Animals

Hyena

Hyenas or hyaenas  are any feliform carnivoran mammals of the family Hyaenidae. With only four extant species (in three genera), it is the fifth-smallest biological family in the Carnivora, and one of the smallest in the class Mammalia. Despite their low diversity, hyenas are unique and vital components of most African ecosystems,More info:wiki

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#10   Animal Guide: Spotted Hyena,More info:pbs

Unlike the three other species in the family Hyaenidae, spotted hyenas are expert hunters. They do scavenge sometimes, but — contrary to popular belief — spotted hyenas catch about 95 percent of their food. Spotted hyenas are both the most abundant and the most successful large predator in Africa. Built for endurance, spotted hyenas often hunt in packs, chasing prey to the point of exhaustion. Then the hyenas move in and use their powerful jaws and strong teeth to bring the hunted animal down. Packs of spotted hyenas can bring down an animal as large as a giraffe, a zebra, or even an African Cape buffalo.

Spotted hyenas have very powerful shoulders and front legs, but their hindquarters are not as well developed, giving the hyena its sloping appearance. Its head is very large, and its jaws are strong enough to split open rhino bones and extract the marrow. The ears are rounded, and the neck long and muscular. Each spotted hyena has a unique spot pattern, although spots can fade with age, especially in females. Females are about 10 percent larger than males, and are also more aggressive.

Spotted hyenas are more closely related to cats than dogs, despite their dog-like appearance. Their closest relatives are actually mongooses and civets. Unlike all other carnivores, spotted hyenas have a complex social system where animals live in female-dominated clans of up to 90 individuals. To live and interact in such a large clan requires a great deal of social intelligence.

#9   Spotted Hyena,More info:animals.sandiegozoo

Dogs or cats or…? So, you think you know all about spotted hyenas—the ones known to “laugh”? They’re in lots of cartoons and movies, and they’re usually in the role of giggly villains. But is that a fair description?

It may look like a dog, but the spotted hyena is more closely related to cats, civets, and genets. Also called the laughing hyena, the spotted hyena is a strong, capable hunter. It is the largest member of the hyena family (other members are the striped hyena, brown hyena, and aardwolf). Female spotted hyenas are a bit larger than the males, but otherwise they look exactly the same.

The spotted hyena may look unusual, at first sight. It has a large head with a long, thick, muscular neck and powerful jaws that give the hyena the strongest bite of any mammal. Its front legs are longer than its back legs, giving the hyena a profile somewhat like that of a wildebeest or bison. The spotted hyena’s paws have four toes with non-retractable claws. The short, coarse fur has a yellow or gray tint covered in spots, which differ among individuals. Its ears are more rounded than that of the other hyenas. A short mane of hair along its back stands upright. Its only true predators are lions and humans.

#8    Hyena Kills Hyena – Not For Sensitive Viewers,More info:Centro Zero

 

#7   SPOTTED HYENA,More info:nationalgeographic

 

#6   Bacteria Power Social Lives of Hyenas,More info:nationalgeographic

 

#5    SPOTTED HYENA,More info:nationalgeographic

 

#4   Hyena Facts,More info:animalsake

 

#3    Stress shaves hyenas’ chromosomes,More info:sciencemag

 

#2    SPOTTED HYENA,More info:zambiatourism

 

#1   Hyenas Among Humans,More info:blogs.plos

 

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