New Study: Prehistoric Women Hunted like Men

The limestone cave painting, which was found on the island of Sulawesi, depicts hunters chasing wild animals. Reuters
The limestone cave painting, which was found on the island of Sulawesi, depicts hunters chasing wild animals. Reuters
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New Study: Prehistoric Women Hunted like Men

The limestone cave painting, which was found on the island of Sulawesi, depicts hunters chasing wild animals. Reuters
The limestone cave painting, which was found on the island of Sulawesi, depicts hunters chasing wild animals. Reuters

Historians and anthropologists believed for decades that prehistoric men were responsible for hunting, while women formed groups to collect preys. However, two recent studies found that not only did prehistoric women engage in the practice of hunting, but their female anatomy and biology would have made them better suited for it.

According to the Science Daily website, the two studies, which physiologically evaluated prehistoric women based on fossil remains, found that prehistoric females were quite capable of performing the arduous physical task of hunting prey and were likely able to hunt successfully "over prolonged periods of time."

The researchers found that the female body is better suited for endurance activity, "which would have been critical in early hunting because they would have had to run the animals down into exhaustion before actually going in for the kill."

Two huge contributors are the estrogen and adiponectin hormones, which are typically present in higher quantities in female bodies than in male, and play a critical role in enabling the female body to modulate glucose and fat, a function that is key in athletic performance.

Estrogen, in particular, plays a major role in fat metabolism, helps women going longer and can delay fatigue. Researchers added that with the typically wider hip structure of the female, women are able to rotate their hips, which lengthen their steps.

“The longer the steps they take, the less metabolically costly they are, the greater the distance they can travel, and the faster they can go,” they added.

"When you look at human physiology this way, you can think of women as the marathon runners versus men as the powerlifters," said Cara Ocoboc, co-author of the study from the University of Notre Dame.



NEOM Nature Reserve Reintroduces Six Animal Species

NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring - SPA
NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring - SPA
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NEOM Nature Reserve Reintroduces Six Animal Species

NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring - SPA
NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring - SPA

As part of its bold rewilding strategy, NEOM has reintroduced more than 1,100 animals across six species to its expansive Nature Reserve—an important milestone in its broader mission to restore the region’s natural balance. With 95% of the region’s land preserved for nature, NEOM is working to rebuild self-sustaining ecosystems through habitat rehabilitation, species recovery, and cutting-edge ecological monitoring.

According to NEOM, when the Arabian Oryx was first reintroduced into the Nature Reserve in December 2022, it marked a milestone occasion, signifying the first time the animal had walked the sands of north-western Saudi Arabia for nearly 100 years, SPA reported.

In the early 1970s, the Oryx was extinct in the wild due to hunting and poaching, but conservation efforts across the region have seen its numbers swell in recent years, with more than 208 now calling NEOM home. Perfectly adapted to the region’s desert conditions, its white coat reflects the sun, while its complex nasal system cools the air it breathes and conserves water by recycling moisture as it exhales.

Another member of the Bovidae family, Arabian Sand Gazelles are petite, graceful animals that typically reside in sand dunes and coastal flats across the Arabian Peninsula. Gazelles are swift creatures, clocking speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour in short bursts.

They are herbivores, and while NEOM’s regreening initiative continues to develop – with 4.7 million trees, shrubs, and grasses planted to date – the 530 Arabian Sand Gazelles currently residing in the reserve benefit from the natural vegetation that has returned to the area, following the removal of heavy livestock grazing. NEOM is also home to 223 Arabian Gazelles, which are typically darker in color and harder to find, preferring to reside in foothills and rugged mountain terrain.

Desert-dwelling wild goats can be found in NEOM’s rocky, mountainous terrain, and are typically recognized by their impressive arched horns. Males have backward-arched horns that can reach up to one meter in length, while females have much shorter horns and are lighter in color.

They are incredible climbers and have hooves with rubbery soles to act as suction cups on hard surfaces, aiding them in navigating steep cliffs to avoid predators, including wolves. NEOM has successfully reintroduced 53 Nubian Ibex to the reserve, adding to the population of several wild Ibex who have naturally returned to the area and are often caught on camera as part of NEOM’s monitoring program.

The red-necked ostrich, the largest and fastest living bird on earth, can stand up to 2.7 meters tall and weigh more than 150 kilograms. Their eggs are the largest of any living animal, measuring up to 15 centimeters long and up to 1.4 kilograms in weight. The bird gets its namesake from the fact that males have a reddish hue on their neck, especially in breeding season, when they perform an elaborate courtship display to attract females.

Currently, 27 chicks have been raised in NEOM Nature Reserve, which are well adapted to the region’s climate and feed on seeds, grass, leaves, and occasionally small insects or animals. Their strong legs allow them to run up to 70 kilometers per hour and, despite their size, red-necked ostriches are flightless.

Furthermore, the Lanner Falcon, last spotted in the wild in Saudi Arabia more than four decades ago, was reintroduced to NEOM Nature Reserve earlier this year in a momentous occasion. Known for its speed and agility, the Lanner Falcon can dive at speeds of more than 320 kilometers per hour. It has a striking appearance, with dark markings on its chest and belly, and a distinctive black moustache mark across its white face.

The release of Lanner Falcons into Bajdah at NEOM Nature Reserve forms part of a rewilding partnership between NEOM and the Saudi Falcon Club (SFC), which aims to reintroduce native falcon species within the Kingdom.