Bone Eaters: A Look at the Contents of Lion’s Stomachs

This paper demonstrates that most carnivores are not only meat-eaters but also bone-eaters. Hyenids are well known for their durophagous abilities, and digested bone remains are regularly found in Pleistocene cave sites used as dens. However, analyses of the stomach contents of modern lions revealed the presence of bones exhibiting the same digestive characteristics as those observed in hyenas. These observations provide a new taphonomic framework for the analysis and interpretation of Quaternary bone assemblages.