In Africa, inexperienced travelers face 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. In the dark, these flocking predators are activated, and woe to the traveler who did not have time to make a big fire and stock up with firewood all night.
Spotted Hyena is the largest representative of carrion mammals. She most embodies all the habits, features and structure inherent in 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 pack. These are very ferocious predators. Spotted hyenas are the only mammals whose jaws can create tremendous pressure (from 50 to 70 kg per sq. Cm). They easily bite hippo bones. Spotted hyenas are listed in the Red Book. They live in natural conditions for up to 25 years, in captivity - up to forty.
Spotted Hyena Habitat - Wild Africa
This type of predator can be found only in Africa. The most common spotted hyena habitat is the entire area south of the Sahara. This is mainly south and east of Africa, near the Cape of Good Hope, in the Ngorongoro Crater, in Kenya, Serengeti, Botswana and Namibia.
Wild Africa is rich in desert and jungle, but spotted hyenas are not found there. Favorite places of their residence are savannahs. These animals are not very friendly with other representatives of their species, therefore, very often they drive striped and brown hyenas from the places they have inhabited.
What a spotted hyena looks like
Representatives of this species have a wide black muzzle resembling a dog, with rounded ears. Spotted hyenas have very powerful jaws, the back is sloping, the hind legs are shorter than the front. Despite the uneven height of the legs, hyenas are able to reach speeds of up to 65 km / h. The extremities of the predators are four-fingered, the claws do not retract. When running, hyenas step on their fingers. The coat of animals is short, except for the hard hair on the back and neck, which form the mane.
Color
Spotted hyena has several color options. It can be dark or light. The color of the coat is 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. The head is brown, without spots. Leg extremities with a shade of gray. The tail is brown with a black tip.
Vote
Spotted hyena emits up to 11 different sound signals. A long howl, more like a "laughter", these animals use to communicate with each other. During booty fights, they giggle, laugh, growl and shout. Moans and squeals are used for greeting.
It is interesting that the flock rarely reacts to the sounds of males or with a delay, but immediately responds to the signals given by the females. Low growls and grunting sounds (mouth closed) express aggression. A high “laugh”, similar to cackling, is emitted during excitement or danger (for example, when a hyena is being chased). Predators use loud and deep vibrating growls before attack and during defense, as a threat. When the lion appears, the hyena gives signals to the brothers with a loud low growl.
Hierarchy in Packs
Wild hyenas live in matriarchal clans, on areas up to 1800 square meters. km The packs have a strict hierarchy. Females dominate the opposite sex. Moreover, between them there is an additional separation. Adults are considered the main ones. They are the first to start eating, relax 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 level. Moreover, they also have a similar separation. High-ranking individuals have priority access to females. Nevertheless, everyone shows general humility before the other sex. For breeding, males often join new flocks.
Among spotted hyenas, inter-clan wars for habitat constantly occur. The borders of the territory are constantly patrolled by these predators and delimited by feces, as well as anal secretions of odorous glands. The size of one clan can reach from 10 to 100 individuals.
Genitals
Spotted hyena has unique genitalia. All females have a penile organ. To distinguish the sex of these animals can only be an experienced specialist. The female genitals resemble the organs of the male. The clitoris is very similar to the penis. Underneath is a 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 brutal forms. Hyenas like to attack small lion cubs and often kill old and sick adults. In response, the lions destroy the hyenas. The war between predators goes for food. Lions and hyenas often drive each other away from prey. Victory goes to a larger "squad."
What spotted hyenas eat
These animals are very picky about food. But the main food for hyenas is carrion. They can hunt and eat fresh meat, but also do not disdain the corpses of animals, and sometimes eat relatives. As mentioned above, these animals have very developed jaws. For this reason, spotted hyenas eat up every part of the prey's body, leaving virtually nothing. This opportunity is provided by a unique digestive system, as well as a very active gastric juice.
What can hyenas eat? Wildlife created unique “orderlies”. These predators are capable of assimilating everything - the 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, which are almost completely decomposed.
However, the corpses of ungulates (rhinos, zebras, gazelles, antelopes, etc.) make up 50% of the diet of spotted hyenas. Predators often chase sick and old animals. They also feed on hares, porcupines, gazelles, warthogs and many other animals. For example, a flock of hyenas can even attack giants such as a giraffe, rhino and hippo.
Hunting
These predators retain the reputation of cowardly animals, but this is far from the case. According to numerous studies, hyenas are excellent hunters who 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 relax in the shade or lie in the water in shallow water.
Hunting hyenas consists in exhausting prey for a long run. These predators can run a great distance. When they overtake the prey, they gnaw through the main blood arteries on the paws. Hyenas do not strangle their victims, like many other predators, but begin to tear still living flesh.
Hunting happens in different ways. They go out to a small gazelle one by one, to antelopes - in small groups from 3 to 4 individuals. During the hunt they make different sounds, but more often - "laughter", turning into a long howl.
Thanks to its excellent sense of smell, African hyenas are able to smell carrion at a distance of over 4 kilometers. For hunting, they use sight and hearing. Despite the eternal war with the lions, hyenas cannot take their prey if an adult healthy male is present in the enemy camp.
A spotted African predator is an amazing animal. The hyena has in its habits some cowardice, which is best called caution. She is very aggressive and impudent. If a hyena is hungry, it can even bite large animals. In hunting, he tries to use his huge jaw strength, fast running and ferocity. A hungry hyena can attack people. At the same time, it is so strong that it can carry away the human body with ease and alone.
Breeding
Spotted hyena uses burrows of other animals or small caves to breed offspring. Cubs, despite their aggressiveness, she does not eat. Increased viciousness is due to the high content of androgen hormone. But this quality is given by nature to protect offspring, so that females can save and feed their cubs, which reach puberty by only 3 years.
Offspring appear before the rainy season. Females bear their babies for approximately 100 days. One litter can contain up to four babies at a time. They come into the world already sighted and with good hearing. After 3 months, babies already weigh over 14 kg.
If the cubs are same-sex, then almost immediately after birth, a struggle for death begins between them. Spotted hyenas feed their offspring milk for more than a year, but nevertheless this does not prevent young growth from starting to hunt and fully eat from the first months of life.
