Sanguine Tenacious Tidings

Sloths and Avocados

Hi from Apondia

Milodon Cave

Once again the Hotel we are staying in has many floors and my room is up high, which gives me views of the tops of many buildings. The bed are comfortable and the pillows soft. They serve a very nice breakfast. Breakfast is a favorite meals. It is a nice place to rest from our travels.

The Milodon Cave tour was really interesting. It was declared a historical monument in 1968; then declared a National monument in 1993. Inside the cave is stored the historic find by Captain Eberhard in 1896.

The Captain found the skeleton of a Giant Ground Sloth. Giant Ground Sloths once lived in both North and South America. The ones in North America became extinct before the ones in South America. Even after they became extinct in South America some of them remained living on the Island of Cuba until about 4200 years ago.

Because of their height, 12 feet tall, they were able to reach high into trees for food by standing on their hind feet. They were herbivores. Giant Ground Sloths weighed about 4 tons.

They are given some credit for the dispersal of avocado seeds. They were able to swallow avocados whole. If you have ever eaten an avocado you know the seeds are quite large. As they traveled around they would distribute the seeds.

The USA imports about 80% of grocery avocados from Mexico. Agro-forestry is used in the growth of avocado trees because they need extreme amounts of water to grow the trees. Each tree uses about 60 gallons of water to keep it growing per season. There is a knick name for avocados. They are sometimes called alligator pears. Like the Sloth they need help to keep growing and not become extinct.

I found a song on YouTube "You Call Me Slow." It is the Sloth Song. It can also be found on Spotify. It is a song to examine the blight of Sloths by WR-Song Music. Very interesting lyrics but not really too musically slow.

Another memorable visit to a special place. See Ya Later.