Prey deposits and den sites of the Upper Pleistocene hyena Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) in horizontal and vertical caves of the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic)

Abstract

Middle and Upper Pleistocene bone accumulations in caves of the Bohemian Karst, Czech Republic, are newly classified as several types of hyena dens or hyena bone deposits, and cave bear dens. This new taphonomical and paleoecological interpretation of localities that have been known for decades is based on revision of available bone collections, additional field observations at existing localities, and on comparisons with recent spotted hyenas. The thousands of bones from this region, including about seven hundred Pleistocene hyena remains, are strongly fragmented by having been cracked and chewed, consistent with typical hyena activities. The localities can be subdi-vided chronologically as Middle and Upper Pleistocene, or taphonomically as horizontal and vertical caves and karst depressions. Horizontal and vertical caves show contrasting types of bone accumulations. Several vertical cavities were filled in the Middle Pleistocene and contain the remains of <i>Pachycrocuta brevirostris</i> and its prey. This is the case of the areas of Srbsko-Chlum and Koněprusy-Zlatý Kůň Hill. In the Upper Pleistocene, at least eight caves in the Bohemian Karst were used by hyenas of <i>Crocuta crocuta spelaea</i> as dens and prey storage, some of which were also used by cave bears for hibernating. Upper Pleistocene cave bears were scavenged postmortally by Ice Age spotted hyenas at four cave sites, where they left cracked and chewed <i>Ursus spelaeus</i> bones. Hyenas also stored the remains of their prey in the caves. These remains also include rests of other hyenas, which indicates can-nibalism. Fecal pellets were used for marking the den sites. The Nad Kačákem Cave near Hostim is shown to have been a frequented hyena den based on the presence of many 'nibbling sticks' and the remains of juvenile hyena bones. Many hyena skeletons of C. c. spelaea, including juveniles and adults, their coprolites, and the partly cracked bones of their stored prey, were found in vertical caves such as Srbsko-Chlum-Komín. The most spectacu-lar finds are a nearly complete skeleton of the female steppe lion Panthera leo spelaea and an embryo of the Przewalski horse Equus ferus przewalskii. A nearly complete hyena skeleton in the Koněprusy Caves-Prošek Dome is another remarkable find. The most bone-rich localities at Koněprusy-Zlatý Kůň Hill and Srbsko-Chlum Hill are located on, or close to, exposed hill tops, where hyenas had an overview of the surrounding landscape. Statistical analysis of the remains shows that the main animals preyed upon by Upper Pleistocene hyenas were <i>Equus ferus przewalskii</i> and <i>Coelodonta antiquitatis</i>. Additionally, the hyenas fed on <i>Bison priscus</i>, <i>Rangifer tarandus</i>, <i>Cervus elaphus</i>, <i>Megaloceros giganteus</i>, <i>Equus hydruntinus</i>, the Bohemian alpine fauna including <i>Rupricapra rupricapra</i> and <i>Capra ibex</i>, and even the carnivores ...

Upper Pleistocene Gulo Gulo (Linné, 1758) Remains from the Srbsko Chlum-Komin Hyena Den Cave in the Bohemian Karst, Czech Republic, with Comparisons to Contemporary Wolverines

“…Bone fragments generally adhere to bone compacta and spongi- C.G. DIEDRICH AND J.P. COPELAND osa fragments, which are then rounded by stomach acids (Diedrich, 2006;Diedrich and Ž á k, 2006). Such pellets were often trampled, building a phosphatic yellow-to-white layer in the cave sediments.…”

“…Chewing and cracking of bones by hyenas is particularly evident on specimens of woolly rhinoceros and steppe bison, as is evidence of hyena cannibalism ( Diedrich and Ž á k, 2006;Diedrich, 2007). This site was also believed to have been used by common foxes (Vulpes vulpes).…”

“…The Komin contained 3,569 macromammal bones, most notably 350 remains of hyena bones constituting five partial hyena skeletons, including three juveniles, one adult male, and one adult female. Evidence of crushed hyena long bones indicate hyena cub raising and cannibalism as well (Diedrich and Ž á k, 2006). Prey remains consisted of Przewalski horse (Equus ferus przewalskii, including one embryo skeleton), (Diedrich and Zá k, 2006), woolly rhinoceros (Coelodonta antiquitatis), steppe bison (Bison priscus), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), chamoix (Rupricapra rupricapra), ibex (Capra ibex), wolf (Canis lupus), and the herein detailed wolverine material (Gulo gulo) (Fig.…”

“…1) provide sediments and bone rich caves ranging from Middle to Upper Pleistocene (Diedrich and Ž á k, 2006). The most important Upper Pleistocene site in the Bohemian Karst, and arguably in Europe, is the vertical cave Srbsko ChlumKomin (Fig.…”

“…This site provides the largest deposit of hyena-den bone material in Europe. A general overview of the fauna was given by Diedrich and Ž á k, (2006).…”