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 habitat in Sudan. Locals in Wadi Yahmib, about 19 miles from the border, caught and killed the animal after it attacked and killed two goats in the Elba Protected Area.
Abdullah Nagy, an ecologist from Al-Azhar University and the author of the paper was astonished by the discovery. He expressed disbelief until he examined photos and videos of the remains.
“Seeing the evidence, I was completely taken aback. It was beyond anything we had expected to find in Egypt,” Nagy stated.
Researchers believe that the Active Red Sea Trough, a rare weather phenomenon that brings increased rainfall and plant growth to the region, might have played a role in facilitating the hyena’s journey.
The recent sighting suggests that such changes in environmental conditions led the hyenas to create a temporary migration corridor.
Additionally, satellite data from the past four decades show a notable increase in vegetation growth in the corridor area over the last five years, potentially providing sufficient prey for the hyena’s migration. Scientists link this to increased rainfall, highlighting climate change’s impact on wildlife movement.
While climate change is a possible factor, the exact motivations behind the hyena’s journey remain unclear, prompting further research into the implications of this unexpected event.
The reappearance of the spotted hyena in Egypt challenges existing knowledge about the species’ range and highlights how regional climate shifts influence migration, raising questions about ecosystem resilience and species adaptability.
As scientists continue to study this phenomenon, questions emerge about whether this sighting might be a precursor to more spotted hyenas venturing into Egypt in the future.
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