Hyenas stored hundreds of thousands of human and animal bones in Saudi Cave

[FfFfFfFF 58,120]

Archaeologists in northwestern Saudi Arabia have unearthed a massive collection of bones likely stockpiled by striped hyenas over the past 7,000 years. 

Found in the Umm Jirsan lava tube system—a sprawling network of tunnels formed by volcanic activity—the hundreds of thousands of bones belong to at least 14 kinds of animals, including cattle, caprids, horses, camels, rodents and even humans. 

“Striped hyena are very avid accumulators of bones,” Stewart says.

For the study, the team analyzed 1,917 bones and teeth recovered from the lava tube. Radiocarbon dating of a small number of these samples found that they ranged in age from around 439 to 6,839 years old, suggesting “a long use of the lava tube system by carnivores,” per the paper.

“The most surprising thing comes down to just how well preserved the material is, and how much material there is, given that in Saudi we have no faunal remains, really,” Stewart tells Gizmodo.

Source - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/archaeologists-uncover-extensive-pile-animal-and-human-bones-saudi-arabia-cave-180978375/

[alsemanche 97,803]

This is so f*cking cool...

[Lilmonzter 2,864]

Hyenas = Animal archaeologists 

 

[RAMROD 117,074]

Collecting foods for when they get old and can't hunt that much anymore ?

[JusKeepBreathin 19,311]

13 minutes ago, Lilmonzter said:

Hyenas = Animal archaeologists 

 

I knew they were misrepresented in The Lion King. Hopefully Hollywood will take note. 

[KORG 4,756]

There's a reason the elephants graveyard is where the hyenas live in lion King.

[gothicdream 39,660]

Spoooooooooooky!

@Pennywise seems like a nice vacation spot for you

[Pennywise 36,080]

4 minutes ago, Healed My Heart said:

Spoooooooooooky!

@Pennywise seems like a nice vacation spot for you

What I'm wondering is why are humans stealing from the hyenas' collection like- 

[River 127,481]

They were misjudged in the Lion King

f-ck Simba

[GagaSine 7,464]

So cool!