In a dramatic turn of events that bridges ancient and modern Egypt, scientists have confirmed the first appearance of a spotted hyena in the country since the time of the pharaohs, marking an extraordinary return after a 5,000-year absence. The discovery, however, ended tragically when local residents killed the animal following livestock attacks.
“My first reaction was disbelief until I checked the photos and videos of the remains,” says Dr. Abdullah Nagy from Al-Azhar University, who led the research published in Mammalia. “Seeing the evidence, I was completely taken aback. It was beyond anything we had expected to find in Egypt.”
The lone hyena was found 30 kilometers north of Egypt’s border with Sudan, venturing an remarkable 500 kilometers beyond its known range. The animal’s journey appears linked to recent environmental changes that may have created a temporary wildlife corridor between the two countries.
The incident began when the hyena killed two goats over two nights in the Wadi Yahmib area of Elba Protected Area. Local residents, expert trackers familiar with the region’s wildlife, located and pursued the predator before ultimately killing it with a pickup truck in February 2024.
Using satellite data spanning nearly four decades, researchers discovered that the past five years have seen increased rainfall and vegetation growth in the region compared to the previous twenty years. This change may have created favorable conditions for the hyena’s unprecedented northern migration.
Spotted hyenas, traditionally found across sub-Saharan Africa, are remarkably adaptable predators capable of traveling up to 27 kilometers in a single day. While they typically live in packs, this individual appears to have made its solitary journey following corridors of increased vegetation and possibly tracking livestock movements.
The region where the hyena was found represents a unique ecological zone where Egypt meets tropical Sudan, boasting the country’s highest plant diversity. The area has recently seen changes in pastoral practices, with more livestock allowed to graze freely, potentially attracting predators.
However, unlike parts of the Horn of Africa where humans and hyenas have coexisted for generations, southeastern Egypt lacks this cultural history. For local pastoralists with few alternative income sources, livestock losses to predators can be devastating.
The discovery forces scientists to reconsider the species’ known range and highlights how climate change and human activities can influence animal movements. It also underscores the complex challenges of human-wildlife conflict in regions where ancient predators attempt to reclaim their historical territories.
While this particular hyena’s journey ended tragically, its presence raises important questions about wildlife conservation and adaptation in a changing climate. As environmental conditions continue to shift, similar unexpected appearances of large predators may become more common, challenging communities and conservation authorities to develop new approaches to human-wildlife coexistence.