Den Caves Research Articles

Top predators at war—Ice Age lions versus competing spotted hyenas

AbstractIn the fossil record, 3.097 studied bones including 40 skulls of grown‐up individuals from 81 German, Czech and English and Spanish extant spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea den sites let to distinguish two main types of pathologies. Ageing pathologies in the form of arthritis are typical for elderly hyenas. Their strong tooth use or losses and canine damages due to intensive bone crushing made them finally defenceless. Bite trauma on the sagittal crests of the crania is the secure proof for battles between top predators: lions and hyenas. A full crest healing resulted in a strong convex‐deformed skull shape. Other complete upper/lower jaw bites made by lions are found at a hyena skeleton shoulder, in which scapulae are partly healed. This hyena died in its den cave finally; as such, it is known for another Ice Age spotted hyena that was found recently as a skeleton in a Spanish cave, but with a non‐healed strong sagittal crest bite trauma. The postcranial bite traumas in the Ice Age spotted hyenas are predominantly on the distal hind legs (tibia/fibula—68% of all traumas). This correlates to African relatives because spotted hyenas attack its guilt and enemies from “behind.”

"El significado del adjetivo ἔναυλος en Sófocles, Filoctetes 158 y en Eurípides, Fenicias 1573"

The adjective ἔναυλος, -ον is a hypostatic compound based on the phrase ἐν αὐλῇ. InSophocles’ Philoctetes, it refers to the interior of the cavern where the protagonist lives (αὐλή ‘dwelling’).In Euripides’ Phoenician Women, Eteocles and Polinices are compared in a simile to two lions fighting. The adjective ἐναύλους has been previously interpreted as meaning ‘being in a den cave’ or, alternatively, ‘quarrelling over a den / cave’. A different meaning is here proposed: the lions fight pent up (αὐλή ‘pen, fold’) in the space between the two armies

Europe's first Upper Pleistocene Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) skeleton from the Koněprusy Caves: a hyena cave prey depot site in the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic)

One of the Europe's most complete Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) skeletons from the Konĕprusy Caves, Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic) is an older pathological (hindlimb arthritis) and possibly smaller female individual. Few other cannibalistically scavenged hyena remains of older animals demonstrate a ‘small population’ that used the Main Dome area as a den site, which was marked well by faecal pellets. A large amount of megafauna prey was accumulated, and bones were further damaged or cracked. These hyenas hunted Przewalski horses dominantly, as has been documented all over the Bohemian Karst at several Late Pleistocene hyena den caves. The mammoth was mostly absent, instead the woolly rhinoceros was one of the meat colossi with indestructible bones also found in the Main Dome. These are the best indicators for hyena den sites identifications in general. Those massive bones found are left in repeating damaged ways and mainly as shafts and exposed best with bite marks in the bone spongiosa. Rhinoceros carcass body parts were removed by hyenas from the scavenging sites of the nearby surroundings, which they deported to the ‘prey storage den’-type site in the Main Dome area of the Konĕprusy Caves.

The Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) population and its prey from the Late Pleistocene Teufelskammer Cave hyena den besides the famous Paleolithic Neandertal Cave (NRW, NW Germany)

Remains from at least seven individuals of the Late Pleistocene Ice Age spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) from the Teufelskammer Cave in the Neandertal valley (North Rhine-Westphalia, northwest Germany) are described. The small cave was a well-frequented hyena den of the Early to Middle Late Pleistocene which was only 100 m from the famous small Feldhofer Cave, where the first Neandertal human skeleton was found. The high amount of hyena bone material (37%) and its strongly chewed and incomplete prey remains of the mixed mammoth steppe and boreal forest megafauna prove one more of 11 recently known hyena den caves in the Rhenish Massif. Hyenas and cave bears have used the cave, but Neandertal humans lived possibly not at the same time in the same valley. Although hyenas occupied mainly the smaller caves such as the Teufelskammer Cave, humans preferred large portal cave entrances such as in the Neandertal valley with the Small Feldhofer Cave.

Periodical use of the Balve Cave (NW Germany) as a Late Pleistocene Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) den: Hyena occupations and bone accumulations vs. human Middle Palaeolithic activity

A relatively high amount of hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) remains at the Palaeolithic archaeological cave site Balve Cave (Sauerland Karst, NW Germany) and many chewed prey bones indicate periodic repeated use by hyenas. They reared their cubs and imported many prey remains. Most probably, Ice Age spotted hyenas occupied the Balve Cave for only a few years but at several times, which is sufficient time for a high amount of accumulated bones of any kind of mega mammals, of which the best den indicators are bones of the woolly rhinoceros. Comparisons with incomplete Coelodonta antiquitatis and other megafauna bones at seven other hyena den caves in the Sauerland Karst of northwestern Germany which have no human remains or impact show similar bone assemblages and bone preservation. The separation of human and animal prey remain is only possible in some cases, where cutting or hitting marks on bones can be observed. Generally it seems that humans smashed large mammoth bones into pieces for the use as burning material, resulting in “bone coal” layers. In the Late Pleistocene, fewer cave bears, then hyenas and finally mainly Neanderthalians (Micoqien/Moustérien) used the cave. In the Early to Early Late Weichselian, the first modern humans of the Aurignacien settled at the cave entrance. After the maximum cold period, this site was reused by Late Magdalenians when hyenas were already extinct in northern Europe.

Specialized horse killers in Europe: Foetal horse remains in the Late Pleistocene Srbsko Chlum-Komín Cave hyena den in the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic) and actualistic comparisons to modern African spotted hyenas as zebra hunters

Late Pleistocene spotted hyenas hunted Przewalski horses in spring to early summer, as documented by foetal horse skeleton remains of Equus ferus cf. przewalskii Poljakoff 1881, found between 3569 megamammal bones in the hyena den site Srbsko Chlum-Komín of the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic). The main prey of hyenas Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) was this small horse, well distributed in Central Europe. 51% (NISP = 1.800) of the megafauna in the Srbsko Chlum-Komín Cave are horse bones, consisting of mainly complete and in a few cases cracked and chewed dominantly leg and cranial remains. Carcass body parts must have been imported into the hyena prey storage and cub-raising den cave. Similar high amounts of horse remains and taphonomic situations are reported from other Late Pleistocene hyena den caves in Central Europe, such as Rochelot Cave (France). Den sites indicate an active selected hunt of mainly adult horses. Hyenas left partly articulated legs or complete distal bones and many isolated teeth at their dens, the latter resulting from consumption of the thin-walled horse skulls. In periods of megafauna species abundance, hyenas used mainly the meat leaving only a few chewed or cracked horse bones (Srbsko Cave or Rochelot Cave), whereas in poor feeding times or in cub-raising dens, bone consumption was higher resulting in many fragmented and chewed horse bones (Nad Kačákem Cave, Czech Republic). Whereas African spotted hyenas hunt zebras and even modern donkeys successfully, in comparison to modern spotted hyena dens in Amboseli (Kenya) and Syokimau (Botswana), it seems as if the Ice Age spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea of Europe hunted very similar equine prey, in this case the Przewalski-horse, especially in hilly and mountainous regions, where the largest prey (mammoth and woolly rhino) were rare or absent.

Upper Pleistocene Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) remains from the Bilstein Caves (Sauerland Karst) and contribution to the steppe lion taphonomy, palaeobiology and sexual dimorphism

Remains of the steppe lion Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss) from historical digs in the Bilstein Caves of Warstein (Sauerland, NW Germany) are described. Their age seems to be from the Early Weichselian periods (Upper Pleistocene). Whereas the Bilstein cave was inhabited by cave bears at that time only a few hyena prey remains, were most likely imported into the cave entrance by hyenas. Bite and crush marks on a few bones of Bison priscus, Bos primigenius, Cervus elaphus, a rhinoceros Coelodonta antiquitatis vertebra and even several chewed cave bear bones prove the hyena presence which is similar to other caves in the Sauerland hyena den cave rich region. Additionally some larger wolves subspecies Canis lupus spelaeus bones were found, but only few Crocuta crocuta spelaea remains are present. After taphonomic comparisons to six other hyena and cave bear den caves of northern Germany, this cave can be classified as a cave bear den, which was briefly used by hyenas only for food storage or commuting or cave bear predation site in one part of the Cave. The lion material refers at least to one young adult lioness, one more adult female and two male lions; therefore, at minimum, the remains of four adult individuals are represented. The absence of juvenile lion material, in contrast to cave bear cub remains in the Bilstein Caves, proves that P. leo spelaea did not use this and all other caves in the region to raise their cubs. The bone material from the Bilstein Caves would prove the same hyena-lion antagonism conflict being recently proven for the Perick Caves, Balve Cave or Martins Cave well. Other situations in caves such as the Keppler Cave and the Bilstein Cave initially show the more complex taphonomic situation of lion remains in European caves, especially in cave bear dens, where they seem to have hunted periodically cave bears, such as it is already proven for hyenas in the Sauerland Karst and other caves of Europe.

Steppe lion remains imported by Ice Age spotted hyenas into the Late Pleistocene Perick Caves hyena den in northern Germany

Upper Pleistocene remains of the Ice Age steppe lion Panthera leo spelaea (Goldfuss, 1810) have been found in the Perick Caves, Sauerland Karst, NW Germany. Bones from many hyenas and their imported prey dating from the Lower to Middle Weichselian have also been recovered from the Perick Cave hyena den. These are commonly cracked or exhibit deep chew marks. The absence of lion cub bones, in contrast to hyena and cave bear cub remains in the Perick Caves, and other caves of northern Germany, excludes the possibility that P. leo spelaea used the cave for raising cubs. Only in the Wilhelms Cave was a single skeleton of a cub found in a hyena den. Evidence of the chewing, nibbling and cracking of lion bones and crania must have resulted from the importation and destruction of lion carcasses (4% of the prey fauna). Similar evidence was preserved at other hyena den caves and open air sites in Germany. The bone material from the Perick and other Central European caves points to antagonistic hyena and lion conflicts, similar to clashes of their modern African relatives.

A Noteworthy Hibernation Record of Myotis leibii (Eastern Small-footed Bat) in Massachusetts

A study of the hibernating bats present in select western Massachusetts hibernacula was initiated during the winter of 2005–2006. During the surveys, five state-threatened Myotis leibii (eastern small-footed bats) were observed within one hibernaculum (Bat's Den Cave). These five individuals were the first eastern small-footed bats observed in Massachusetts since 1999, and represent a new county distribution record (Berkshire County).

A Mid-Holocene Fauna from Bear Den Cave, Sequoia National Park, California

Abstract Test excavation of floor fill deposits in the first room in Bear Den Cave, Sequoia National Park, produced fossiliferous sediments down to at least 40 cm depth. Radiocarbon analysis of charcoal from this layer indicates an early-middle Holocene age of 7220 CAL BP. The fossil accumulation represents prey recovered from generations of ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) dung. Microvertebrate remains include salamanders, lizards, snakes, and mammals. The recovery of Aneides ferreus/vagrans from early-middle Holocene deposits in Bear Den Cave is a first for this species group. Equally interesting is the recovery of Plethodon sp. Neither taxa live in the Sierra Nevada today. The fossil-rich deposits of Bear Den Cave indicate that future paleoecological studies will be productive in Sequoia National Park.

Hibernating Indiana Bats (Myotis sodalis) from the Ouachita Mountains of Southeastern Oklahoma

homa by Heath et al. (1986), Stevenson (1986), Saugey et al. (1989), and W. Caire (in litt.) have not yielded this species. On 16 January 1989, a hibernating cluster of seven Indiana bats was discovered in Bear Den Caves, LeFlore Co., Oklahoma. The cluster, composed of both sexes, included a single male Myotis lucifugus and was located about 6 m above the cave floor. Air temperature was 9.50C within a meter of the bats. The cluster was located in a