Giant sloths with wolverine-like claws used to roam America, and humans hunted them [View all]

DOYLE RICE | USA TODAY

For the first time, scientists have uncovered fossilized footprints of ancient humans at the White Sands National Monument in New Mexico, a new study reports. And at the same site, those newly discovered human footprints were actually inside footprints of giant ground sloths — tall, fearsome creatures with sharp claws.

Scientists say this is evidence that the humans followed closely behind, or even “stalked” the sloths during the hunt. "A giant ground sloth is a big animal... seven or eight feet tall when reared up on its hind legs."

Though it was a herbivore, hunting a giant sloth would have been a risky proposition, he added: "Going head-to-head with a giant sloth, chances are you might come off badly."

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The artist rendition of the encounter is crazy. It is found in the article.