If you've watched the Lion King or have seen pictures of this animal, you probably know what type of animal is cackling and fighting in the video clip above. That's right--the hyena! Hyenas are famous for their laughing sound they make, and are also a common scavenger found across the continent of Africa (meaning, inevitably, they also hunt animals and scavenge leftover carcasses from the Great Migration) To put in a more relatable (and harsher) way, I guess you can call them the janitors of the Migration. Except they don't mop floors. :) Today, I will be talking about the most common and well known subspecies: the spotted hyena.
Spotted Hyena
Classification: Mammal
Size: 44-73 in / 111-186 cm
Weight: 110-190 lb / 50-86 kg
Diet: Omnivore (plants & animals)~ Scavenger
Lifespan: 25 years
Appearance: Brown-beige color, rounded ears pointed at the top, dark brown spots over torso, shorter black muzzle
Status:
Least of concern, but be careful! Infamous for killing livestock, hyenas are commonly killed by us when they come into human contact
Fun Fact: Although hyenas look like dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats!
Spotted hyenas are the largest among the other hyena subspecies (striped and brown). They are also the most common, and often reside in the overpopulated areas of Africa, near the Sahara, or generally near the south. They like to dine on leftovers of prey from larger animals, and sometimes even the carcasses the Maasai village people leave out for them. Hyenas are also often perceived as sneaky predators that are known to kill farmers' livestock and raid harvested crops. Occasionally they will attack humans if they feel threatened.
Despite their nasty reputation, hyenas are extremely smart as a hunter. Together, a group of hyenas is called a clan. When a clan decides to go out and hunt for their prey (because hyenas have to compete with jackals and vultures when they scavenge), they always have a clever plan. Often they send one hyena to run into a herd of animals (gazelle, wildebeest, etc.) to cause confusion (making the herd scatter), and then the rest of the pack will chase down the weaker animals. Smart, right? Occasionally, they will also sneak in on some lions' snack, which I imagine won't make the lions very happy (more on this later). But for the most part, hyenas prefer to be scavengers.
Hyenas also have great hearing and eyesight, which especially benefits them at night as they are nocturnal. Yet another example of their cleverness is that hyenas don't often live in "dens" or burrows; they temporarily rest under shallow pool overhangs or bushes that will hide them from the sun during the day. Call that a free home!
Did you know that hyenas also have archenemies? It's the lions. Hyenas don't like lions, and lions don't like hyenas. Both animals will steal each other's food: sometimes a hyena clan's meal will be stolen by some lions, or sometimes vice versa. Both species also are very defensive of their territories (so when they overlap, I'm sure it isn't very pretty). When a fight occurs, hyenas will call out to the rest of its clan for reinforcements (but most of the times the hyena gets hurt, or worse, killed)
Spotted Hyena
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| Courtesy: National Geographic |
Size: 44-73 in / 111-186 cm
Weight: 110-190 lb / 50-86 kg
Diet: Omnivore (plants & animals)~ Scavenger
Lifespan: 25 years
Appearance: Brown-beige color, rounded ears pointed at the top, dark brown spots over torso, shorter black muzzle
Status:
Least of concern, but be careful! Infamous for killing livestock, hyenas are commonly killed by us when they come into human contact
Fun Fact: Although hyenas look like dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats!
Spotted hyenas are the largest among the other hyena subspecies (striped and brown). They are also the most common, and often reside in the overpopulated areas of Africa, near the Sahara, or generally near the south. They like to dine on leftovers of prey from larger animals, and sometimes even the carcasses the Maasai village people leave out for them. Hyenas are also often perceived as sneaky predators that are known to kill farmers' livestock and raid harvested crops. Occasionally they will attack humans if they feel threatened.
Despite their nasty reputation, hyenas are extremely smart as a hunter. Together, a group of hyenas is called a clan. When a clan decides to go out and hunt for their prey (because hyenas have to compete with jackals and vultures when they scavenge), they always have a clever plan. Often they send one hyena to run into a herd of animals (gazelle, wildebeest, etc.) to cause confusion (making the herd scatter), and then the rest of the pack will chase down the weaker animals. Smart, right? Occasionally, they will also sneak in on some lions' snack, which I imagine won't make the lions very happy (more on this later). But for the most part, hyenas prefer to be scavengers.
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| Courtesy: "Hyenas at stolen impala kill" by I, JerryFriedman (Wikipedia) |
Did you know that hyenas also have archenemies? It's the lions. Hyenas don't like lions, and lions don't like hyenas. Both animals will steal each other's food: sometimes a hyena clan's meal will be stolen by some lions, or sometimes vice versa. Both species also are very defensive of their territories (so when they overlap, I'm sure it isn't very pretty). When a fight occurs, hyenas will call out to the rest of its clan for reinforcements (but most of the times the hyena gets hurt, or worse, killed)
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| Courtesy: "Panthera Ieo and Crocuta Crocuta" by lubye13 (Wikipedia) |
On a happier note, hyenas are not picky eaters. They can (and probably will) eat almost anything! They could completely eat up a bone if they wanted to! Often, hyenas will eat up every part of the animal they hunted down. This is because they have extremely strong and powerful jaw bones.
A hyena's clan is extremely complicated. They live under a "matriarchal society," when a dominant female is the leader. In fact, all females in a hyena clan hold a higher ranking than males. That means that a relatively low-ranked female's cubs could hold a higher rank than a male! That's something I'm sure the ladies would like to hear.
The last thing I will cover in this post about hyenas is their vocalizations. If you didn't know already, scientists and researchers have recorded 11 different sounds that hyenas can communicate with! That makes them the most vocal animals of Africa, according to San Diego Zoo Animals' "Spotted Hyena." Some of these sounds include their laughing sound, which is used typically when they submit to a more dominant hyena or when they are anxious, nervous, or under stress. Their loud "whooping" sound is used to call out to other clan members or search for their cubs. Squealing sounds are used when they meet and greet each other. These are only a small number of sounds they can make!
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| Courtesy: "Hyena Standoff" by Maureen Lunn (Wikipedia) |
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The next time you see a hyena, whether at the zoo or in the wild, don't think too lightly of these animals--they are very smart, and chances are you've underestimated their strength and ability to survive by a whole lot. Currently, spotted hyenas aren't in too much danger (conservation-wise) but we should still be careful. Droughts are slowly decreasing hyenas' and other animals' food supply. Farmers or villagers in Africa will often shoot and kill these animals to protect their livestock/crops (which there is nothing wrong with that!) but we shouldn't pick up and aim our gun unless we are absolutely sure our livestock/crops/our own life is in danger. Hyenas are actually very smart and interesting creatures which help clean up after other animals and help maintain the African Migration population in balance.
Here is a video of just how smart and amazing hyenas can be:
"Why Do Hyenas Laugh?"
Source: YouTube, Smithsonian Channel
I hope you enjoyed this post! Next week I will cover the gazelle, and the two or three weeks after that will be the wrap-up posts for the African Migration theme (including great areas to see these animals, Migration vacation tips, a quick overview of what I've covered, and other interesting facts or information on the Migration).
See you next time!
~Cheri
Sources:
Interesting facts about hyena, I do not like them and they sound like smart animals. Keep up the good work and looking forward to your next post!
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