Spotted hyena seen in Egypt for the first time in 5,000 years

A hyena's surprising journey to Egypt raises questions about climate-driven migration.

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Scientists have reported a surprising sighting of a spotted hyena in southeastern Egypt, marking the first time the species has been seen in the country in 5,000 years.

The rare event occurred in Wadi Yahmib, about 19 miles from the Egypt-Sudan border and approximately 310 miles north of the known spotted hyena range in Sudan.

The hyena was caught and killed by locals, leaving researchers stunned. "My first reaction was disbelief until I checked the photos and videos of the remains," said ecologist Abdullah Nagy of Egypt's Al-Azhar University. "Seeing the evidence, I was completely taken aback. It was beyond anything we had expected to find in Egypt."

Photo: Photographs taken of the spotted hyena’s cadaver in the Elba Protected Area after it was hunted and killed by local people. Mammalia/ De gruyter brill

Native to sub-Saharan Africa, spotted hyenas are pack predators that typically inhabit various habitats within Africa. However, this sighting raises questions about how the animal reached such an unexpected location.

Nagy and his colleagues speculate that a rare weather phenomenon, the Active Red Sea Trough, might have opened a migration corridor.

This phenomenon, which occurs when easterly winds blow over the adjacent mountains, is known to cause extreme rainfall and flash flooding.

The researchers believe the once-a-decade weather cycle linked to the Active Red Sea Trough has been producing increased rainfall over the Egypt-Sudan border, leading to higher plant growth and creating a potential migration corridor for wildlife.

Historical satellite images of the region confirm that this area has experienced notable plant growth in recent years, likely providing enough grazing animals to support the hyena on its journey.

"The fact that the corridor area has become less environmentally harsh, offering easier passage along 'the highway,' may explain how the hyena reached this far north," Nagy explained. "However, the motivation for its extensive journey into Egypt is still a mystery that demands further research."

Spotted hyenas are known for their long-range travel, often covering up to 17 miles in a day, sometimes shadowing human-managed livestock migrations.

In this case, the animal was tracked after it killed two goats belonging to locals in the Elba Protected Area, a national park.

The findings not only challenge our understanding of the hyena’s range but also underscore how regional climate changes can impact animal migration patterns.

The team suggests that shifts in local ecosystems could have contributed to the hyena’s unexpected northern journey.