Saudi Caves Reveal 7 Mummified Cheetahs Up to 1,800 Years Old

Scientists just uncovered something extraordinary in the Saudi Arabian desert: seven cheetahs so perfectly preserved by nature that their bodies remained intact for up to 1,800 years.

Researchers found the mummified remains in caves near Arar, a city in northern Saudi Arabia, along with bones from 54 other cheetahs. The mummies range from 130 to over 1,800 years old, with cloudy eyes and shriveled limbs that tell stories of ancient life in a region where cheetahs haven't been seen in decades.

"It's something that I've never seen before," said Joan Madurell-Malapeira, a professor at the University of Florence who studies ancient mammals. The discovery marks the first time scientists have found naturally mummified cheetahs in such remarkable condition.

The caves' dry air and stable temperatures likely created the perfect conditions for natural mummification, protecting the bodies from decay without any human intervention. Even more remarkably, scavengers like birds and hyenas never disturbed the remains, allowing nature to preserve them completely.

Scientists aren't certain why so many cheetahs gathered in these caves, but the site may have been a den where mothers raised their young over many generations. Ahmed Boug, a researcher with Saudi Arabia's National Center for Wildlife, called the find "entirely without precedent."

Why This Inspires

For the first time ever with naturally mummified big cats, scientists successfully extracted and analyzed DNA from the remains. The genetic information revealed that these ancient Arabian cheetahs were most closely related to modern cheetahs from Asia and northwest Africa.

That genetic roadmap could become a powerful tool for conservation. Cheetahs once roamed across most of Africa and large parts of Asia, but today they survive in just 9% of their historic range due to habitat loss, hunting, and disappearing prey.

The DNA from these perfectly preserved time capsules gives conservationists valuable information for reintroduction programs. Scientists now have a genetic blueprint that could guide efforts to bring cheetahs back to places they once called home, including the Arabian Peninsula.

This discovery shows how the past can light the way forward, turning ancient remains into hope for a species fighting to survive.