Hyena returns to Egypt after 5,000 years—and is killed

Rare spotted hyena strays into Sahara amid climate shifts, only to be hunted down

CAIRO (MNTV) — For the first time in nearly 5,000 years, a spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) was documented in Egypt after straying far beyond its known range—only to be tracked and killed by locals.

The hyena was discovered last year about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Sudanese-Egyptian border after preying on two goats. Residents, using a pickup truck, pursued and killed the animal.

Spotted hyenas, typically found in sub-Saharan Africa, vanished from Egypt millennia ago due to increasing aridity.

Scientists suggest recent climatic shifts, including increased rainfall and vegetation growth, may have created conditions for the species’ rare return.

“The landscape of Egypt transformed around 5,000 years ago, from a lush savannah with elephants and giraffes to the desert we see today,” said Abdullah Nagy, a wildlife ecologist at Al-Azhar University and lead author of a study published in Mammalia on Nov. 15, 2024.

Local inhabitants, skilled in wildlife tracking, quickly located and killed the hyena after it attacked livestock.

While the region is home to striped hyenas (Hyaena hyaena), these smaller scavengers rarely threaten domestic animals.

Researchers also speculate that slaughterhouses and political instability in Sudan could have contributed to the hyena’s movement northward.

Spotted hyenas are known to scavenge human remains and exploit vulnerable environments.

Experts remain uncertain whether this hyena was alone or part of a larger group, but the incident underscores how environmental and socio-political changes are reshaping wildlife distribution in North Africa.