Uploaded July 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This predator doesn’t exist anymore, but 30 million years ago, Bastetodon syrtos stalked ancient Egyptian forests. About the size of a modern hyena, this hypercarnivore hunted early primates, hippos, and elephants.
Discovered in Egypt’s Fayum Depression, its skull was almost perfectly preserved, an incredible find since skulls from this group are usually found in fragments.
Led by Dr. Hesham Sallam and first author Shorouq Al Ashqar, researchers revealed Bastetodon’s distinct African lineage, showing these fierce carnivores originated in Africa before spreading to Eurasia.
Get the latest news uncovering the past by joining our newsletter through the link in our bio.
Produced by Niba @notesbyniba: Producer, Host, Writer
Meredith Johnson: Associate Producer, Script Editor
Researchers:
Dr. Hesham Sallam: @SallamLab @hesham.sallam
Shorouq Al Ashqar: @shorouqalashqar @shorouqalashqar
Institutions:
Mansoura University: @mansourauniversityofficial
The American University in Cairo (AUC): @auc_egypt
#fossils #science #primatefossils #scicomm #paleoanthropology #ancientpredators
This predator doesn’t exist anymore, but 30 million years ago, Bastetodon syrtos stalked ancient Egyptian forests. About the size of a modern hyena, this hypercarnivore hunted early primates, hippos, and elephants.
Discovered in Egypt’s Fayum Depression, its skull was almost perfectly preserved, an incredible find since skulls from this group are usually found in fragments.
Led by Dr. Hesham Sallam and first author Shorouq Al Ashqar, researchers revealed Bastetodon’s distinct African lineage, showing these fierce carnivores originated in Africa before spreading to Eurasia.
Get the latest news uncovering the past by joining our newsletter through the link in our bio.
Produced by Niba @notesbyniba: Producer, Host, Writer
Meredith Johnson: Associate Producer, Script Editor
Researchers:
Dr. Hesham Sallam: @SallamLab @hesham.sallam
Shorouq Al Ashqar: @shorouqalashqar @shorouqalashqar
Institutions:
Mansoura University: @mansourauniversityofficial
The American University in Cairo (AUC): @auc_egypt
#fossils #science #primatefossils #scicomm #paleoanthropology #ancientpredators
