Hyena

Hyenas
Spotted Hyena
Conservation status
Template:StatusVulnerable
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Carnivora
Family:	Hyaenidae Gray, 1821
Genera
Crocuta Hyaena Parahyaena Proteles

This article is about animal species. For the characters from The Lion King see Shenzi, Banzai and Ed.

Hyenas (or Hyænas) are moderately large terrestrial carnivores native to Africa.They are members of the family Hyaenidae.

Physiology

Although hyenas look like rather large wild dogs, they make up a separate biological family which is most closely related to Herpestidae (the family of mongooses and meerkats). The hyena has one of the strongest jaws in the animal kingdom and an adult of the species has only the large cats of the family Felidae (Lions, Tigers, etc.) to fear. An adult hyena's bite is capable of being equivalent to 800 lbs. of pressure and can be used to crush the bones of dead animals.

Hyenas range in length from 1.2 - 1.5 meters (3.9 - 4.9 ft) including the tail, which is 30 cm (12 inches) in length. An adult hyena weighs between 25 and 55 kg (55 - 120 lb). The pelt can be light to dark-brown on Brown Hyenas, while the color can be grey, sometimes nearly white on Striped Hyenas. Aardwolves have a warm, sand-colored coat, while the coats of Spotted Hyenas can range from dark-brown fur to amber and reddish in color.

In ancient times, large hyenas ranged over much of Europe and Asia, but they are much reduced in range and diversity today. Only four species survive: the Spotted, Brown, and Striped Hyenas (which together make up the subfamily Hyaeninae), and the Aardwolf, which is the only member of the subfamily Protelinae.

Spotted Hyena, Crocuta crocuta

Hyenas are also highly intelligent predators, even more intelligent than the lions (some scientists claim they are of equal intelligence to certain apes). One indication of hyena intelligence is that they will move their kills closer to each other to protect them from scavengers; another indication is their strategic hunting methods.

A group of spotted hyenas (called a "clan") can include 5-90 members and is led by a single alpha female called the matriarch. A complicated social hierarchy governs the clan, which cubs often learn before they begin to walk. Females are the dominant members, followed in rank by cubs, while adult males rank lowest. Male hyenas, which are usually smaller and less aggressive than females, often leave the clan when they are about two years old. Females tend to mate with males from other clans, thereby preventing inbreeding. Unlike many other animals, female hyenas very rarely mate with highly aggressive males. Instead, they select calm, patient and charming mates. Patience is especially important since courtship can last as long as a year. For this reason, dominant and impatient males have difficulty finding mates. Despite the complicated courtship, the female raises her pups without the male.

Skull of Hyaena eximia

Lower jaw of Hyaena eximia

Hyenas are born with teeth, which means that sometimes when the cubs play-fight they can accidentally kill each other. Hyenas produce such nutritious milk that, unlike lions and wild dogs, they can leave their cubs for about a week without feeding them which allows them to follow the herds of wildebeest, thus ensuring they can obtain the best prey.

Scavenger

Despite common belief, only some species belonging to this family are scavengers, and most of the prey consumed by hyenas was killed by hyenas. The brown and the striped hyena are the only true scavengers, deriving most of their food from others, and the spotted hyena is a true predator, and the most effective predator on the African savannah. The Aardwolf usually eats insects like termites.

Classification

Family Hyaenidae

• Subfamily Hyaeninae
  • Spotted Hyena Crocuta crocuta (this is the "Laughing Hyena")
  • Brown Hyena Parahyaena brunnea (formerly Hyaena brunnea)
  • Striped Hyena Hyaena hyaena
• Subfamily Protelinae
  • Aardwolf Proteles cristatus

Notes

1. G.W.B. Huntingford, The Galla of Ethiopia; The Kingdom of Kafa and Janjero (London: International African Institute, 1955), p. 126.

External links

• The hyena man of Harar-
• Hyena: Wildlife summary from the African Wildlife Foundation
• Robin M. Weare's Hyena pages
• Nature-Wildlife
• Excerpt about hyenas from Richard D. Estes's "The Safari Companion" (ISBN 1890132446)
• Kay E. Holekamp laboratory
• Hyena photo and information
• A mechanism for virilization of female spotted hyenas in utero