Fossil Find: Manatee County Utility Crews Unearth Ancient Ground Sloth Claw
A routine trenching project turned into a prehistoric discovery when Manatee County utility workers uncovered a fossilized claw belonging to a Jefferson’s ground sloth. This massive creature once roamed Florida over 11,000 years ago.
The ancient claw, tangled in dirt and vines, was initially mistaken for a standard tool until closer inspection revealed its true identity. The find was confirmed to be from a Jefferson’s ground sloth, a species that migrated northward from South America during prehistoric times.
Jefferson’s ground sloths were slightly smaller than their South American ancestors but still formidable in size — some measuring up to 20 feet long, 13 feet tall on their hind legs, and weighing over 8,000 pounds.
Manatee County’s Natural Resources Department quickly secured the fossil and transferred it to the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature in Bradenton. Experts at the museum are now preserving the claw and preparing it for future public display.
Museum officials called the find exceptionally rare — a glimpse into Florida’s distant past when the region was lush with tropical forests and megafauna. The fossil is expected to help educate the community on the prehistoric species that once thrived in the area.
Once on display, the fossilized claw will serve as a powerful reminder that the ground beneath Manatee County holds not only infrastructure but incredible pieces of Earth’s ancient story.
Source: Information was gathered by FOX 13’s Kimberly Kuizon from Manatee County’s Natural Resources Department, Manatee County Government and The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature.