Ice age hyena coprolite research in the Netherlands

This video is called Extinct hyenas tribute.

At the moment, in Naturalis museum in Leiden in the Netherlands, there is research about hyenas, living about 35,000 years ago in what is now the North Sea, but was land then.

The research involves investigating fossil hyena excrement, called coprolites, with scanners. The coprolites indicate what the hyenas ate.

Among the finds so far in the coprolites is an Alpine marmot piece of bone. And a burying beetle shield. Scientists are still investigating which beetle species in the Nicrophorus genus that was. Had the beetle, like the hyena, been attracted by a dead mammoth?

The researchers found pollen of various plants in the coprolites as well. Mainly pollen of marsh plants, indicating that the hyenas lived in a wetland environment.

Related articles

• Hyenas, new research (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
• Getting the Dirt On Ancient Life With Coprolites (science.slashdot.org)
• North Side woman’s video captures clash between lions, hyenas (triblive.com)
• Bacteria Affect Smell Hyena (technologyka.wordpress.com)
• Ancient Shark’s Last Meal: Baby Turtle (livescience.com)