The extinct giant ground sloth from South America that could reach about 6 meters in length was Megatherium.
Megatherium was a genus of enormous ground sloths that lived from the Pliocene into the Late Pleistocene. Its best-known species, Megatherium americanum, inhabited the Pampas and nearby regions of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and southern Brazil. It was one of the largest ground sloths ever known, weighing roughly as much as an Asian elephant.
Despite its size, Megatherium was primarily a herbivore. It likely browsed on leaves, twigs, and fruit, using a strong upper lip and its long claws to pull down vegetation. Its anatomy suggests that it could rear up on its hind legs, at least while bracing itself, to reach higher foliage.
The first known specimen was discovered in Argentina in 1787 and sent to Spain. Georges Cuvier named the animal in 1796 and recognized it as a giant sloth, making it one of the earliest scientifically identified prehistoric mammals. It disappeared around 12,000 years ago, during the end-Pleistocene extinction, when many large American mammals vanished.