What does a hyena eat in the wild? Spotted hyena: photo, description, habitat, reproduction. Are hyenas beneficial?

Hyenas, or Hyenas, are a family of predatory mammals of the suborder Felidae. Characteristic features members of the family have a short, thick head with a short, thick or pointed muzzle; Their hind legs are shorter than their front legs, so their back is sloping, from the shoulder area to the sacrum. The limbs are four-fingered, with non-retractable claws; step on toes. The tail is shaggy: long, coarse hair forms a mane on the neck and along the back.

Where does the hyena live?

• Habitat of hyenas depends on the type. For example, aardwolf lives in Eastern, Northeastern and West Africa except Tanzania and Zambia. Predators settle in open sandy plains or in thickets of bushes, where they go out to hunt at dusk.
• Brown hyenas live also in Africa, in the Zambezi along the Indian and Atlantic Ocean, in Tanzania, in Zimbabwe, in Namibia, Somalia, in Botswana. They live in desert or semi-desert places, in savannas, in coastal areas, in forests, going out to hunt at dusk.
• Striped hyenas are found V North Africa, in Turkey, in Pakistan, in Uzbekistan, in Armenia, in Azerbaijan, in India, in the south of the Sahara, in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. They go out hunting at night, and during the day they live in burrows, crevices and caves.
• Spotted hyenas live in South and East Africa, in Kenya, Sudan, Namibia, Somalia, Tanzania, Botswana, they settle in savannas at high elevations.

Description

These are large-sized animals: body length varies from 50 cm for a small aardwolf to 1.5 m for a spotted hyena, weight, respectively, from 10 to 80 kg. All hyenas are characterized by a large head with a wide mouth and powerful jaws. Limbs of hyenas different lengths: The hind legs are much shorter than the front ones, which makes the hyena seem to be crouching all the time. Strong paws are armed with blunt claws. The tail is short and shaggy. All hyenas have long, coarse fur, only the spotted hyena has short fur.

Painted different types in different ways: gray spotted hyena with brown spots, light gray striped hyena with a dark muzzle and black transverse stripes on the body, brown hyena and the aardwolf is solid brown. A unique feature of hyenas is that females have pseudo-male genitals. Externally, animals of different sexes can only be distinguished by size - female hyenas are larger than males. This is where the long-standing belief comes from that hyenas are hermaphrodites. An unpleasant addition is the specific smell, which in these animals is quite strong.

The spotted and brown hyenas and the aardwolf live in Africa, and the striped hyena, in addition to the African continent, is found in Asia Minor, Central and South Asia. All types of hyenas prefer to live in open landscapes - savannas, steppes and semi-deserts. The brown hyena is found mainly on the coasts of the continent.

Types of hyenas

Below is short description varieties of hyenas.

Striped hyena (lat. Hyaena hyaena)

A fairly large animal with a body length of 0.9 to 1.2-1.5 meters and a height at the withers of up to 0.8 m. The length of the tail is about 30 cm. Males are much larger than females, therefore, depending on gender, a hyena weighs from 27 to 54 (sometimes 60) kg. Thanks to a special mane of coarse hair, the length of which sometimes reaches 30 cm, the height of the scapular region becomes more pronounced. The coat, about 7 cm long, is dirty gray or brownish-yellow in color with black or brown stripes running across the body. Characteristic paw structure striped hyena becomes especially noticeable when walking, which is why the animal seems to be dragging the back of its body. The toes on the front and hind limbs are tightly connected. The striped hyena's head is large, with a slightly elongated muzzle and wide, pointed ears. big size. 34 teeth, which are located in wide jaws, driven by powerful muscles, allow you to tear meat and bones into pieces.

The striped hyena lives in clay deserts or rocky foothills. It goes out in search of prey at night and twilight, and during the day it sits out in crevices, abandoned burrows or caves. Striped hyenas are the only members of the family that can live in territories not located on the African continent. The habitat of this species includes the countries of North Africa, as well as areas located south of the Sahara. These animals are found in Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, India and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

Brown hyena (lat. Hyaena brunnea)

This species differs from the striped hyena in its more modest size. The body length of these animals rarely exceeds 1.1 - 1.25 m (according to some sources, the maximum length reaches 1.6 m). The height at the withers is 70–88 cm. The sizes of males and females are practically the same, although the weight of males is slightly larger and can exceed 48 kg, while the body weight of females barely reaches 40 kg. The light mane, up to 30 cm long, hanging from the neck along the entire spine of these hyenas, looks contrasting against the shaggy, monochromatic, brown-brown coat, which is slightly longer than that of their striped relatives. Characteristic feature This species has a gray coloration of the head and legs, with horizontal whitish stripes clearly visible on the legs.

The neck and shoulders are colored White color. The size of the skull of brown hyenas is larger than that of striped hyenas, and the teeth are more durable. Below the base of the tail, these animals have an anal gland that produces black and white secretions. With its help, the animal marks the boundaries of its territory. Brown hyenas live in desert and semi-desert areas, found in savannas and forests, but most of populations are confined to coastal areas. The brown hyena's habitat includes Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique, Tanzania and Somalia, as well as other African countries located south of the current the Zambezi River along the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. These animals go out in search of food after dark.

Spotted hyena (lat. Crocuta crocuta)

A wild animal from the genus Crocuta. Spotted hyenas are the most typical representatives of the entire family. This is expressed in characteristic structure the animal's body and its habits. The length of the body with a tail can reach 1.6 m (according to some sources 1.85 m), the height at the withers is up to 80 cm. The weight of female hyenas ranges from 44.5 kg to 82 kg, males are much lighter and weigh from 40 kg to 62 kg. The yellowish-gray or sand-colored coat, decorated with rounded spots of dark brown or black color on the sides, back and limbs, is shorter than that of its relatives.

Depending on the habitat, body color can vary from lighter to darker tones. The hair on the head is brown, with a reddish tint on the cheeks and nape. Brown rings are clearly visible on the rather short tail with a dark tip. There may be light-colored “socks” on the front and hind limbs of the mammal. Unlike representatives of other species, spotted hyenas have shorter ears and their tips are rounded. These hyenas have the largest “repertoire” of vocal communication, allowing them to express various emotions. live spotted hyenas in the savannas and elevated plateaus of Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana and other countries in Southern or Eastern Africa. Most active Spotted hyenas display their activity at night, although they can prowl in search of prey during the day. The social organization of clans among spotted hyenas is based on the dominance of females, so even males high rank subordinate to low-ranking females.

Aardwolf (lat. Proteles cristatus)

The smallest species of the hyena family. Unlike spotted and striped hyenas, aardwolves have a more fragile build. The body length of these animals reaches 55-100 cm with a height at the withers of up to 50 cm, and the weight of individuals is 8-14 kg. Like all hyenas, the hind limbs of aardwolves are shorter than the front ones, but the sloping back is not so pronounced. The head of these animals is slightly elongated and resembles a dog’s in appearance. On the coat, which is yellowish-gray or reddish in color, black transverse stripes are clearly visible. The same stripes are visible on the legs of the animal. The long hanging mane, running along the entire ridge, at the moment of danger takes a vertical position and visually increases the size of this small predator. The jaws of aardwolves are much weaker than those of other species, which is due to the wolf's diet, which feeds on termites and other insects and their larvae, such as carrion beetles. These representatives of hyenas, the only ones in the entire family, have five toes on their forelimbs.

Aardwolves live in most countries of Eastern, North-Eastern and Southern Africa, absent only in tropical forests Tanzania and Zambia, which makes the distribution range of this species fragmented. These predators prefer to settle in places where there are open sandy plains and bushes. They go in search of food in the twilight and night hours, and during the day they sit out in abandoned porcupine burrows, although they are capable of digging shelters for themselves.

Pachycrocuta brevirostris

This is an extinct species of hyena. Judging by the fossilized bones found in Eurasia, eastern and southern Africa, these hyenas were real giants. Average weight the predator was approximately 110 kg, and the size of the animal can be compared with the size of a modern lioness. Perhaps representatives of the species were scavengers, since with such impressive dimensions it is impossible to develop high speed It was not easy for hunting.

Lifestyle

Not all representatives of this family live in packs: the striped hyena and aardwolf prefer solitude. But spotted and brown hyenas form packs of five individuals or more, while a pack of spotted hyenas can sometimes be huge and consist of a hundred individuals. There is a clear hierarchy among these animals - all lower-ranking individuals are completely subordinate to their superiors (the position is determined primarily by the rank of the mother of small hyenas at their birth and it is extremely difficult to change it later). Males always occupy a lower position, and the most experienced female is in charge.

Features of behavior

There is a misconception that this mammal is a dangerous animal. This opinion is based on the fact that they kill innocents and also feed on carrion. In fact, in nature there are much more dangerous creatures, and thanks to human skills to tame and train, even domestic hyenas are found. At the same time, they become your best friend at home. If an animal comes to a meeting and begins to trust a person, then in terms of devotion it is in no way inferior to an ordinary dog.

Nature has endowed the nimble predator with abilities that seem surprising at first glance. For example, they are capable of producing peculiar sounds. With a devilish laugh, the hyena notifies its family of its discovery. large quantity food. But animals such as lions have learned to recognize these urges. Often lions take food from hyenas. A pack of predators is unable to fight such a serious opponent and retreats. And they have no choice but to eat up the leftovers or look for a new place for lunch.

In addition, nature endowed the ends of the animal’s paws with glands. By the specific smell of the secretion produced, the “hunters” learned to identify individuals of their flock. This allows them to identify and scare away an intruder.

The hyena is not a terrible animal. In fact they do very important role eating carrion - they perform the function of orderlies. At the same time, hunting other animals ensures the equality of the animal world.

Voice

The language of hyenas is very diverse and they communicate with each other using sounds - first of all, this is the world-famous cry, which is the laughter of hyenas, which creates the impression that the animal is laughing extremely unpleasantly. In reality, these sounds are a mixture of howling, screaming, roaring and something like laughter. Thus, these animals control the order of eating: the main female informs the whole world that she has finished eating, and therefore the next individual in the hierarchy can start eating - this helps pugnacious, warlike and dangerous animals maintain established relationships in the pack, and also avoid fights and conflicts.

Such laughter is characteristic only of the spotted hyena, but the brown hyena and striped hyena do not make such a sound at all. They produce growls, screams, grunts and a rough hoarse howl.

Behavior of hyenas in a pack

Matriarchy reigns in a pack of predators; a hierarchy is built according to the following principles:

• The older females are the most important. They are given the greatest privileges: to rest in the coolest place in the hole, to be the first to taste lunch. In turn, they bear and raise the largest number of offspring.
• Females low class. They follow the elders, that is, they start eating in the second place and rest away from the elders.
• Males. They belong to the lowest class.

What do hyenas eat?

Brown and striped hyenas usually hunt solitarily and are primarily scavengers, sometimes feeding on eggs, invertebrates, or small vertebrates. Spotted hyenas often go out in search of prey in small groups and take prey from jackals, cheetahs, and leopards. Often they themselves organize hunts for rodents, birds, turtles, antelopes, young giraffes, zebras and even elephant calves. In addition, these predators are not averse to feasting on domestic animals (for example, sheep). Sometimes spotted hyenas attack buffaloes, and when gathered in a large flock, they are able to kill this large animal. During the hungry season, spotted hyenas can be content with carrion: the corpses of small and large animals, including sea animals, as well as food waste. In addition, the menu of all members of the family, except for aardwolves, also includes plant foods. Hyenas readily eat nuts and plant seeds, as well as melons - watermelons, melons, and fruits from the pumpkin family.

Unlike other species, the aardwolf never feeds on the corpses of dead animals. Its diet is based on termites, carrion beetles, and insect larvae. When the opportunity arises, it catches small rodents, destroys bird nests and eats not only the eggs, but also the birds themselves.

Hunting

To catch prey, nature has endowed hyenas with short hind legs and long front legs, which allows them to develop enormous speed and cover fairly long distances without stopping.

As a hunter, the animal is much superior in skill to lions. They hunt mainly at night, covering more than seventy kilometers. When hunting, the mammal simply exhausts its prey by running long distances. At the same time, frightening her with a devilish laugh, turning into a howl. When the victim is unable to escape, they bite her legs, thereby completely immobilizing her. They eat their prey alive, and not, like other hunters, pre-suffocate it.

Their hearing, smell and vision are at the highest level. For example, they smell carrion at a distance of more than four kilometers.

Reproduction and offspring

The female spotted hyena can produce offspring at any time of the year; there is no specific time allocated for this. The female's genitals look frankly unconventional. They got such a structure at the expense of too high level testosterone in the blood. The vulva merges into large folds and looks like the scrotum and testicles. The clitoris is too large and resembles a phallus. The vagina passes through this pseudo-penis. To mate, the female can invert her clitoris so that the male can insert his penis.

The male takes the initiative to mate. By smell, he understands when the female is ready to mate. The male delicately lowers his head in front of his “lady” as a sign of respect and begins decisive actions only after her approval. Often females mate with males who are not members of their clan. It has been observed that hyenas can have sex for pleasure. Also engage in homosexual activity, especially females with other females.

The spotted hyena's gestation period is 4 months.. The young are born in the brood burrow fully developed, with eyes open and teeth fully formed. Babies weigh from 1 to 1.5 kg. They are quite active from the very beginning. Childbirth is an extremely difficult process for the spotted hyena, this is due to the structure of its genitals. Difficult-to-heal tears in the genitals may occur, which significantly delays the recovery process. Often childbirth ends with the death of the mother or baby.

Each female breastfeeds her babies for 6-12 months before weaning (full weaning may take another 2-6 months). Presumably, such long feeding may be possible due to the high content of bone products in the diet. Spotted hyena milk is extremely rich in nutrients necessary for the development of babies. It contains the highest amount of protein in the world, and in terms of fat content it is second only to polar bear milk. Thanks to such a high fat content, the female can leave the hole to hunt for 5-7 days without worrying about the condition of the babies. Little hyenas are considered adults only in the second year of life.

Natural enemies

Spotted hyenas are at odds with lions. This is almost their only and constant enemy. Of the total deaths of spotted hyenas, 50% die from the fangs of a lion. Often it is a matter of protecting one's own borders, sharing food and water. This is how it happened in nature. Spotted hyenas will kill lions, and lions will kill spotted hyenas. During the dry season, drought or famine, lions and hyenas are always at war with each other over territory.

This is interesting! The fight between hyenas and lions is tough. It often happens that hyenas attack defenseless lion cubs or old individuals, for which they are attacked in return.

In the struggle for food and primacy, victory goes to the group of animals whose numbers predominate. Also, spotted hyenas, like any other animal, can be exterminated by humans.

Population and species status

IN South Africa, Sierra Leone, Round, Nigeria, Mauritania, Mali, Cameroon, Burundi, their numbers are on the verge of extinction. In some countries their population is declining due to hunting and poaching.

Important! Spotted hyenas are listed in the Red Book.

In Botswana, the population of these animals is under state control. Their burrows are far from human settlements; in the region, the spotted hyena acts as game. They are at low risk of extinction in Malawia, Namibia, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Hyena and jackal - differences

Hyenas, like jackals, are representatives of the order of predatory mammals, but there are quite a few differences between them:

• Hyenas are much larger than jackals: on average, their body length ranges from 0.8 m to 1.6 m, and the weight of adult animals ranges from 14 kg to 80 kg or more. The jackal's body reaches no more than 0.6-0.85 m in length, and the animal weighs only 8 to 10 kg.
• Jackals belong to the canid family (lat. Canidae), while hyenas belong to the hyena family (lat. Hyaenidae). In appearance and lifestyle, jackals occupy a middle place between fox and wolves. The muzzles of these animals are sharper than those of wolves, but not sharp enough compared to foxes. Hyenas, unlike jackals, are more similar in skull structure to cats.
• Unlike the hyena, the jackal's hind and front legs are the same length, so when viewed from the side its back does not appear sloping.
• The gestation period for jackals lasts only 2 months, and for hyenas it takes from 3 to 3.5 months. Female jackals are more fertile; one litter can have from 4 to 7, and sometimes 8 cubs. A hyena litter usually contains no more than 3-4 puppies, although a spotted hyena litter can sometimes have up to 7 newborns.
• Under natural conditions, jackals aged 8-10 years are considered long-livers; in captivity they can live up to 12-14 years, sometimes even up to 16 years. Hyenas live in nature no more than 12-15 years, and in zoos - up to 24 years of age.
• Hyenas very rarely get rabies; jackals are more sensitive to this virus.

• Since ancient times, humans have preserved the hyena's prejudice. People's imagination has always been excited by the sloppy appearance and bad smell emanating from this animal, its eating habits, behavior and, of course, the laughter of a hyena, similar to a human. All this gave rise to myths and various legends about this animal, which were passed down from generation to generation and gradually turned into facts. Only at the end of the 20th century (1984) a center for the study of the hyena family was opened in California at the University of Berkeley. There are still 40 spotted hyenas kept here today.
• The ancient Greeks believed that these animals are hermaphrodites, that is, a female can easily turn into a male and vice versa. Only after studying hyenas did modern scientists find out that among hyenas there are both females and males, but the external genitalia of males and females are very similar in appearance. The clitoris of female spotted hyenas is quite large and reaches a length of 15 cm, and the pouch-like fold formed by the labia resembles a scrotum in appearance. This unusual structure of the external genitalia of females is associated with increased level testosterone (male hormone) in the body of pregnant hyenas. The embryos developing in the womb seem to be “bathing” in this hormone. Subsequently, this also affects the character of the females.
• It is believed that hyenas are very cowardly, but, contrary to this belief, they are capable of taking prey from a lone lion or lioness. Sometimes old, sick lions themselves can become victims of hyenas.
• Representatives of the hyena family in the folklore of many nations have become the personification of betrayal, deceit, baseness, gluttony and greed. In the legends of the peoples of Africa, these animals are capable of not only laughing like a person, but also imitating his speech, inviting passers-by into the darkness, hypnotizing them with their gaze, and then killing them. Fortunately, there is no scientific evidence of hyena attacks on humans. But if the animal is driven into a trap, it can bite off the hunter's fingers.
• Most often, when in trouble, a hyena does not resist. Pretending to be dead, she waits for the danger to disappear, and then “comes to life.”
• In East Africa there are peoples who revere this animal. The Tavbs believe that hyenas are animals of the Sun that brought the light to the Earth to warm it. The Waniki people consider the hyena their ancestor and mourn its loss more than the loss of a chief.

Previously, people were able to different parts hyenas (skin, liver, brain, other organs) prepare healing potions that supposedly cure various ailments. For example, eye diseases were treated with her liver. The skin had “magical properties”; people believed that with its help they could protect crops in the fields and their homes from hail.

Video

Sources

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyenas https://nashzeleniymir.ru/hyena#giena-i-shakal-otlichiya.

Savannah belt is the name given to vast areas of African savannas covered with a carpet of grasses. This herbal kingdom stretches across the entire continent - from the south of the Sahara, then Niger, Mali, Sudan, Chad, also Tanzania and Kenya.

Savannahs are comfortable for African animals, one of these interesting species are wild animals hyena. Hyenas settle in open desert spaces, on the edges of forests near paths and roads. Vegetation in the savanna sometimes includes shrubs and rarely solitary trees.

The climate here is subequatorial. The year is divided into two seasons - dry and rainy. Looks interesting in pictures from space. From above you can clearly see the topography of this continent - most of it is occupied by deserts and evergreen rain forests. And in the center, a savannah stretches wide, full of free wind, grasses and rare lonely trees.

Scientists have established - African savanna formed about seven million years ago, this is evidence that the savanna is a young zonal type. The life of plants and animals in savannas is directly dependent on the weather of these places.

Character and lifestyle of a hyena

For many, the hyena evokes 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 no meaner or more insidious than other wild predators.

Previously, the hyena was classified as a canine. But hyenas are closer to cats, or a suborder of feliformes. Its lifestyle is similar to that of a dog, perhaps earlier, which is why hyenas were considered dogs.

One of the breeds is spotted, this one hyena - animal of Africa. Of its relatives hyenas - striped, brown, aardwolf, African hyena is the largest. In terms of size, the spotted hyena ranks third in the list of predatory animals in Africa.

African animal world– lions, hyenas not limited to just these formidable predators. Hyenas' rivals are hyena dogs. Skirmishes often occur between these two clans - those with more individuals in their flock win.

Hyenas are amazing not only in their body physiology and way of life. Strange and scary hyena animal sounds scare people even today. These unattractive-looking animals can produce rather peculiar vocal trills, moreover, accompanying various actions.

So, for example, a large and hearty dinner is announced with sounds reminiscent of evil human laughter. In the old days, people called this laughter demonic, and the hyena itself a servant of hell.

It serves as a signal to them that hyenas are nearby and have a lot of food. Sometimes lions take prey from hyenas, and the hyenas eat what they have. Savannah animals - hyenas It’s always more comfortable in cool spaces. They mark their territory with feces or odorous secretions.

Pictured is a spotted hyena

So that none of the enemies or unfamiliar hyenas dare to invade the marked territory. Those who own this place specially post someone from their flock for protection.

Animals hyenas, periodically, go from one place to another in order to search more stern. Hyenas' lifestyle is usually nocturnal; during the day they rest after long marches 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 higher speed and capable of running long distances. Spotted hyenas have endocrine glands on their paws, which produce a specific odor unique to each individual.

Pictured is a striped hyena

Hyenas, in fact, are not disgusting, insensitive or ugly. Devouring carrion and excellent hunting, the hyena is not only an orderly, but also maintains balance among.

Hyena food

The main and most frequently consumed ungulates are hunted ungulates - gazelles, bison, and maybe buffalo. Sometimes, wild animals hyenas They can even feast on the cub of a larger animal.

Groups of animals are also included in the hyena’s lunch diet, but more is taken into the body from caught prey. nutrients. Be that as it may, it is not for nothing that the hyena is characterized by cowardice.

Hyenas are also impudent - there are times when one of the animal owners leaves the prey he has caught unattended for a while, and the hyena will try to steal it.

Such a single thief can be driven away even by a cheetah, who is fragile compared to a hyena, but when hyenas gather in a pack, 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 small mammals, birds, reptiles, as well as their eggs.

And, of course, the remains of food from other carnivores. The amazing work of digestion is designed in such a way that wild animals hyenas They can grind and digest bones, hooves, and fur.

Reproduction and lifespan

In order to engage in fertilization and subsequent conception of offspring, females are ready to mate every two weeks throughout the year. For males, everything depends on the seasons.

Hyena males must first fight among themselves for the female. And then, lowering your tail and head, obediently approach her and, if she allows you to do your job. Hyena pregnancy lasts 110 days.

Hyenas are born from one to three puppies. Mother hyenas give birth to cubs in burrows - their own or borrowed from one of the small animals, “refurbished” to their liking.

Often such a hole turns out to be a kind of “family home”, when several hyenas with newborn hyenas live in one hole. But hyena babies recognize their mother's voice, never making a mistake. Newborn hyena cubs are more developed than cubs of, for example, cats or dogs. Hyena babies are born with their eyes open and 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 another year and a half. Hyena cubs have no other food at this age other than mother's milk because... she does not regurgitate her food for them. And, at the same time, each mother feeds only her puppies. Small hyena cubs have brown fur.

Pictured is a baby hyena

As babies grow older, the color of their coat also changes. When the kids grow up, they will occupy the same status in the pack as their parents - by inheritance. Average duration The lifespan of hyenas is 12 years. In general, hyenas are easy to train, and if they consider a person their friend, having gotten used to him and falling in love with him, they will always love their friend!

Hyena- a wild mammal belonging to the cat-like predatory species. How hyena lives in nature and where does it live? What does it eat and how does it hunt? Today we will answer these questions, and start with the characteristics.

Description of the hyena

In ancient Greek, hyena meant boar and pig, probably because of its unpleasant smell and hairy back. Though hyena and belongs to the cat-like species, its size is impressive! This is a large animal, growing 190 cm in length and weighing about 80 kg. The body of the predator is large, muscular, with a wide chest, but narrowed towards the sacrum. The body is covered with very shaggy and coarse hair, the undercoat is practically absent. Most of the hair is found on the mane and back. As you know, hyena most often they are colored with peculiar spots or stripes all over the body, but there is coloration only on the paws, and the tail of the predator is short and barely noticeable. The coat color is gray-brown or yellow-gray.

The animal's head is massive with a short muzzle, an elongated nose, and almond-shaped eyes. But the ears of individuals differ, in some they are long, pointed and triangular, while in others, the ears are small and round. By the way, precisely thanks to its powerful jaws, hyena is capable of crushing bones, even the thickest ones, because this animal has unusually shaped teeth, and the structure of the skull is different from other predators. The forelimbs are much longer than the hind limbs; moreover, the hind limbs are curved and look much weaker, which is why the predator’s back is sloping. Almost all species have 4 toes with strong nails on their paws (except for the aardwolf).

Hyenas They communicate with each other using unusual sounds, reminiscent of squealing, growling or laughter, but only spotted hyenas are characterized by laughter. A hyena lifespan on average 12-15 years, but in a zoo, a wild animal can double its life to 24 years.

Types of hyenas

Hyenas are divided into 3 types:

1. Brown and striped hyenas– The striped hyena is quite large, up to 1.5 meters long and weighing about 60 kg. The brown hyena is 1.25 m long and weighs about 40 kg (this hyena has the longest hair, which grows from the back and hangs down to the paws.)

2. Spotted hyenas can reach a length including tail of 1.6 m, and some individuals are almost 1.9 meters, with a weight of 44 to 82 kg.

3. Aardwolf has a body length of only 55-110 cm, and a weight of 8-14 kg.

WHERE DOES THE HYENA LIVE AND WHAT DOES IT EAT?

What does a hyena eat in the wild?

Scientists have proven that hyenas don't eat exclusively carrion, they are excellent hunters, and in 90% of cases, having chosen prey, they do not leave with empty paws. Of course, they wouldn’t mind taking prey from lions, but lions do the same thing. Spotted hyenas they drive prey in a flock, accelerating at a speed of 65 km/h, but striped and brown They hunt alone, which is why they feed on small animals. Just as often spotted hyenas they take food from leopards and cheetahs, attacking one animal in a flock. They themselves hunt both small and large animals, such as zebras, giraffes, antelopes, turtles, birds, elephant calves, sheep, buffaloes, but in times of hunger they are able to feed on carrion. All hyenas, except aardwolves, eat And plant foods– watermelons, nuts, melons, pumpkin fruits. Earthwolf prefers termites, insect larvae, carrion beetles, bird eggs and chicks, small rodents, and birds.

Where does the hyena live?

Habitat of hyenas depends on the type. For example, aardwolf lives in East, North-East and West Africa, except Tanzania and Zambia. Predators settle in open sandy plains or in thickets of bushes, where they go out to hunt at dusk.

Brown hyenas live also in Africa, in the Zambezi along the coast of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, in Tanzania, in Zimbabwe, in Namibia, Somalia, in Botswana. They live in desert or semi-desert places, in savannas, in coastal areas, in forests, going out to hunt at dusk.

Striped hyenas are found in North Africa, Turkey, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, India, southern Sahara, and the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. They go out hunting at night, and during the day they live in burrows, crevices and caves.

Spotted hyenas live in Southern and Eastern Africa, in Kenya, Sudan, Namibia, Somalia, Tanzania, Botswana, they settle in savannas at high elevations.

VIDEO: ABOUT HYENAS

IN THIS VIDEO, YOU CAN SEE A DOCUMENTARY AND LEARN A LOT OF INTERESTING ABOUT THE LIFE OF A HYENA IN NATURE

The hyena family includes only 4 species. Of these, the so-called aardwolf is so unique that it stands out as a special subfamily. In appearance, hyenas are similar to dogs, but are phylogenetically closer to civets, forming one of their branches evolutionary development. The mentioned aardwolf in a number of respects represents an intermediate form between hyenas and civets 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 weight 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. Legs are strong, somewhat curved. The forelimbs are longer than the hind limbs. Hyenas themselves have 4 toes on both pairs of paws, while the aardwolf has 5 on the front ones. The claws are long, but blunt, convenient for digging. The tail is short and shaggy. The coat is coarse, shaggy, on the ridge in the form of a long, erect mane. The general color tone is dirty, yellowish-gray or brown with a striped or spotted pattern over the entire body or only on the legs. The skull is relatively large, in most species (with the exception of the aardwolf) with extremely powerfully developed jaws, zygomatic arches, crests and large teeth adapted to crushing the thickest bones. Dental formula:

Hyenas live in deserts, semi-deserts and foothills of Africa, Western, Central and Southern Asia, as well as in Transcaucasia. Hyenas themselves are adapted to feeding on carrion and the meat of large animals, while the aardwolf mainly feeds on insects.

Aardwolf(Proteles cristatus) least close-up view family of hyenas. Its body length is 55-80 cm, its tail is 20-30 cm. Its physique is noticeably weaker than that of real hyenas. The hairline consists of a long, coarse awn and a sparse, soft undercoat. A tall, erect mane stretches along the ridge. The tail is shaggy, streaked with black. The color is generally yellowish-gray with black transverse stripes on the body and legs, the ends of which are black. Due to the feeding habits of the jaw, the molars are weak, with small tubercles, sparsely spaced, and only the fangs are sharp and relatively strong.

The aardwolf is common in Eastern and Southern Africa, but in the region of Southern Rhodesia and Tanzania the range is broken. It is very rare everywhere and is therefore under special protection. international security. The aardwolf is most common on open sandy plains and in bush thickets. It lives alone, but is often observed in pairs and family groups of 5-6 individuals. It is active at night and during the day hides in shelters in the ground, usually in old aardvark burrows. This predator cannot run fast. An important means It is protected by the secretions of the anal glands, which, according to some naturalists, are no less effective than those of the skunk. The aardwolf, unlike real hyenas, does not feed on carrion, but on termites and other insects and their larvae, in particular carrion beetles, which they collect on animal corpses. Sometimes it catches gerbils, digging them out of holes, as well as other small rodents and birds, eats their eggs and even occasionally kidnaps chickens and lambs. Cubs (2-4) are born and raised in burrows. In the south of the range they appear in November-December.

The following two species belong to the genus of striped hyenas (Hyaena).

Striped hyena(N. hyaena) - the only representative of the family in the fauna Soviet Union. Its appearance is typical of hyenas

and does not allow it to be confused with any other animal. The body is 90-120 cm long, the tail is about 30 cm, weight is 27-54 kg. The height of the front part of the 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. As it walks, the hyena lowers its butt even more, as if dragging it. The dirty gray color with transverse black or brown stripes harmonizes well with the dull color of the surrounding landscape. The structure of the powerful skull is typical for the family. The dental system is characterized by huge carnivorous teeth and thick fangs.

Distribution in the USSR is limited to the lowland semi-desert regions of Eastern Georgia and Azerbaijan and the deserts of Turkmenistan, southern Uzbekistan, and southern Tajikistan. The range is mainly confined to Northern and North-Eastern Africa, Western, Lesser and Central Asia to the coast of the Bay of Bengal.

The habitats of the striped hyena are mainly clayey deserts and rocky foothills, and occasionally tugai forests. During the day it hides in niches, caves, large crevices, and less often in burrows. Sometimes the shelters of several individuals are located close to one another. At night, the hyena goes out to feed, mainly in search of carrion. Thanks to its powerful jaws and teeth, it is capable of chewing the largest bones that are inaccessible to other animals. Often swallows meat along with bones. Sometimes attacks living animals, including small livestock. Probably, to quench his thirst, he eats melons and watermelons in the melon fields.

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 give birth to 3 litters throughout the year. Pregnancy takes 90 days. There are 2-4 cubs in a brood. After 7-8 days they begin to see clearly. Both parents apparently participate in their upbringing, although in captivity males can destroy offspring. The young reach sexual maturity at 3-4 years.

Brown hyena(N. brunnea) is noticeably smaller than the tabby, its fur is longer, of a uniform brown color, stripes are present only on the legs. The mane is not erect, but hanging, light, contrasting with the rest of the dark color.

The brown hyena is found in South Africa, mainly on sea ​​coasts. This animal is very rare, solitary. On the shores, she eats the corpses of all kinds of sea animals, from fish to whales, washed up 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) in 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. Its body length is 128-166 cm, its tail is 26-33 cm, its weight is from 59 to 82 kg. Dark brown or black round spots are scattered across the yellowish-gray background of her coarse coat. In addition to color and large size, the spotted hyena differs from the striped hyena in having 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. She 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 fierce and are able to run fast (up to 65 km/h). When going out to hunt, hyenas emit a variety of unpleasant sounds, such as howls, wild laughter, etc.

The spotted hyena is a typical corpse-eater: carrion is its main food. However, hyenas themselves often 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 protecting their territory. Along with such sedentary groups, there are animals that follow the migrating wildebeest, and also make long forays (up to 80 km) in search of food.

Females are able to reproduce throughout the year, while the sexual activity of males is seasonal. The gestation period is approximately 110 days. There are only 1-3 puppies in a litter. According to some of the latest observations at the zoo, they are born sighted, hear well, move quite actively, weighing 1.6 kg, and after 100 days they reach a weight of 14.5 kg.

Animal life: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by professors N.A. Gladkov, A.V. Mikheev. 1970 .

Spotted hyena – carnivorous mammal family of hyenas. This is the most common member of the Crocuta species. They are also known as the laughing orderlies of the African open spaces.

Description of the spotted hyena

These representatives of the fauna are famous bad character . “People” consider them to be aggressive, cowardly animals that feed on carrion. Is this deserved? A traveler with a lack of experience in Africa faces many dangers. The spotted hyena is one of them. More often they attack in flocks at night. Therefore, woe to the guest who did not light a fire and stock up on wood for the whole night.

This is interesting! Research shows that the spotted hyena's social intelligence is on par with some primate species. Their mental development is one step higher than other predators, due to the structure of the frontal cortex of the brain.

It is believed that the ancestors of the spotted hyena branched off from the true hyena (striped or brown) during the Pliocene era, 5.332 million to 1.806 million years ago. Spotted ancestors of hyenas, with developed social behavior, increased pressure from rivals forced me to “learn” to work as a team. They began to borrow more large territories. This is also due to the fact that migrating animals often became their prey. The evolution of hyena behavior was not without the influence of lions - their direct enemies. Practice has shown that it is easier to survive by forming prides - communities. This helped them hunt and defend their territories more efficiently. As a result, their numbers increased.

According to the fossil record, the first species appeared in the Indian Subcontinent. Spotted hyenas colonized the Middle East. Since then, the spotted hyena's habitat, as well as its appearance, have changed slightly.

Appearance

The length of the spotted hyena ranges from 90 to 170 cm, depending on gender, development and age, height – 85-90 cm. The hyena’s body is covered with short, coarse hair with undercoat. The long coat covers only the neck, creating the appearance of a light mane. The body color is pale brown with a darkened muzzle, similar to a mask. The spotted hyena's fur is covered with dark spots. In some individuals, in the area of ​​the back of the head it has a slightly reddish tint. The hyena's body has a slanted body with high shoulders and low hips. Their large, round body stands on relatively thin gray paws, each with four toes. The hind legs are slightly shorter than the front legs. Large round ears are set high on the head. The spotted hyena's muzzle shape is short and wide with a thick neck, similar in appearance to that of a dog.

Sexual dimorphism is pronounced in appearance and behavior of spotted hyenas. Females are significantly larger than males due to excess testosterone. Females have more of it than males. On average, female spotted hyenas are 10 kg heavier than males and have a more muscular body. They are also much more aggressive.

We should also talk about her voice. The spotted hyena is capable of making up to 10-12 different sounds, differentiated as signals for relatives . Laughter, similar to a prolonged howl, is used for communication between individuals. Animals can greet each other using moans and squeals. You can also hear "giggling", howling and growling from them. For example, a low growl with closed mouth symbolizes aggression. A hyena can make such a sound to a pack when a lion approaches.

The reaction to the same signals from different individuals can also be different. The inhabitants of the flock react to the cries of males “reluctantly”, with a delay, and to the sounds made by the female - immediately.

Lifestyle

Spotted hyenas live in large clans, from 10 to 100 individuals. These are mostly females; they form a so-called matriarchal clan led by an alpha female. They mark their territory and defend it from other hyenas. There is a strict hierarchy within the clan among females who compete with each other for social position. Females dominate males through aggressive displays. Females are divided according to age. Older ones are considered the main ones, they eat first, and produce an order of magnitude more offspring. The rest do not have such privileges, but are still in the hierarchy one step above the males.

Males also have a certain division based on similar characteristics. Dominant males have greater access to females, but they all worship the “women” of the pack. Due to this harsh state of affairs, some males often move to other flocks to breed.

This is interesting! Spotted hyenas have a complex greeting ritual involving sniffing and licking each other's genitals. The spotted hyena raises its hind paw to become acquainted so that another individual can sniff it. These highly socialized mammals are masters of the most complex social structure primates.

Different clans can wage war against each other in the struggle for territory. Rivalry among spotted hyenas is expressed in a harsh form. They behave differently with their own children. The cubs are born in a communal den. Siblings of the same sex will fight for dominance, biting each other and sometimes inflicting fatal wounds. The winner will dominate the rest of the offspring until he dies. Offspring of the opposite sex do not compete with each other.

How long does a spotted hyena live?

IN natural environment habitat, the spotted hyena lives for about 25 years, in captivity it can live up to forty.

Range, habitats

Spotted hyena individuals choose savannas as their habitat, which are rich in animals included in their favorite diet. They can also be found in semi-deserts, open forests, dense dry forests, and mountain forests up to 4000m in height. They avoid thick tropical forests and deserts. You can meet them in Africa from the Cape of Good Hope to the Sahara.

Spotted hyena diet

The main food of the spotted hyena is meat.. Previously, it was believed that their diet consisted only of carrion - the remains of animals underfed by other predators. This is far from true; spotted hyenas are primarily hunters. They get about 90% of their food by hunting. Hyenas go fishing alone or as part of a pack led by a female leader. They most often hunt large herbivores. For example, gazelles, buffalos, zebras, wild boars, giraffes, rhinoceroses and hippopotamuses. They can also feed on small game, livestock and carrion.

This is interesting! Despite well-developed hunting skills, they are not picky eaters. These animals will not disdain even a rotten elephant. Hyenas have become the dominant predator in Africa.

Spotted hyenas primarily hunt at night, but are sometimes active during the day. They travel a lot in search of prey. The spotted hyena can reach speeds of about 65 kilometers per hour, which gives it the ability to keep up with a herd of antelope or other animals and capture its prey. A powerful bite helps a hyena overcome a large animal. A single bite to the neck can sever major blood vessels in the victim. After capture, other animals in the pack help gut the prey. Males and females may fight over food. As a rule, the female wins the fight.

The powerful jaws of the spotted hyena can even cope with the thick femur of a large animal. The stomach also digests everything that enters it, from horns to hooves. For this reason, this animal's stool is often white. If the prey is too large, the hyena may hide some of it for later.

Natural enemies

Spotted hyenas are at odds with. This is almost their only and constant enemy. Of the total deaths of spotted hyenas, 50% die from the fangs of a lion. Often it is a matter of protecting one's own borders, sharing food and water. This is how it happened in nature. Spotted hyenas will kill lions, and lions will kill spotted hyenas. During the dry season, drought or famine, lions and hyenas are always at war with each other over territory.

This is interesting! The fight between hyenas and lions is tough. It often happens that hyenas attack defenseless lion cubs or old individuals, for which they are attacked in return.

In the struggle for food and primacy, victory goes to the group of animals whose numbers predominate. Also, spotted hyenas, like any other animal, can be exterminated by humans.