Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta), also known as laughing hyenas, are native to sub-Saharan Africa and thrive in a variety of habitats, including savannas, semi-deserts, open woodlands, and mountainous forests up to 4,000 meters in altitude. Known for their adaptability and long-distance travel capabilities, capable of traveling up to 27 kilometers in a single day, often following livestock migrations, the carnivores are notably absent from extreme deserts, tropical rainforests, and the highest mountain peaks. Thousands of years ago, spotted hyenas lived in Egypt but later disappeared from the region, likely due to a drier climate that reduced prey populations, scientists suggest. In February 2024, Egypt recorded its first sighting of the spotted hyena in 5,000 years, according to a paper published in Mammalia Journal, a publication dedicated to the study of mammalian diversity. Earlier this year on 22 January, another hyena was seen in southeastern Egypt, marking a significant shift in the species’ known range and stunning scientists who are pondering the environmental factors that might have driven this unexpected migration. The lone hyena was found approximately 30 kilometers north of the Egypt-Sudan border, a staggering 500 kilometers beyond its typical…
Hyena Returns to Egypt, Revealing Climate Impact on Wildlife
March 13, 2025
By Nadine Tag
Journalist
