Cheetahs naturally turned into mummies in caves in Saudi Arabia

The extraordinary discovery of the mummified remains of seven cheetahs in Saudi Arabia’s caves marks a significant milestone in paleontological research, being the first naturally mummified big cats ever recorded.

Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) have seen a rapid decline in their populations due to habitat destruction, hunting, and poaching, compounded by the illegal animal trade. Once prevalent across the Arabian peninsula, these majestic animals vanished from the region decades ago. A research team led by Ahmed Boug from the National Center for Wildlife in Riyadh has uncovered the details surrounding these mummified cheetahs, along with the skeletal remains of 54 more, found during excavation of the Lauga cave system in northern Saudi Arabia between 2022 and 2023.

The identified mummies date back approximately 4,000 to 100 years, characterized by the preservation of soft tissues that result from an interrupted decay process.

“This discovery is truly significant,” states Anne Schmidt-Küntzel from the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia. “While mummified felids aren’t entirely unexpected, this finding represents a groundbreaking event.”

According to researchers, the stable temperature and low humidity levels within the caves likely contributed to the mummification process.

It remains a mystery as to why these cheetahs were found in caves, as they are not known to inhabit caves or use them for carcass storage. Interestingly, none of the five caves surveyed showed any sign of a nearby water source.

Most of the remains were concentrated in one cave, which was accessible through a sinkhole. It is hypothesized that the cheetahs may have fallen in and were unable to escape, as indicated by Schmidt-Küntzel. Other animal remains, including wolves, striped hyenas, gazelles, and red foxes, have also been discovered within these caves.

Upon analyzing 20 complete cheetah skulls among the remains, six were confirmed as adult specimens, while the rest ranged between 6 to 24 months old. Additional remains of nine cubs were identified in the primary cave, suggesting possible sheltering behavior from adult females during their nurturing.

Camera traps installed during the excavation revealed that wolves were frequent visitors to these caves, implying that accessibility was present during the time of the cheetahs. This leads to the suggestion that the cheetahs might have intentionally entered these caves.

Although there is only one recognized species of cheetah, four genetically distinct subspecies exist: the southeast African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus jubatus), the northeast African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus soemmeringii), the northwest African cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki), and the Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus), with very few individuals remaining in Iran.

Boug and his team conducted genetic sequencing on three sets of the remains. The analysis indicated that the most recently mummified specimen was closely related to the Asiatic subspecies, consistent with the geographical proximity to Iran — the closest range where cheetah subspecies inhabit. Yet, samples from 3000 and 4000 years ago demonstrated similarities to the northwest African cheetah, suggesting its historical presence in the area.

Schmidt-Küntzel asserts that this work bolsters the hypothesis that various cheetah subspecies could adapt to arid conditions, opening possibilities for reintroducing cheetahs to their former habitats by breeding individuals from more abundant African subspecies.