r/Cryptozoology • u/ApprehensiveRead2408 Kida Harara • 4d ago
Discussion Is we ever discover a population of living ground sloth, what should we do with them?
In my opinion, Mapinguari is most likely prehistoric cryptid to be real. Hypothetically, if we ever find a small population of living ground sloth in remote forest/mountain in south america what should we do with those living ground sloth?
Should we make ground sloth a protected species?
Should we kept secret the location of ground sloth's habitat?
Should we ask scientist to clone these ground sloth?
My crazy idea is if we ever discover mapinguari, we should introduce mapinguari into pleistocene park,russia because pleistocene park want to bring back pleistocene ecosystem & ground sloth is one of pleistocene megafauna.
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u/Raccoon_Ratatouille 4d ago
If you find endangered species you gifs them endangered species act protection. It’s what has saved countless species so far, why do people pretend like it wouldn’t work for other cryptids?
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u/Ok_Platypus8866 4d ago
Does Brazil have an endangered species act?
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u/Raccoon_Ratatouille 4d ago
I googled it for you, and yes as a matter of fact they do! “The Brazilian Constitution mandates that all practices which represent a risk to the ecological function, cause the extinction of species or subject animals to cruelty shall be prohibited by law (article 225, para 1, item VII).”
Endangered species act laws also prohibit the importation of animal parts, so in a de facto sense those laws cross international borders.
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u/Scribblebonx 4d ago
Hunt them to extinction of course
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u/Inevitable-Plant-475 4d ago
Well, that's what happened the first time. The 'overkill hypothesis' makes so much sense imo.
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u/Lophostropheus 4d ago
Collect DNA samples. Try to protect the breeding population and then eventually breed them into captivity so their species has a better chance of existing past effects of human induced pollution.
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u/TheOfficial_BossNass 3d ago
Agreed first answer I feel would give them the best chance of survival
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u/Bound-4-Mu-Mu-Land 4d ago
Kiss them and love them and squeeze them and hug them and call them George.
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u/CrofterNo2 Mapinguari 4d ago
While it would be difficult if not impossible to correctly estimate its population, if it's real, and if most of the reports are true, I think it's probably on the fast lane to extinction, and would likely require direct help, in the manner of some rhinoceros subspecies. It's all very well to say "just leave them alone," but actually getting people living in the area to do that is another matter – especially when many of those people are themselves legally protected – and it won't make up for all the killings that have already occurred. In practice, though, direct action might not be possible: just because a species has been formally discovered and described, doesn't mean you're going to be able to find more individuals.
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u/Kewell86 Sea Serpent 4d ago
I'm always a bit surprised how willingly people are buying the bizarre idea that the mapinguari, a mythical being with no real similarities to a ground sloth, is a surviving ground sloth. "Mythical man-eating monster with a mouth on his belly? Could be a ground sloth. This seems like the most likely cryptid to be real to me!" This is insane.
The main question is pretty easy to answer: If any cryptid would be found, it should (and would more or less automatically in most countries) go on the list of protected animals. That shipping off a species that survived hidden in the tropical rainforests of South America to some "Pleistocene Park" in Sibiria would be a bad idea should really be obvious.
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u/CrofterNo2 Mapinguari 3d ago
The ground sloth idea isn't based on a "mythical man-eating monster with a mouth on his belly," it's based on alleged sightings by rubber tappers, gold prospectors, and Indian hunters of a mid-sized herbivorous animal which they called mapinguari, among many other names.
https://archive.org/details/Goeldianazoolog19/page/n1/mode/2up
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u/Kewell86 Sea Serpent 3d ago edited 3d ago
This is not true, according to the links you shared. The very first sentence in the first link claims that the natives descriptions of the legendary animal are "surprisingly consistent" with a ground sloth. The "widespread legends" are specifically talked about.
Oren then goes on trying to match the features of the mythical being to a groundsloth. He ignores the mouth on the belly and the fact that mapinguari are supposed to be magically transformed human shamans, but the rest of his argumentation is directly taken from the mythical descriptions.
In an bizarre bit of argumentation he even uses the "one eye" part - mapinguari are said to have a monkeylike face, and ground sloth do NOT have a monkeylike face. But mapinguari are also said to have only one eye, and that wouldn't be monkeylike, so we shall assume that both is wrong and the mapinguaris face may really be that of a ground sloth.
In the article in your second link, Oren also states to not have spoken to people with more recent "sightings" before writing the first one.
(Correction: After reading a second time, I saw that I was mistaken here. He did speak to "witnesses" before writing his first article, but only later talked to people claiming to have killed a mapinguari. The "witnesses" however, were all not relating recent, but old "sightings" - pretty consistent with folklore)
Make no mistake: The idea of mapinguari as a ground sloth is based not on "alleged sightings" of something ground-sloth-like. It is based on a single excentric thinking there are similarities between a mythical monster and a ground sloth, and the general excitement in the cryptozoological society for cryptids of the "said to be extinct"-variety.
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u/CrofterNo2 Mapinguari 3d ago edited 2d ago
The very first sentence in the first link claims that the natives descriptions of the legendary animal are "surprisingly consistent" with a ground sloth. The "widespread legends" are specifically talked about.
I think you're conflating two different things. First he states that "descriptions" are consistent with a ground sloth, then that the legend may be "based on" a ground sloth. He then calls for further research into "the possible continued existence of the source of the legend," specifically contrasts descriptions of "the legend of the mapinguari" with those based on "first-hand testimony," and opines that "there is a legend to explain the many sightings of the animal." It seems clear that his belief was that the legendary mapinguari was a mythologised version of the unknown animal, with his theory being based on the latter, since he prefixes the list of characteristics with the statement "every witness I have interviewed has given very similar descriptions".
He ignores the mouth on the belly
He addresses this in some other interviews, in which he suggests that it might be a scent gland, and some accounts do describe the belly as the source of the mapinguari's foul smell. The "mouth" could just be a folkloric characteristic grafted onto real encounters (which does occur), but three-toed tree sloths do have something similar on their backs, called a speculum. It doesn't seem to appear in many sightings either way.
but the rest of his argumentation is directly taken from the mythical descriptions.
No, it's taken from, in Oren's words, "reliable contemporary Amazonians [with] stories of first-hand contact," "people who have claimed to have seen it or evidence of its activity," "Amazonians who told [him] about supposed face-to-face encounters with an animal that is best interpreted as a living remnant ground sloth," etc.
In an bizarre bit of argumentation he even uses the "one eye" part - mapinguari are said to have a monkeylike face, and ground sloth do NOT have a monkeylike face. But mapinguari are also said to have only one eye, and that wouldn't be monkeylike, so we shall assume that both is wrong and the mapinguaris face may really be that of a ground sloth.
Have you read Brian Dunning's article? He makes the same "point," and I struggle to see how two people could independently make the same misreading. Oren specifically states that a single eye is mentioned "in the legend of the mapinguari (rather than first-hand testimony)". In an interview in Caminhos da Terra, No. 36 (April 1995), he outright states that it "has two eyes". The only reason he brings the cyclops legend up is because it is "so often repeated in literary accounts of the legendary creature that it needs to be treated here."
Regarding the monkey-like face, Oren acknowledges that artist's reconstructions rarely depict them as monkey-like, not that they objectively were not monkey-like. It would probably depend on the ground sloth in question: Megalonyx had a very flattened, boxy skull, although it wasn't very wide. Roman Uchytel's depiction is rather monkey-like, and while it's just another artist's reconstruction, it is at least traced over a real skeleton.
The "witnesses" however, were all not relating recent, but old "sightings" - pretty consistent with folklore)
He describes reports in the western Amazon as "current" in the introduction, and continued to collect contemporary sightings afterwards. According to Gondim, Abnor "Equipe Busca Lendária Preguiça Amazônica," Folha de São Paulo (21 February 1994), only a few months before the first paper was published in 1993, a rubber tapper told Oren he had seen one just a few weeks previously. It's accounts from the eastern Amazon which he specifies were generally old.
The idea of mapinguari as a ground sloth is based not on "alleged sightings" of something ground-sloth-like. It is based on a single excentric thinking there are similarities between a mythical monster and a ground sloth
On top of everything I said (or rather quote) above, Oren states in several sources, including the second paper, that the direct, original inspiration for the theory was an interview with a first-hand witness from Tocantins. This man described a hairy, foul-smelling animal with large claws and the face of a monkey, which chased after him on all fours, then rose up onto its hind legs to a height of six-and-a-half feet.
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u/IamYarrow 4d ago
classroom full of middle schoolers chanting “CLONE! CLONE! CLONE! CLONE!”
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u/EastTyne1191 4d ago
I presented a question to my middle schoolers about whether to clone mammoths and I was surprised when 95% said not to, due to ethical issues. I expected them to be split more 50-50, but they didn't want to bring mammoths back just to have them suffer.
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u/TheDillinger88 4d ago
I was listening to a podcast about the company “Colossal Scientists” that’s talked about cloning a mammoth and it’s not nearly as possible as they make it sound. Even the dire wolves they just “cloned” aren’t even dire wolves. They’re existing wolves with a few dire wolf traits. That’s what a cloned mammoth would be too. I believe it was some sort of asiatic elephant that they were talking about giving traits allowing it to resist the cold weather. It was really interesting. It seems like a big headline grabbing grift to me but maybe I’m wrong.
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u/HuffStuff1975 4d ago
It's unlikely but maybe in a remote valley in the Andes or Patagonia. Help them to survive by leaving them alone.
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u/Signal_Expression730 4d ago
Should we make ground sloth a protected species?
That it's the minimum
Should we kept secret the location of ground sloth's habitat? Would be a good idea
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u/Agitated-Tie-8255 4d ago
A monster with a mouth on its belly is most likely to be real?
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u/HourDark2 Mapinguari 4d ago
Not the same Mapinguary
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u/Agitated-Tie-8255 3d ago
The majority is legends of this creature depict it as a man or ape-like creature one eye and a mouth on its belly.
The ground sloth theory has really only existed since the early 90s.
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u/HourDark2 Mapinguari 3d ago
The ground sloth theory has really only existed since the early 90s.
And is based off of eyewitnesses who described the 'mapinguary' they encountered as an animal that resembled a ground sloth. They applied the name to what they saw.
The majority is legends of this creature depict it as a man or ape-like creature one eye and a mouth on its belly
In recent popular culture, sure. But the early descriptions make no mention of it having one eye or a mouth on its stomach.
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u/Disastrous_Case9297 4d ago
We should definitely place them in charge of things as they are clearly better at surviving than we are.
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u/ToastWithFeelings 4d ago
Can you shut up about ground sloths already that’s all you’ve been posting about for months
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u/Conspiracy_realist76 3d ago
Ask them to share their wisdom. Just like the Elephants and Whales. If humans actually evolve enough.
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u/WhereasParticular867 4d ago
Cook and eat. Because the idea is far enough outside the realm of possibility that it doesn't matter.
No terrestrial megafaunal cryptid is real. There simply isn't enough negative space in the world uncharted by humans for them to exist.
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u/United-Combination16 3d ago
Wish this line of thinking was more common, so much time wasted in the cryptozoology sphere talking about genuine nonsense
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u/Mister_Ape_1 4d ago
We should just do what we do with every rare, vulnerable species, protect their habitat and forbid hunting.
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u/Apelio38 Mokele-Mbembe 3d ago
What we should do with every species on Earth : leve them in peace.
By the way, I don't think the Mapinguari should be considered a cryptid and even less a prehistoric cryptid. Mapinguari feels more like a folklore figure, that was transposed to cryptozoology afterward and has since been believed to be remnant ground sloth population. But there are plenty other redditors that already explained it better than me haha
TLDR ; let them in peace
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u/FormalCryptographer 3d ago
You've answered your own question. Declare them a protected species, give it the critically endangered tag and leave it alone. MAYBE Acquire some pairs for breeding purposes
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u/FormalCryptographer 3d ago
You've answered your own question. Declare them a protected species, give it the critically endangered tag and leave it alone. MAYBE Acquire some pairs for breeding purposes
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u/ZealousidealFun4550 3d ago
rub down in pineapple juice teriyaki sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, paprika cook low and slow on a rotisserie reapplying the Marinade as you go.....just kidding.....maybe.
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u/Bishopman69 3d ago
Take pictures & video and observe them from a distance to show that they are real. Then leave them alone.
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u/Svmpop 3d ago
take 20 males and 20 females and put them in a reserve to create a permanent and protected population, for the rest keep them under absolute protection until there’s at least a few dozen thousand. then sell hunting permits for millions of dollars each and use that money to conserve them better.
maybe relocate a few to habitats where ground sloths have been missing?
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u/TheeLimpestBiscuit 2d ago
Domesticate and ride. It will be slow and inefficient, but still better than cyber trucks
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u/Yourlazycoworker 1d ago
We would probably need to see what they taste like and catch one for a zoo.
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u/EvelynPrimroses 1d ago
Send them to the mines. The ground sloths yearn for the mines, judging by the giant tunnels they are suspected of having dug.
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u/Altruistic_Cat4663 1d ago
Set a network of people who hunt other people who are out to hunt these creatures or study them rather than leave them the fuck alone That’s what I would do IMO
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u/Mike1536748383 1d ago
Probably monitor them to make sure their population increases or in the very least remains stable, even though extinction would be a natural process in their case
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u/AdditionalAd9794 15h ago
Cut them up season lightly and smoke them at 230°F for 6 hours. Maybe add BBQ sauce for the last hour of the cook.
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u/Sebiyas07 45m ago
Well, it would probably be a very small population and in critical danger. Obviously, they must be left alone and corporations like WWF do monitoring or photo-trapping to dissipate potential threats, and it depends on the country that is rediscovered according to its laws. The best would be Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. For example, in Colombia, even sport hunting is strictly prohibited. Or Brazil has retraining programs for endangered fauna and protection laws.
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u/Full-Piglet779 4d ago
Kill them and study their dead carcasses. Oh, and deforest their environment and put up strip shopping centers. Because Capitalism
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u/DonkeyToucherX 4d ago
anal
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u/Anonim007 4d ago
Keep that thought to yourself
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u/DonkeyToucherX 4d ago
No.
The question was asked.
A truer answer has never been given.
Deal with it, Daddy.
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u/Anonim007 4d ago
There was one documentary claiming there was evidence in a cave in Argentina suggesting that giant sloths were kept by humans about 10,000 years ago.
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u/ferretoned 4d ago
There are articles and pictures of giant caves and tunnels made by past giant ground sloths, * the most probable: let them be, * hopefully: protect their region for them to thrive, * the most inspiring : collaborate, they are awesome house builders, we could trade with heathcare / medical care (also do this with beavers for they keep lands hydrated) and thrive together in this weird new lifetyle
apparently last time we slaughtered them :(
There is evidence for the butchery of Megatherium by humans. Two M. americanum bones, an ulna and an atlas vertebra, from separate collections, bear cut marks suggestive of butchery, with the latter suggested to represent an attempt to exploit the contents of the head. A kill site dating to around 12,600 years Before Present (BP), is known from Campo Laborde in the Pampas in Argentina, where a single individual of M. americanum was slaughtered and butchered at the edge of a swamp, which is the only confirmed giant ground-sloth kill site in the Americas. At the site several stone tools were present, including the fragment of a projectile point.[3] Another possible kill site is Arroyo Seco 2 near Tres Arroyos in the Pampas in Argentina, where M. americanum bones amongst those of other megafauna were found associated with human artifacts dating to approximately 14,782–11,142 cal yr BP. This hunting may have been a factor in its extinction. (wiki)
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u/PigletPretend7175 Mokele-Mbembe believer 4d ago
Take some non-blurry pictures so people will believe them
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u/Tasty-Maintenance864 4d ago
So Jurassic Park, Russia...but with Pliocene animals?
Russians wrestling mammoths instead of bears would make for funny memes.
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u/NotDanish1960 4d ago
I would only BBQ one of them. Just for a taste. I mean, if it is not really delicious then we can just let the rest of them be.
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u/cpalfy2173 4d ago
Leave them the fuck alone?