selun said the fossils day backmost to the crystal age, betwixt 7,000 and 10,000 years ago. This find sheds airy connected the prehistoric fauna that inhabited the region.

Scientists recovered much than 20 pieces of fossilized bony successful the area. (Yucatán Informa/X)

“The archetypal bones that we saw were those of the sloth,” scuba diver Arnaldo Marruco told quality outlet NMás. “It was successful different adjacent areas that we recovered much bones, including a jaw, which was of a antithetic size.”

According to scientists, the horses are of the Equus conversidens taxon portion the elephantine sloth belongs to the taxon Nothrotheriops shastensis. The sloth weighed 300 kilograms and measured 3 meters long.

The remains were discovered successful 2023 successful the Dzombakal cenote successful the San Antonio Mulix assemblage of Yucatán. However, the results of their recognition and investigation were lone precocious released by a squad of scientists led by paleontologist Jerónimo Avilés Olguín successful collaboration with the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

According to Selun, the bones indispensable beryllium identified and compared with others recovered successful Quintana Roo. The on-site verification process takes time, “especially due to the fact that human bones person besides been found here,” helium said.

The findings included vertebrae, jaws, and limb and limb bones. (Yucatán Informa/X)

To date, scientists person recovered much than 20 pieces of fossilized bony successful the area, including vertebrae, jaws, limb and limb bones and different fossil remains. However, this is the archetypal clip a elephantine sloth has been discovered successful Yucatán.

“It was a precise ample animal. We recovered the agelong parts of the legs, precise ample ribs and enarthrosis blades,” Marruco said. 

These fossil fragments are protected by INAH since extracting them is forbidden. They’re besides monitored and cared for by the community’s inhabitants, who person pledged to sphere the prehistoric findings.

With reports from NMás, Debate and López Dóriga