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The fearsome species hunted early elephants 30 million years ago (Image: Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology)
Scientists have uncovered an amazing leopard-sized predator that hunted early elephants a whopping 30 million years ago.
The new species was identified following the discovery of a near-complete skull in the Egyptian desert of Fayum, the world's largest petrified forest.
Scientists believe the newly-identified ‘Bastetodon’ - from the Hyaenodonta family - would have been at the head of all carnivores and the food chain. The predator has extremely sharp teeth and powerful jaw muscles.
It is believed that in its heyday the predator would have preyed on primates, early hippos and even early elephants.
Hyaenodontas were important hypercarnivores in Eurasia, Africa and North America during the Oligocene - a geologic epoch that lasted from about 33.9 to 23 million years ago - but declined towards the end of the epoch.
The apex predator bears extremely sharp teeth (Image: Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology)
During its time on earth the ferocious creature would have roamed Fayum Forest which is home to 40 metre high trees that have survived in fossified form for thousands of years.
Fayum Forest contains fossils of trees, marshy plants and aquatic ferns aswell as fossils of whales, elephants, crocodiles and snakes.
Standing as a remnant of a forest that grew 35 million years ago the tall forest is situated in the north of Lake Qaroun in Gabal Qatrani.
The petrified forest is now the location of Jebel Qatrani Open Air Museum which showcases geological artifacts that are millions of years old.
Opening in 2018 the archaeological site offers a look into the country's past by displaying a treasure trove of fossils that tells the fascinating story of the evolution of mammals and primates.
Hyaenodontas were important hypercarnivores (Image: Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology)
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The ferocious creature would have roamed Fayum Forest (Image: Journal of Vertebrate Palaeontology)
Earlier this year there was a wildlife discovery in another part of the world.
A little creature from the hedgehog family, called hylomys macarong, was discovered wondering the wilds of the Greater Mekong region that includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Luckily the ferocious predator is only about five inches long and it also doesn't suck blood, having been given its name Ma cà rồng, which means "vampire" in Vietnamese, because of its long "fang-like" teeth.
And just last week fossil hunter Jack Wonfor, 24, spotted a "stunning" mollusc sticking out of a rock and spent days carving it out with a special tool.
It is believed the fossil, found at St Catherine's Point on the Isle of Wight, is 100 to 105 million years old. Mr Wonfor believes the mollusc he and his 12-year-old cousin Amelie Russel found is only the fourth to be found in this type of rock on the island.
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