{{Short description|Natural Monument in Magallanes Region, Chile}} {{Infobox Protected area | name = Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument | iucn_category = III | image = {{Photomontage | photo2a = Cueva del Milodón (39330091455).jpg | photo1a = Cueva del Milodón (25356465327).jpg | size = 290 | spacing = 2 | color = | border = 0 }} | image_caption = Mylodon's Cave | map = | location = Magallanes Region, Chile | nearest_city = | coordinates = | area = | established = | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = Corporación Nacional Forestal }}
{{Location map|Tierra del Fuego|caption=Location of Cueva del Milodón in Chile|lat_deg=|lon_deg=}}
[[File:Milodon.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Replica of a ''Mylodon'' inside the cave]] thumb|300px|right|The "Devil's Chair" at the entrance of the monumental cave thumb|right|300px|Interior of the largest cave '''Cueva del Milodón Natural Monument''' is a Natural Monument located in the Chilean Patagonia,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.santiago-hotels-chile.com/en/chileaustral.html|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091018070905/http://www.chileaustral.com/pnatales/milodon.htm|url-status=dead|title=WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY: "EN KARUNKINKA QUEREMOS ATRAER ECOTURISMO Y OFRECER UNA EXPERIENCIA LEJOS DE LA CIVILIZACIÓN"|archivedate=October 18, 2009|website=www.santiago-hotels-chile.com}}</ref> {{convert|24|km|0|abbr=on}} northwest of Puerto Natales and {{convert|270|km|0|abbr=on}} north of Punta Arenas.
The monument is situated along the flanks of Cerro Benitez.<ref>C. Michael Hogan, ''Cueva del Milodon'', Megalithic Portal, 13 April 2008 [http://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18820]</ref> It comprises several caves and a rock formation called ''Silla del Diablo'' (Devil's Chair). The monument includes a cave which is notable for the discovery in 1895 of skin, bones and other parts of a ground sloth called ''Mylodon darwini,'' from which the cave takes its name. It is also part of the End of the World Route, a scenic touristic route.
== Milodón Cave == The largest cave in the monument is the {{convert|200|m|ft}} long Milodón Cave. It was discovered in 1895 by Hermann Eberhard, German explorer of Patagonia. He found a large, seemingly fresh piece of skin of an unidentified animal. In 1896 the cave was explored by Otto Nordenskjöld and later it was recognized that the skin belonged to ''Mylodon'' – an extinct animal which died 10,200–13,560 years ago.
In the cave and other caves of the monument have been found remnants of other extinct animals and human remnants.
At the entrance of the monument is a life size replica of the prehistoric ''Mylodon'', which was a very large herbivore, somewhat resembling a large bear. It became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene Epoch.
== Animal remains == The cave is named after the large ground sloth ''Mylodon'' which has been found at the site. Other animals found at the site include the equine ''Hippidion'', the saber-toothed cat ''Smilodon'' and the large camel-like ungulate ''Macrauchenia''.<ref>[http://www.letsgochile.com/locations/patagonial/magallanes-xii/milodon-cave Milodón's Cave] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705015458/http://www.letsgochile.com/locations/patagonial/magallanes-xii/milodon-cave |date=2009-07-05 }} in Letsgochile.com</ref>
== Human remains == Diverse elements of human habitation are found<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=18820|title=Cueva del Milodon|website=The Megalithic Portal}}</ref> at Cueva del Milodón including fire-fractured rock, lithic tools and human remains. Human habitation at Cueva del Milodón is dated as early as 6000 BC.<ref>Calvin J. Heusser (2003) ‘'Ice Age Southern Andes: A Chronicle of Paleoecological Events'‘, Elsevier, 240 pages {{ISBN|0-444-51478-3}}</ref>
<gallery mode="packed"> File:Cueva del Milodon-CTJ-IMG 6807.jpg File:Cueva del Milodon-CTJ-IMG 6811.jpg File:Cueva del Milodon-CTJ-IMG 6809.jpg </gallery>
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== Panorama == {{wide image|Panorámica 1 desde el puente de acceso - 2013-09-19.JPG|1200px|align-cap=center|Panoramic view from outside the cave}}
== See also == * Cerro Toro * Eberhard Fjord * Martin Gusinde Anthropological Museum * ''Hippidion saldiasi''
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Natural Monuments of Chile}} {{Navbox prehistoric caves}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cueva del Milodon Natural Monument}} Milodon Category:Protected areas of Magallanes Region Category:Archaeological sites in Chile Category:Natural monuments of Chile Category:Paleontology in Chile Category:Pleistocene paleontological sites of South America Category:1895 in paleontology Category:Landforms of Magallanes Region Category:Última Esperanza Province Category:Geology of Magallanes Region