The world’s youngest cave hyena fossil discovered – sensation in Gera!

The world’s youngest cave hyena fossil discovered – sensation in Gera!

A sensational find from Gera in Thuringia is causing a stir in the scientific world! Earth's youngest known cave hyena fossil, a skull fragment, has been dated to be just 19,810 to 19,990 years old - and that was before 2017! This remarkable find comes from the famous “Lindenthal Hyena Cave”, which was discovered in 1874 and is a true treasure trove for paleontologists.

Scientists from the Universities of Copenhagen and Potsdam examined the fossil in detail and even successfully determined the mitochondrial genome and the nuclear genome. These genetic analyzes aim to gain new insights into the evolutionary history of the extinct cave hyena. Age dating using radiocarbon dating (C14 dating) confirmed the fossil's exceptional youth. It is the last known representative of its kind in the world and can currently be admired in a special exhibition at the Museum für Naturkunde Gera.

A look into the past

Cave hyenas lived throughout much of Europe and Asia during the Pleistocene Epoch before going extinct about 12,000 years ago. These predators used caves as shelters to break down their prey and raise their young. The “Lindenthal Hyena Cave” was once a busy place for these animals, filled with bones and teeth of both hyenas and their prey. The spectacular find from Gera is not only a fascinating piece of history, but also a significant step in researching the evolutionary history of these impressive creatures.