For the first time in thousands of years, a spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) has been found in southeastern Egypt.
This unexpected discovery was reported in the journal Mammalia and has surprised scientists.
The lone hyena was spotted about 30 km from the Sudanese border. Unfortunately, local people killed the animal after it attacked their livestock.
The finding is remarkable because spotted hyenas are usually found much further south, in sub-Saharan Africa.
Dr. Abdullah Nagy from Al-Azhar University in Egypt, the study’s lead author, said he couldn’t believe it at first.
“My first reaction was disbelief until I checked the photos and videos. Seeing the evidence, I was completely taken aback,” he said.
The location where the hyena was found is 500 km north of its known range in Sudan. Scientists believe that changes in the environment may have created a new path for the hyena to migrate.
The research team investigated how the hyena might have reached Egypt. They analyzed satellite data from 1984 to 2022 to track changes in vegetation and rainfall. The data showed that recent years had more rainfall and plant growth compared to the last two decades. This may have created better conditions for prey animals, making it easier for the hyena to survive in the region.
“The area has become less harsh, offering easier passage along ‘the highway,’ which may explain how the hyena got so far north,” said Dr. Nagy. “But why it made such a long journey remains a mystery.”
Spotted hyenas are strong pack hunters but are also capable of traveling long distances alone. They can cover up to 27 km in a day, often following semi-nomadic livestock movements for food.
In this case, the hyena attacked two goats in Wadi Yahmib, part of the Elba Protected Area. Afterward, local people tracked, spotted, chased, and killed the hyena in February 2024. The incident was photographed and geolocated, allowing researchers to confirm the discovery.
This finding challenges what scientists thought they knew about the spotted hyena’s natural range. It also provides valuable data on how climate change affects animal migration.
Scientists now want to study why the hyena traveled so far north and whether more large predators could move into unexpected regions due to environmental changes.
For now, the discovery of a spotted hyena in Egypt after 5,000 years is an exciting and unexpected moment in wildlife research.
