Hyena and wolf sizes. Spotted hyena. Description, habitat. Distribution of the striped hyena
The hyena family includes only 4 species. Of these, the so-called earthen wolf is so peculiar that it stands out in a special subfamily. In appearance, hyenas are similar to dogs, but phylogenetically closer to viverrids, constituting one of the branches of their evolutionary development. The mentioned earthen wolf in a number of respects represents, as it were, an intermediate form between hyenas and viverras, and in German is sometimes called the civet hyena.
Hyenas are quite large animals, reaching a length (including tail) of 1.9 m and a mass of up to 80 kg. They have a strong, relatively short body, much higher in the front. The head is massive, in most species with powerful jaws. The legs are strong, somewhat curved. The forelimbs are longer than the hind ones. The hyenas themselves have 4 fingers on both pairs of paws, and the earthen wolf has 5 fingers on the front. The claws are long, but blunt, convenient for digging. The tail is not long, shaggy. The coat is coarse, shaggy, on the ridge in the form of a long standing mane. The general color tone is dirty, yellowish-gray or brown with a striped or spotted pattern on the whole body or only on the legs. The skull is relatively large, in most species (with the exception of the earthwolf) with extremely powerfully developed jaws, zygomatic arches, crests and large teeth adapted to crushing the thickest bones. Dental formula:
Hyenas live in the deserts, semi-deserts and foothills of Africa, Western, Central and South Asia, as well as in the Transcaucasus. Actually hyenas are adapted to feeding on carrion and the meat of large animals, the earthen wolf mainly feeds on insects.
Aardwolf(Proteles cristatus) is the smallest species of the hyena family. In length, his body is 55-80 cm, tail - 20-30 cm. His physique is noticeably weaker than that of real hyenas. The coat consists of a long coarse awn and a sparse, soft undercoat. A tall standing mane stretches along the ridge. The tail is shaggy, in black streaks. The coloration is generally yellowish-gray with black transverse stripes on the body and legs, the ends of which are black. In connection with the peculiarities of nutrition, the jaws are weak, molars with small tubercles, rarely located, and only fangs are sharp and relatively strong.
The earthwolf is distributed in East and South Africa, but in the region of Southern Rhodesia and Tanzania the range is broken. Everywhere it is very rare and therefore is under special international protection. The earthwolf is most common on open sandy plains and in thickets of bushes. It keeps alone, but is often observed in pairs and family groups of 5-6 individuals. It is active at night, and during the day it hides in shelters in the ground, usually in old aardvark burrows. This predator does not know how to run fast. An important means of protection for him are the secretions of the anal glands, which, according to some naturalists, are no less effective than those of the skunk. The earthwolf, unlike real hyenas, does not feed on carrion, but on termites and other insects and their larvae, in particular dead-eating beetles, which it collects on the corpses of animals. Sometimes it catches gerbils, digging them out of their holes, as well as other small rodents, birds, eats their eggs and even occasionally kidnaps chickens and lambs. Cubs (2-4) gives birth and brings up in holes. In the south of the range, they appear in November-December.
The next two species belong to the genus striped hyenas (Hyaena).
striped hyena(N. hyaena) is the only representative of the family in the fauna of the Soviet Union. Her appearance is typical of hyenas.
and does not allow confusion with any other animal. The body is 90-120 cm long, the tail is about 30 cm, and the weight is 27-54 kg. The height of the front part of a rather short body is emphasized by a mane of coarse coarse hair up to 30 cm long. The neck is relatively long and strong. The head is massive, with large, wide, pointed ears. The legs are strong, curved, the front legs are longer than the hind legs. On the move, the hyena lowers its backside even more, as if dragging it. Dirty gray with transverse black or brown stripes, the colors harmonize well with the dull color of the surrounding landscape. The structure of the powerful skull is typical for the family. The dentition is characterized by huge predatory teeth and thick fangs.
Distribution in the USSR is limited to lowland semi-desert regions of Eastern Georgia and Azerbaijan and the deserts of Turkmenistan, southern Uzbekistan, and southern Tajikistan. Basically, the range is confined to North and Northeast Africa, Western, Minor and Central Asia to the coast of the Bay of Bengal.
The habitats of the striped hyena are mainly clay deserts and rocky foothills, occasionally tugai. During the day it hides in niches, caves, extensive crevices, less often in burrows. Sometimes shelters of several individuals are located close to each other. At night, the hyena comes out to feed, mainly in search of carrion. Thanks to powerful jaws and teeth, it is able to gnaw through the largest bones that are inaccessible to other animals. Often swallows meat along with bones. Sometimes it attacks live animals, including small livestock. Probably, to quench his thirst, he eats melons and watermelons on melons.
In the north of the range, mating occurs in January-February, and in hotter countries it is not confined to a specific season. A similar picture occurs in zoological gardens, where females can bring 3 litters throughout the year. Pregnancy takes 90 days. There are 2-4 cubs in a litter. After 7-8 days they begin to see clearly. Apparently, both parents are involved in their upbringing, although in captivity, males can destroy offspring. Young reach puberty at the 3-4th year.
brown hyena(N. brunnea) noticeably smaller than the striped one, its coat is longer, of a uniform brown color, the stripes are only on the legs. The mane is not standing, but hanging, light, contrasting with the rest of the dark color.
The brown hyena is found in South Africa, mainly on the coasts. This animal is very rare, solitary. On the shores, she eats the corpses of all kinds of marine animals from fish to whales thrown out by the waves. Sometimes the brown hyena attacks small live animals, including poultry, which is why it is persecuted by farmers. The duration of pregnancy and the size of the brood are the same as in the previous species. Interestingly, dark stripes are clearly visible on the gray fur covering the body of newborns.
spotted hyena(Crocuta crocuta) to the greatest extent embodied in the structure of the body and habits the features characteristic of hyenas. It is larger and more powerful than all other species. In length, her body is 128-166 cm, tail - 26-33 cm, weight from 59 to 82 kg. Dark brown or black round spots are scattered over the yellowish-gray background of her coarse coat. In addition to color and large size, the spotted hyena differs from the striped hyena in shorter ears with rounded ends.
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The spotted hyena is found throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. Its habitats are similar to those described for the striped hyena. For the well-being of the hyena, the abundance of ungulates is important, the corpses of which form the basis of its nutrition. It is active at night, but often wanders during the day. She finds shelter in pits, caves, dense thickets. Spotted hyenas often gather in packs. Their behavior combines caution and even cowardice with insolence and aggressiveness. Hungry animals are dangerous even for large animals (up to old lions), especially since they have great strength, are ferocious and are able to run fast (up to 65 km / h). Going hunting, hyenas emit a variety of unpleasant sounds, like howling, wild laughter, etc.
The spotted hyena is a typical corpse-eater: carrion is its main food. However, often hyenas themselves attack antelopes and other animals.
Spotted hyenas feed in certain areas where 10 to 100 individuals live. They form, as it were, a single clan, actively guarding their territory. Along with such sedentary groups, there are animals that follow the migrating wildebeest, and also make long trips (up to 80 km) in search of food.
Females are able to breed throughout the year, while males are sexually active seasonally. The gestation period is approximately 110 days. There are only 1-3 puppies in the brood. According to some recent observations at the zoo, they are born already sighted, hear well, move quite actively, weighing 1.6 kg, and after 100 days reach a mass of 14.5 kg.
Animal life: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by professors N.A. Gladkov, A.V. Mikheev. 1970 .
People have always disliked hyenas, considering them ugly, cowardly and sinister creatures. However, these accusations are unfair. In fact, hyenas are unusually interesting and intelligent animals with an amazing social organization.
Hyenas (Huaenidae) are a predator family of mammals. They are distributed in the semi-deserts, steppes and savannas of Africa, Arabia, India and Western Asia.
The family unites only 4 species of hyenas in 4 genera. Let's get to know them better.
Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena)
This species is found in North Africa, on the Arabian Peninsula and in the border regions of Asia.
The hair of the striped hyena is long, from light gray to beige. On the body there are from 5 to 9 vertical stripes, on the throat there is a black spot.
Brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea)
The brown (coastal) hyena is common in South Africa and southern Angola. Most often it can be found along the western coast of Namibia. Inhabits semi-deserts and open savannahs. It avoids those places where its brothers hunt - spotted hyenas, since the latter are much larger and stronger.
The coat is shaggy, black-brown in color, while the neck and shoulders are lighter. The limbs have white horizontal stripes.
Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta)
Found in sub-Saharan Africa except in the rainforests of the Congo Basin and the extreme south.
The coat is short, sandy, red or brown. There are dark spots on the back, sides, sacrum and limbs.
In this species, the external genitalia of males and females are difficult to distinguish, hence the myth that these animals are hermaphrodites.
Earthwolf (Proteles cristatus)
The earthen wolf, classified as a hyena, lives in South and East Africa.
It feeds exclusively on insects, licking them from the ground with a long, wide tongue. More information about this species can be found in the article.
External features
Outwardly, hyenas resemble dogs with a large head and a powerful body. Distinctive features are long forelimbs, a relatively long neck and a hanging back.
The body length of animals, depending on the species, is 0.9-1.8 meters, weight - 8-60 kg. The smallest species is the earth wolf, the largest is the spotted hyena.
The structure of the body eloquently speaks of adaptability to feeding on carrion. The front of the body is more powerful than the back, which is why the hyena has a characteristic sloping back. With elongated forelimbs, the beast tightly presses the carcass to the ground. Strong jaws and teeth, as well as powerful chewing and neck muscles, help the animal, like a secateurs, cut meat and crush bones, extracting a nutritious brain from them.
Lifestyle
Hyenas are active mainly at dusk and at night. Very strong jaws and teeth, an efficient digestive system, and the ability to travel long distances make hyenas successful scavengers.
Food and hunting
The carcasses of dead animals form the basis of the diet of brown and striped hyenas. They supplement their menu with invertebrates, wild fruits, eggs, and occasionally small animals that they manage to kill.
Spotted hyenas are not only effective scavengers, but also good hunters. They are capable of chasing prey at a speed of 60 km/h, while covering a distance of up to 3 km. They usually hunt young large antelopes (oryx, wildebeest). They can cope with an adult zebra, and often with a buffalo.
Spotted hyenas often hide food in silty water bodies. If they are hungry, they return to their hiding places.
Hyenas have an unusually well-developed sense of smell: they can smell the smell of decaying meat located a few kilometers away.
Earthwolves in terms of nutrition are fundamentally different from their relatives. The basis of their diet is termites and insect larvae.
Interestingly, termites try to defend themselves by splashing with a burning substance, but there is no control over the earthen wolf. Its bare nose is so dense that insects cannot bite through it.
Brown hyenas prefer to hunt alone; their spotted relatives often form groups.
Since carrion is easy to find by smell, brown hyenas do not need to search for food in common. In addition, the amount of food that they get is usually only enough for one individual, so the collective search for food would lead to competition between individuals.
The collective hunting strategy of spotted hyenas can be explained by the greater likelihood of success when the efforts of group members are combined. In addition, a large victim, which they can get together, allows you to feed many animals at the same time.
In the photo: spotted hyenas gathered near the carcass of an antelope. Group eating is often accompanied by very loud noise, but rarely by serious contractions. Each animal can eat up to 15 kg of meat in one sitting!
Family life
All types of hyenas, except for the earthen wolf, live in groups (clans). Clan members occupy a common territory and jointly protect it from neighbors.
The spotted hyena clan is dominated by females, and even the highest-ranking males are subordinate to the lowest-ranking females. Males leave their native clan, being on the threshold of maturity. They join a new group and gradually rise up the hierarchical ladder in order to gain the right to participate in reproduction. Females tend to remain in the maternal clan and inherit their mother's rank.
In brown hyenas, clans are built somewhat differently. Some males and females leave their home group during adolescence, others remain in it for a long time, sometimes for life. Males who have left their native family join another clan or lead a wandering lifestyle.
The sizes of clans vary both in different species and within one species, depending on environmental conditions. The most numerous families are usually in spotted hyenas: they sometimes have more than 80 individuals.
In brown hyenas, a clan can only consist of a female and her cubs of the last litter.
The size of the territory occupied by the clan also varies considerably, but it is usually determined by the abundance of food resources. For example, in the Ngorongoro Crater, wildebeest and zebra population density allows a large clan to exist in a small area. And in the arid climate of the Kalahari, where hyenas often have to cover a distance of 50 km in search of prey, the territory occupied by the group is much larger.
Communication
The social systems of hyenas are extremely complex.
First, animals have an effective system of communication at a distance using smells. A distinctive feature of all hyenas is the presence of an anal sac, which they use for a unique type of scent marking. It's called "smearing". Striped and spotted hyenas produce a thick sticky secret of one species, their brown relatives produce a fat white secret and a secret in the form of a black sticky mass. The animal touches the grass stalk with its anal gland and passes it along the stalk, moving forward, leaving a mark. There can be up to 15 thousand marked points on one site, so border violators immediately understand that the owner is in place.
Secondly, hyenas perform elaborate greeting ceremonies. During such a ritual, in brown and striped species, the hair on the back stands on end, the animals sniff each other's head, body and anal sac. Then there is a ritual fight, during which the dominant individual often bites, holds and shakes the neck and throat of the animal that occupies a subordinate position. In spotted hyenas, the ceremony involves mutual sniffing and licking of the genital area.
What sounds do hyenas make?
Hyenas hoot, shrill screams and strange giggling sounds. Signals perceived by a person as hooting are transmitted over several kilometers. With the help of them, hyenas communicate over a long distance. Animals repeat such signals several times, which helps to establish their location, and the signal of each individual has individual characteristics.
Some of the acoustic signals emitted by hyenas can only be heard by a person with the help of an amplifier and headphones.
Procreation and raising offspring
There is no specific breeding season for hyenas. Females do not mate with related males, which avoids degeneration. Numerous males roam the deserts and savannahs alone. Having met the female during her short estrus, the male fertilizes her, and she returns to her family. Pregnancy lasts approximately 90 days, after which 1 to 5 babies are born.
Unlike other predatory mammals, in spotted hyenas, cubs are born sighted and with teeth already erupted. Babies of the same litter are involved in aggressive interactions almost from birth, as a result, a clear hierarchy quickly develops between them, and this allows the dominant cub to control access to mother's milk. Sometimes aggression leads to the death of his weaker counterpart.
Hyenas of all kinds keep their cubs in shelters, which are a system of underground burrows. Here, young individuals can stay up to 18 months. Females of the same clan usually keep their young in a large common burrow.
Different types of hyenas raise their children in different ways. Spotted ones begin to feed them with meat only from the age of nine months, when the younger generation is already able to accompany their mother on the hunt. Up to this point, they are completely dependent on mother's milk.
Brown hyenas also feed their offspring with milk for more than a year, but from the age of three months the diet of the cubs is supplemented with food brought to the shelter by parents and other members of the clan.
Pictured is a spotted hyena with a cub.
All members of the family union take part in the upbringing of the younger generation.
hyena and man
There are no endangered species among hyenas, however, several populations are threatened. And the blame for everything is persecution by a person, caused by prejudice and a negative attitude towards these animals. In North Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, striped hyenas are considered grave defilers. The disgust of people towards them reaches such an extent that they are poisoned with poisons and caught in traps.
The fact that hyenas eat carrion also pushes people away from them. However, do not forget that brown and striped hyenas are actually a natural waste processing system.
The fate of brown hyenas is not as sad as striped hyenas, as farmers in the southern part of their African habitat are gradually changing their attitude towards them. This species is also protected in a number of reserves and national parks.
The spotted hyena often comes into conflict with the local population, as it attacks livestock. The status of this species is defined by the IUCN as "Low Threat: Needs Protection". However, the species is fairly common in many large national parks and other protected areas in East and South Africa.
The status of other species is “Low Threat: Not of Concern”.
In contact with
Hyenas- this is a small detachment of predatory mammals, there are 4 species in it: brown, spotted and striped hyenas, as well as an earthen wolf.
Outwardly, hyenas resemble dogs, once they were even considered their relatives. The body length of these animals is from 50 cm to 1.5 meters, weight is from 10 to 80 kg. They have a large head and a wide mouth with jaws that create tremendous pressure. Short hind legs, in contrast to the front legs, when moving, create the appearance of constant squats. Strong paws with blunt claws, short and shaggy tail. And with their tail they show their social status: raised up means high, but if lowered, respectively, low. The spotted hyena has short hair, while others have long hair. Also, hyenas have a rather specific unpleasant smell.
Their coloration is also different: in a striped hyena, the color can vary from light to gray-brown, with black stripes, spotted - brownish-yellow with black spots, an earthen wolf and a brown hyena of a single-color brown color.
Male hyenas are smaller than females. Hyenas are also the most caring mothers among predators, they feed their cub with milk right up to 20 months. Pregnancy in hyenas lasts about 100 days and 1-3 cubs are born. Cubs are born with open eyes, one-color - black and live in a den, which their mother independently equips, up to 1 year, and then they go hunting with their mother.
It is the females who dominate in the flocks of hyenas and it is they who decide from whom they will have offspring, and they choose those who are higher in status. And the one who is lower in status has months or even years to wait for the favor of the female, but in the case when he still gets it, his importance in the pack will also increase. When the female walks past the male, the male lowers his head and ears, as if bowing to her.
All species are found in Africa, but the striped one can also be encountered in Asia. As a habitat, they choose open areas (steppes, etc.).
In packs (6-100 individuals), only brown and spotted hyenas live, and striped and earthen wolves choose loneliness. In their packs there is a distinct hierarchy, where each has its own position, females have a higher status than males. An experienced female rules. They contact each other with the help of various sounds, not very pleasant, a combination of howling, roaring and laughter. They prefer to hunt at night, but spotted hyenas are also active during the day.
Hyenas are very cheeky, but at the same time very cowardly. Everyone thinks that they are scavengers, but this is also not entirely true. They hunt in packs and eat carrion only in times of famine. Moreover, if any of the animals tries to take their prey from them, they will all fight back together. Spotted hyenas are one of the strongest predators in Africa, they are able to reach speeds of up to 61 km/h. In a flock, they are able to cope with such large animals as: zebra, giraffe, antelope, buffalo, but also, on occasion, they can kill a lion if it is young (inexperienced), wounded or old. Another bad quality of hyenas is that during the eating period they do not kill their prey, but eat it alive.
The savannah belt is the name given to the vast areas of the African savannas covered with a carpet of grasses. This herbal kingdom stretches across the entire continent - from the south of the Sahara, further Niger, Mali, Sudan, Chad, also Tanzania and Kenya.
Savannahs are comfortable for African animals, one of such interesting species are wild animals hyenas. Hyenas settle in open desert spaces, on the edges of forests near paths and roads. Of the vegetation in the savannah, sometimes there are shrubs and rarely single trees.
The climate here is subequatorial. The year is divided into two seasons - dry and rainy. It looks interesting in pictures from space. From above, you can clearly see the relief of this continent - the territories of deserts and evergreen rainforests occupy the most. And in the center, the savannah is wide spread, full of free wind, grasses and infrequently found lonely trees.
Scientists have established that the African savanna formed about seven million years ago, this is proof that the savanna is a young zonal type. The life of plants and animals of the savannas is directly dependent on the weather of these places.
The nature and lifestyle of the hyena
For many, the hyena causes negative emotions. Such people are sure that the hyena is an evil creature that feeds only on carrion and kills innocent victims. But, the hyena is not meaner and not more insidious than other wild predators.
Previously, the hyena was classified as a canine. But hyenas are closer to cats, or - a suborder of felines. Her lifestyle is similar to that of a dog, maybe earlier, which is why hyenas were considered dogs.
One of the breeds is spotted, this hyena - an animal of Africa. Of their relatives hyenas - striped, brown, earthen wolf, African is the largest. In terms of size, the spotted hyena is in third place in the list of predatory animals in Africa.
African animal world - lions, hyenas is not limited to these formidable predators. The rival of hyenas are hyena dogs. Skirmishes often occur between these two clans - those in whose pack there are more individuals win.
Hyenas are amazing not only in the physiology of the body and way of life. Weird and scary hyena animal sounds scare people even today. These unattractive-looking animals can emit rather peculiar vocal trills, moreover, accompanying various actions.
So, for example, a big and hearty dinner is resounded with sounds resembling evil human laughter. In the old days, people called this laughter demonic, and the hyena itself was called a servant of hell.
It serves as a signal to them that hyenas are nearby, who have a lot of food. Sometimes lions take prey from hyenas, and hyenas eat what they had time to eat. Animals of the savanna - hyenas always more comfortable in non-hot open spaces. They mark their territory with feces or odorous secretions.
Pictured spotted hyena
So that none of the enemies or unfamiliar hyenas dare to invade the marked territory. , who own this place, expose someone from their flock specifically for protection.
hyena animals, periodically, leave from one place to another in order to search for more food. The lifestyle of hyenas, as a rule, is nocturnal, but during the day they rest after long journeys or hunting.
The front legs of this wild hyena predator are longer than the hind legs, so it looks like a rather clumsy creature. But, this is a hardy animal that develops great speed and is able to run long distances. On the paws of spotted hyenas, there are endocrine glands, where a specific smell is produced, unique for each individual.
Pictured is a striped hyena
Hyenas, in fact, are not disgusting, not insensitive, and not ugly. Eating carrion, and hunting well, the hyena is not only a nurse, but also maintains a balance among.
Hyena food
The main and most commonly used in food are ungulates hunted -, gazelles, bison, and maybe buffaloes. Sometimes, hyena wild animals they can even feast on the cub of a larger animal.
Animal corpses are also included in the hyena's lunch diet, but more nutrients enter the body from the caught prey. Be that as it may, it is not in vain that the hyena is distinguished by cowardice.
Hyenas are also impudent - there are times when one of the owners leaves the animals for a while, the prey they have caught unattended, the hyena will try to steal it.
Such a solitary thief can drive away even a fragile physique compared to a hyena cheetah, but when hyenas gather in a flock, it is almost impossible to cope with them alone.
Hyenas often attack sick and old animals, even lions. These cunning and not very brave predators also feed on small mammals, birds, reptiles, as well as their eggs.
And, of course, the remains of the food of other carnivores. The amazing work of digestion is arranged in such a way that hyena wild animals they can grind and assimilate bones, hooves, and wool.
Reproduction and lifespan
In order to engage in fertilization with the subsequent conception of offspring, females are ready to mate every two weeks during the year. The males are seasonal.
Hyena males must first fight among themselves for a female. And, then, lowering his tail and head, meekly approach her and, if she allows her to do her job. Hyena pregnancy lasts 110 days.
Hyenas are born from one to three puppies. In hyena - mother cubs are born in holes - their own or borrowed from one of the small animals, "converted" to their liking.
Often, from such a hole, a kind of “kind of a house” is obtained, when several hyenas with newborn hyenas live in one hole at once. But hyena babies recognize their mother's voice, never making a mistake. Newborn hyena cubs are more developed than cubs, for example, cats or dogs. Hyena babies are born with open eyes, they weigh about two kg.
But the mother hyena, despite the fact that her children are already quite well developed at birth, continues to feed them with milk for about a year and a half. Hyena cubs have no other food, at this age, except for mother's milk. she does not regurgitate her food for them. And, at the same time, every mother feeds only her puppies. Small hyena cubs have brown hair.
Pictured is a hyena cub
As babies grow older, their coat color also changes. When the kids grow up, they will occupy the same status in the pack as their parents - by inheritance. The average life expectancy of hyenas is 12 years. But, in general, hyenas are easy to train, and if they consider a person their friend, having got used to him and falling in love, they will always love a friend!
In Africa, an inexperienced traveler faces numerous dangers at every turn. This continent is inhabited by various animals, which are better not to meet alone. These are not only lions, crocodiles, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos, elephants, but also hyenas. At night, these flocking predators become more active, and woe to the traveler who did not have time to make a big fire and stock up on firewood for the whole night.
The spotted hyena is the largest representative of carrion mammals. It embodies to the greatest extent all the habits, features and structure characteristic of this species. The body length of the spotted hyena is from 95 to 166 cm, the tail is from 26 to 36 cm, and the height of the withers is about 80 cm.
Although this species is relatively small, it is dangerous for humans, especially in a flock. These are very ferocious predators. Spotted hyenas are the only mammals whose jaws are capable of creating tremendous pressure (from 50 to 70 kg per sq. cm). They easily gnaw the bones of a hippopotamus. Spotted hyenas are listed in the Red Book. They live in natural conditions up to 25 years, in captivity - up to forty.
Spotted Hyena Habitat - Wild Africa
This type of predator can only be found in Africa. The most common habitat for spotted hyenas is the entire area south of the Sahara. This is mainly the south and east of Africa, next to the Ngorongoro Crater, in Kenya, the Serengeti, Botswana and Namibia.
Wild Africa is rich in desert and jungle, but spotted hyenas are not found there. Their favorite places to live are savannahs. These animals are not very friendly with other representatives of their species, therefore, striped and brown hyenas are often driven out of their inhabited places.
What does a spotted hyena look like?
Representatives of this species have a wide black muzzle, resembling a dog, with rounded ears. Spotted hyenas have very powerful jaws, a sloping back, and hind legs shorter than the front ones. Despite the uneven height of the legs, hyenas are able to reach speeds of up to 65 km / h. The limbs of predators are four-fingered, the claws are not retractable. When running, hyenas step on their toes. The coat of animals is short, except for coarse hair on the back and neck, which form a mane.
Color
The spotted hyena has several color options. It can be dark or light. Coat color - yellow-brown with dark or light brown spots on the body. The muzzle is black, on the back of the head it has a reddish tint. Head brown, without spots. The limbs of the legs are tinged with grey. The tail is brown with a black tip.
Voice
The spotted hyena emits up to 11 different lingering howls, more like "laughter", these animals use to communicate with each other. During fights for prey, they "giggle", "laugh", growl and shout. Moans and squeals are used to greet.
Interestingly, the flock rarely or late reacts to the sounds of males, and immediately to the signals given by females. A low growl and grunting sounds (with the mouth closed) express aggression. A high-pitched, cackling-like "laughter" is made when agitated or in danger (such as when a hyena is being chased). Predators use a loud and deep vibrating growl before attacking and defending as a threat. When a lion appears, the hyena signals to its brethren with a loud, low growl.
Hierarchy in flocks
Wild hyenas live in matriarchal clans, in areas up to 1800 square meters. km. In flocks there is a rigid hierarchy. Females dominate the opposite sex. However, there is an additional division between them. Adults are considered in charge. They are the first to start eating, rest at the entrance to the den, grow more offspring. Females with a lower position in the pack do not receive such privileges, but belong to the middle of the hierarchy.
Males occupy the lowest rung. At the same time, they also have a similar division. High-ranking individuals have priority access to females. Nevertheless, all demonstrate a general submissiveness to the other sex. For breeding, males often join new flocks.
Among spotted hyenas, inter-clan wars for habitat constantly occur. The boundaries of the territory are constantly patrolled by these predators and are demarcated by feces, as well as anal secretions of odorous glands. The number of one clan can reach from 10 to 100 individuals.
Sex organs
The spotted hyena has unique genitalia. All females have an organ in the form of a penis. Only an experienced specialist can distinguish the gender of these animals. The female genitalia resemble those of the male. The clitoris is very similar to the penis. Below it is the scrotum. The urogenital canal passes through the clitoris.
Enemies of spotted hyenas
These predators have "eternal" rivals. Lions and hyenas are constantly competing. This struggle takes sometimes cruel forms. Hyenas love to attack small lion cubs and often kill old and sick adults. In response, the lions destroy the hyenas. The war between predators is also for food. Lions and hyenas often chase each other away from their prey. The victory goes to the more numerous "detachment".
What can hyenas eat? Wildlife has created unique "orderlies". These predators are capable of assimilating everything - skin, bones, hooves, horns, teeth, wool and feces. All this is digested in the stomach during the day. These predators also feed on dead animals that are almost completely decomposed.
However, 50% of the diet of spotted hyenas are the corpses of ungulates (rhinos, zebras, gazelles, antelopes, etc.). Predators often pursue sick and old animals. They also feed on hares, porcupines, gazelles, warthogs and many other animals. For example, a pack of hyenas can even attack such giants as a giraffe, a rhinoceros and a hippopotamus.
Hunting
These predators retain a reputation for being cowardly, but this is far from being the case. According to numerous studies, hyenas are excellent hunters that excel lions in this art. These scavengers are most active at night. In search of food, hyenas travel long distances - up to 70 kilometers in one day. During the day, they hunt less often, preferring to rest in the shade or lie in the water in shallow water.
The hunting of hyenas consists in exhausting the prey with a long run. These predators can run a huge distance. When they overtake prey, they gnaw through the main blood arteries on their paws. Hyenas do not strangle their victims, like many other predators, but begin to tear the still living flesh.
Hunting is different. They go out to a medium-sized gazelle singly, to antelopes - in small groups of 3 to 4 individuals. When hunting, they make different sounds, but more often - “laughter”, turning into a drawn-out howl.
Thanks to their excellent sense of smell, African hyenas are able to smell carrion at a distance of over 4 kilometers. They use sight and hearing to hunt. Despite the eternal war with lions, hyenas will not be able to take their prey if there is an adult healthy male in the enemy camp.
The spotted African predator is an amazing animal. The hyena has a certain cowardice in its habits, which can best be called caution. She is very aggressive and cheeky. If the hyena is hungry, it is able to bite even large animals. In hunting, he tries to use his huge jaw strength, fast running and ferocity. A hungry hyena can also attack people. At the same time, she is so strong that she can carry away the human body at a gallop with ease and alone.
reproduction
To breed, the spotted hyena uses the burrows of other animals or small caves. Cubs, despite its aggressiveness, she does not eat. Increased viciousness is due to the high content of the hormone androgen. But this quality is given by nature to protect offspring, so that females can protect and feed their cubs, which reach puberty only by 3 years.
Offspring appear before the start of the rainy season. Females bear cubs for approximately 100 days. One litter can contain up to four babies at the same time. They are born already sighted and with good hearing. After 3 months, the babies already weigh over 14 kg.
If the cubs are same-sex, then almost immediately after birth, a struggle to the death begins between them. Spotted hyenas feed their offspring with milk for more than a year, but nevertheless, this does not prevent the young from starting to hunt and eat fully from the first months of life.
The benefits of hyenas in nature
These animals occupy one of the main places in maintaining the savannah ecosystem. These are natural "nurses". They kill nearly 12% of the Serengetti each year, allowing herbivores to keep their species' density within reasonable limits. Basically, old or sick animals fall into the teeth of spotted hyenas.