Scientists link Great Sphinx of Giza to crocodile find on 7 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 02:39 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- A new crocodile species linked to the Great Sphinx of Giza was reported on 7 October 2026.
- Researchers identified Herugavialis cairensis from fossils found in the 45-million-year-old Mokattam Formation.
- The Great Sphinx of Giza is a limestone monument in Giza, Egypt, measuring about 73.5 metres long and 20 metres high.
A new crocodile species linked to the Great Sphinx of Giza was reported on 7 October 2026, connecting Egypt's best-known ancient monument with a fossil from the same geological formation. The finding concerns research rather than a change to the visitor route or the monument's condition.
New crocodile species linked to the Sphinx on 7 October
Researchers named the animal Herugavialis cairensis after examining fossils discovered in Egypt's 45-million-year-old Mokattam Formation. The formation is the same rock unit from which the monument was carved. The fossils were found in the 1920s, but a new analysis led to the classification of a previously unrecognised genus and species.
Computed tomography scanning allowed the international team to examine the inside of a nearly complete skull without damaging it. The study identified anatomical differences from Tomistoma schlegelii, also known as the false gharial, including a raised ridge around the eyes. UCL's account of the finding says the research team included scientists from the UK, Sweden, Germany and Egypt.
The new species was a gavial, a long-snouted, fish-eating crocodilian. About 45 million years ago, shallow marine environments covered parts of what is now northern Egypt, and the research indicates that at least two other gavial species lived in the same broader region.
The fossil connection reflects the monument's geology
The link to the Great Sphinx of Giza is geological rather than biological. The crocodile fossil and the monument are separated by tens of millions of years, but both are associated with the Mokattam Formation and its ancient limestone. The skull also lacks the tip of its snout, a feature that helped inspire the animal's name after Heru, an Egyptian deity associated by the researchers with the monument.
The statue stands in Giza city beside the pyramids. Egypt's official landmark description identifies it as a Fourth Dynasty limestone sculpture with a lion's body and a human head. The same account gives its length as about 73.5 metres, its width as 19.3 metres and its height as about 20 metres, and places it near the Valley Temple of Khafre. These details provide the physical setting for the research story: a monument carved from rock that once formed part of a much older marine environment. Egypt's official landmark account records the site's location and dimensions.
What the October finding means for the Giza visit
The research adds palaeontological context to a visit centred on an ancient monument. It does not announce a reopening, closure, new entrance or altered viewing area, so the report itself changes no stated access arrangement. Its practical value is the explanation of why the stone beneath the statue can also appear in a story about prehistoric crocodiles.
Visiting Great Sphinx of Giza: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The research finding was reported on 7 October 2026. It concerns Herugavialis cairensis and the Mokattam Formation, not a performance or a special programme at the site.
- The report does not state a closure or a change to access at the Great Sphinx of Giza. It describes the monument's geological connection with a newly classified crocodile species.
- The monument is in Giza, Egypt, beside the pyramids and near the Valley Temple of Khafre. The official description places the sculpture in Giza city.
- The limestone statue is about 73.5 metres long, 19.3 metres wide and 20 metres high. It has a lion's body, a human head and an east-facing orientation.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Great Sphinx of Giza
When was the crocodile finding linked to Great Sphinx of Giza reported?
The finding was reported on 7 October 2026, when researchers described Herugavialis cairensis from fossils in the Mokattam Formation.
What is Great Sphinx of Giza?
It is a limestone sculpture in Giza, Egypt, with a lion's body and a human head. The statue is about 73.5 metres long and 20 metres high.
Where is Great Sphinx of Giza and how do you get there?
It stands on the Giza Plateau beside the pyramids and near the Valley Temple of Khafre. The official landmark description places it in Giza city.
