200,000-Year-Old Hyena Fossils Found in Krabi Cave

Picture courtesy of KhaoSod

A remarkable discovery of hyena fossils estimated to be over 200,000 years old has been made in a cave in Krabi, Thailand. This finding suggests that the area, now covered in dense rainforests, was once a savannah.

On February 9, Assistant Professor Dr. Kantapon Suraprasit from Chulalongkorn University led a team, including the Krabi Cave Lovers Club, on an exploration in To Chong Cave in the Sai Thai subdistrict. The team unearthed fossilized teeth and bones from animals such as hyenas, orangutans, forest deer, porcupines, boars, and cattle.

While some remains still need cleaning and analysis, preliminary studies indicate that these fossils are from the late Lower Pleistocene to the early Late Pleistocene, dating back around 80,000 to 200,000 years. The hyena fossils represent the furthest south these animals have been recorded in Southeast Asia.

Past fossil studies in Krabi, including isotopic analysis, have shown the environment resembled a savannah, punctuated by dense forests. This habitat allowed mammals to migrate across different landmasses. Researchers believe the hyenas ended up in southern Krabi due to shifts in vegetation patterns during the Pleistocene era.

Today, hyenas are only found in the savannahs of Africa. This research provides insights into historical climate shifts and environmental changes, crucial for understanding our planet's ongoing transformation.