Hyena color. Striped hyena: description, lifestyle, characteristics and interesting facts

Hyena. Interesting Facts

Two interesting features of hyenas are their crackling laugh and long front legs. After reading this article, you will learn facts about hyenas...

At one mention of hyenas, many people imagine animals resembling dogs that live in Africa and Asia. Animal lovers, of course, know about their special laughter. Hyenas call, crackle, and make other sounds to alert the rest of the group that food is coming. Their laughter can be heard at a distance of 5 km. Read on to find out the funny facts about hyenas.

Interesting facts about hyenas

According to evolutionary history, hyenas are believed to have evolved from tree species animals about 26 million years ago. Despite them small size, hyenas are the predominant carnivore animal species in Africa. Their standing position is reminiscent of a bear's stance, as the hind legs are shorter than the front. detailed information about hyenas for children is provided below.

Types of hyenas The list of African animals lists four species of hyena, namely the spotted hyena ( Crocuta Crocuta), brown hyena ( Hyaena brunnea), striped hyena ( Hyaena hyaena) and earthwolf ( Proteles cristatus). The largest of these hyenas - spotted hyena, whose weight upon reaching maturity can reach up to 85 kg. The next largest are the brown and striped hyena. The smallest is the earthwolf, which feeds mainly on insects.

Hyena habitat Hyenas prefer to live in savannahs, fields, forests, deserts, woodlands and high latitudes. They make their lair in elevated areas, which is connected to several underground tunnels. This helps them defend themselves against invading animals. As for the habitat of the striped hyena, they live in large numbers in India and some other Asian countries.

Hyena food As for the eating habits of hyenas, they feed on both carrion and living things. Ability to eat various types food increases the survival rate of these tetrapods wild animals. They prefer to eat animals killed by other carnivores, which is why hyenas are often called scavengers. During the period of food shortage, they hunt themselves, wildebeest, monkeys and birds become their prey.

Hyena behavior

Hyenas- nocturnal mammals that prefer to live in groups, which helps them in scaring off predators. As for the spotted hyena, their groups consist of approximately 80 individuals. They mark their territory and fight invading animals. One female from a group of hyenas is the main one, as in matriarchy. Unlike other animals that live in groups, hyenas often fight each other.

Sexual demorphism Male spotted hyenas weigh about 45-60 kg, while females weigh 55-75 kg. Interestingly, female hyenas dominate males. They reach sexual maturity at the age of 2-3 years. There is no mating period as such. In a group spotted hyenas, the number of females is greater than the number of male hyenas.

Hyena breeding A strange fact about hyenas is that females avoid mating with males from their group. Most often they mate with males from other groups. After a three-month gestation period, the female gives birth to young. Hyena litter consists of 2-4 babies. Although they can eat meat from the age of 5 months, hyena cubs feed on their mother's milk for a year and a half.

hyena lifespan Hyenas live an average of 20-25 years. The record for life in captivity is 40 years. Striped hyenas in wild nature live up to 12 years. In captivity, their lifespan is longer, as they are safe from predators and fed the right food.

Fun Facts About Hyenas

Hyenas are amazing animals, their mental level corresponds to that of primates. This became clear thanks to research on the brain of hyenas. What follows are some facts about hyenas that will blow your mind.

• Hyenas greet each other just like dogs do. This has led to the misconception that these carnivores are dogs.
• Believe it or not, the ancient Egyptians domesticated hyenas. The main purpose of breeding hyenas was to use them as a source of food.
• Young hyenas are born with open eyes, unlike other baby animals. They live in the den for up to 1 year, after which they go hunting with their mother.
• At female hyenas elevated level hormone testosterone compared to male hyenas.
• In females, the level of this hormone is three times higher than in males. Not surprisingly, the female population is more masculine and aggressive than male hyenas.
• Hyenas often steal food from other carnivores. This behavior irritates other carnivores that share habitat with hyenas.
• Despite their size, hyenas have very strong jaws. Digestive system The hyena is adapted in such a way that it is able to digest all kinds of animal products, from soft vegetation to meat, hides and bones.
• Common predators of hyenas are leopards, lions, hunting dogs and crocodiles.

These were funny facts about hyenas. Regardless of the characteristics of hyenas, such as dominance and carnivorous diet, the population of these animals with strong jaw has decreased significantly over the past few decades. Thus, hyenas are included in the list of endangered animals. The main threat to these carnivores animals is habitat loss and hunting for them.

“We have to admit that this hyena is paying for its ugliness. Among all predators, she is, without a doubt, the most ugly, the most vile phenomenon; add also its spiritual qualities to make the animal more hated. She is more stupid, malevolent and rude than her striped relative," wrote zoologist Alfred Brehm in late XIX century.

UNREcognized and slandered

Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) have an angular head with a blunt muzzle, powerful jaws, a squat body, a sloping back, yellow-brown spotted fur, of course, not the most pleasant appearance. It turns out, however, that they are among the most interesting species mammals and the most successful predators. It is now known that they for a long time notoriously carrion-eaters, they can even handle large, defensively capable game. Hyenas live (which is unparalleled among other land predators) in groups dominated by females.

HARDIAN HUNTERS AND CARGO-FEEDING ANIMALS

Spotted hyenas, whose body length reaches 1.3-1.85 m and weight 39-74 kg, come from areas south of the Sahara. They inhabit wet savannahs, open areas, semi-dry scrub deserts and mountainous regions up to 3300 m. Specialists in survival, they feed on everything that their habitat offers: meat, carrion, fruits, berries, tubers, eggs. How often hyenas hunt on their own or prefer carrion depends on external conditions.

Hyenas often hunt in packs, driving prey into a trap. special equipment they have no killing: usually several animals cling to the victim with their teeth, and it bleeds. Spotted hyenas are runners that can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h. Strong and active at night, hunters manage to kill such large prey as the white-bearded antelope.

COMPETITION TO LIONS

The notion of a lion as a "brave predator" and a hyena as a "cowardly carrion eater" is misleading, because often the animal that the lions could not finish eating is killed by hyenas. In order for the “kings of nature”, standing above the hyenas in biological subordination, not to deprive them of food, the latter developed various behavioral methods of adaptability: they learned to divide the animal’s corpse into parts and eat it with breathtaking speed; a single spotted hyena can swallow a Thomson's gazelle calf in less than two minutes. When they are disturbed, they do not try to drag off the prey, but carry it in their mouths to a safe place so as not to leave traces. Hyenas are far from always meekly inferior to rivals. Depending on the number of animals in the group, they can even drive lions away from their prey.

WHETHER A MALE OR A FEMALE

Spotted hyenas have a special social organization life. Their community consists of strong females and weak males. Females are larger and weigh more. Their external urogenital organs are similar in appearance to the male genitalia. Where the vagina should be, there is a structure that resembles the scrotum. But instead of testicles, it contains adipose tissue.

AGGRESSIVENESS AS AN ADVANTAGE IN THE DIFFICULT MATTER OF SURVIVAL

Spotted hyenas until the 19th century were considered hermaphrodites, but internal structure females and males are common: some have ovaries, others have testicles. In female striped hyenas, the closest relatives of spotted hyenas, the structure of the genital organs is completely normal, so spotted hyenas are considered pseudohermaphrodites. This is apparently the result of a mutation. The special structure of the female genital organs leads to the fact that more than 50% of firstborns are born dead. It could be assumed that it will happen soon natural selection. But the mutation is accompanied by one property that obviously compensates for this shortcoming - aggressiveness. Spotted hyena females are extremely warlike; in the clan they dominate in every way. Both sexes have their own hierarchy, but the female with the lowest subordination is in any case higher than the male.

RELATIVES READY TO FIGHT

After 3-4 months of pregnancy, the female has 1-2 cubs with uniform dark brown fur, open eyes and well-developed teeth. Newborn female hyenas behave extremely aggressively: when two females are born in a fight for milk, it often comes to killing a sister (siblicide). When food becomes scarce, more males are born to hyenas as the males leave the group and the females remain in the clan.

Spotted hyenas live in clans of 20 to 80 animals. In order to reduce aggressiveness, they greet each other by licking the excited genitals. For this reason, males courting a female approach her cautiously in a posture of humility, crawling on their stomachs. In addition, spotted hyenas have a rich repertoire of sounds, consisting of laughter, whimpering, bleating, howling, giggling and howling; thanks to them they get to know each other.

An adult spotted hyena eats on average 3-6 kg of meat per day, but during a single meal it can even swallow 15 kg without problems. At the same time, she does not disdain large tubular bones: the structure of the jaw allows you to effectively grind even the bones of a rhinoceros. It is driven by an unusually powerful cervical, occipital and jaw muscles. Due to the presence of highly concentrated hydrochloric acid in the composition of gastric juice and excellent digestion, the hyena can digest everything. Thus, spotted hyenas absorb food that is not available to other predators.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF

Spotted Hyena, Crocuta (Crocuta crocuta)

• Class Mammals.
• Squad of predators.
• Hyena family.
• Distribution: Savannahs and open landscapes of sub-Saharan Africa.
• Body length with head: 130-185 cm.
• Height at the withers: 70-90 cm.
• Weight: males - 40-58 kg; females - 39-74 kg.
• Food: ungulates, small mammals, carrion, fruits, berries, tubers.
• Sexual maturity: from 2-3 years.
• Duration of pregnancy: about 110 days.
• Number of cubs: 2.
• Lifespan: approximately 18 years.

African savannas are very unpredictable. They can be found as ferocious predators, and small fluffy jerboas. One of the most interesting animals of this area is the hyena. This species filled the entire area of ​​the African valleys.

Where do hyenas live?

African animals include a mammal that inspires fear in many safari visitors. open area - perfect place for the settlement of a flock of hyenas.

It is noteworthy that these animals choose places with a not hot climate, and how dogs mark the territory on which they build their home. In addition, this member of the feline family puts a representative from the pack on guard when they settle down for the night, to protect the family.

The hyena is mistakenly classified as a member of the canine family. In fact, she belongs to the cat family.

Hyena, to a greater extent, nocturnal animal. During the day, flocks sleep off, from night hunts or transitions. Although they are not too fond of changing their territory, they occasionally have to do this to find places with a lot of food.

There is a misconception that this mammal is a dangerous animal. This opinion is based on the fact that they kill the innocent, and also eat carrion. In fact, there are much more dangerous creatures in nature, and thanks to the ability of a person to tame and train, even domestic hyenas are found. At the same time, at home they become best friend. If an animal goes to a meeting and begins to trust a person, then in terms of devotion it will not yield to an ordinary dog.

Nature endowed the nimble predator with amazing abilities at first glance. For example, they are able to make peculiar sounds. With a diabolical laugh, the hyena notifies its family of the find. a large number food. But animals like lions have learned to recognize these urges. Often lions take food from hyenas. A flock of predators is not able 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 paws of the animal with glands. According to the specific smell of the produced secretion, the "hunters" learned to identify the individuals of their flock. That allows them to identify and scare away the stranger.

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

Matriarchy reigns in a pack of predators. A hierarchy is built following principles:

• 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 dinner. In turn, they bring and grow the largest offspring.
• females low class. They follow the elders, that is, in the second turn they start eating, rest at a distance from the elders.
• Males. They belong to the lowest class.

Types of hyenas

In nature, there are the following types of hyenas:

• spotted;
• striped;
• brown;
• aardwolf;
• African.

It is worth noting that the largest of this cat family is African. In third place is spotted.

In addition to ordinary hyenas, animals such as hyena dogs live in the expanses of Africa. Between these species, at a meeting, there are always slaughters for the territory. The family with the most animals wins. In addition to dog hyenas, there are quite a few other enemies in the wild. The most feared is the lion.

The spotted hyena, like no other, looks like a large dog. She has a powerful and broad head, her eyes are not deep set. The ears are rounded and not large. The fur is much shorter than in other species. This predator with the onset of old age loses 50 percent of its coat. Has an impressive tail. Also a distinctive feature is the presence of coarse long hair from the withers to the tail. Visually, this wool forms a mane.

This representative has very sharp and strong teeth. There is an opinion that the jaw of this species is one of the strongest among all mammals. The animal is capable of speeds up to 65 km / h. If you look at him in profile, you may see a small hump on his back.

Outwardly, it is quite difficult to distinguish the female from the male. Strange as it may sound, their organs are very similar. It is possible to accurately determine the sex only in a lactating female. She has a clearly visible pair of nipples, which are located near the hind limbs.

A spotted mammal may have different color. It varies from light sand to brown. hallmark are rounded dark spots all over the body. The tail of the predator is fluffy and decorated in dark rings, the tip is black.

This species produces more than 11 sounds, several of which are lingering. If you hear the howl of this hyena from afar, then you can confuse it with loud laughter.

The spotted hyena is the most major representative of his family. The body length is from 100 to 166 centimeters, and average weight 75 kilograms.

And in nature, this species lives for about 20-25 years.

striped hyena- a rather large subspecies of the family, the weight of an adult is about 60 kilograms. Males are always much larger than females. The upper part is covered with stiff long hair that forms a mane. The rest of the hair barely grows 7 centimeters. Throughout the body there are pronounced stripes. Hence the name of the subspecies.

Their paws are very curved, and the front ones are longer than the hind ones. If you see this predator from afar, you might think that he is injured.

The body of this representative is not massive. The neck is short but thick. The head is large with a heavy lower jaw. The ears are pointed at the top.

Basically, this species only growls and howls. They don't make any other sounds.

The spotted hyena feeds mainly on carrion. Although in the first years of life he likes to eat vegetation.

In captivity, this species lives for about 40 years.

Outwardly, the brown hyena resembles an ordinary medium-sized dog. In this species, the body is raised at the withers and externally, you can see a small hump. The head is large and set on a thick neck. Their ears are the largest compared to individuals of other subspecies. The legs are curved, but at the same time quite strong. The tail is large and shaggy.

The brown hyena is one of the smallest members of the family. Its weight is about 35 kilograms, although the body length is about 70 centimeters.

There is little hair on the body of this individual. The entire coat is very hard and dyed dark brown. Sometimes you can meet a representative with a gray tint. The jaw is equipped with sharp teeth that can easily crush even bones.

An interesting feature is that with age this predator turns gray.

Males and females are very similar. Outwardly find features almost impossible. The only feature is the sounds made and the attitude in the pack. If a female makes a sound, then the rest of the family gathers around her. If the male howls, then it goes unnoticed.

Lives in nature for about 20 years.

The earth wolf is a hyena that lives in Africa. Outwardly similar to the striped hyena, but it is difficult to confuse them. The earth wolf weighs up to 14 kilograms and the length of the body without a tail is about 55 centimeters. This is the only species that does not show sexual dimorphism. Outwardly, it is easy to distinguish the female from the male.

The muzzle of this type of hyena is similar to that of a dog, but very small, one might even say elongated. Paws are high and not massive. The fur is thick and not harsh. Inside is soft light-colored down. In case of danger, the mane of an earthen wolf rises on end. Thus, the individual warns the flock.

The hyena of this subspecies can have several colors. The color varies from sandy to brown. Distinctive feature are pronounced stripes all over the body.

An interesting feature of the earthen wolf is the presence of 5 fingers on the forelimbs.

The entire jaw is equipped with sharp teeth. The fangs are especially large and long. With them, a hyena can tear apart an enemy many times larger than itself.

The African hyena is a large predator. Its average weight is 70-80 kilograms. Outwardly similar to a large dog, but with a small head. The muzzle is outwardly extended, 2 small rounded ears are planted on top. This hyena looks pretty awkward.

The color is usually yellowish. The whole body is covered with dark spots. Wool reaches a length of 5-7 centimeters. From the withers to the tail, a hairline of increased rigidity grows. Outwardly, these hairs form a mane.

The front legs of this subspecies are longer than the hind legs, so it may seem that the hyena is limping.

This species mainly feeds on carrion, but can occasionally attack zebras and antelopes. Irritable character. It can even attack a person.

This species has pronounced sexual dimorphism. There are no external differences between females and males.

The only significant enemy African hyena is a lion.

Hyena breeding in nature

To continue offspring and conceive cubs, the female hyena prepares for a year. Pre-mating of hyenas occurs once every two weeks. While the genitals of males are ready for fertilization in certain seasons.

The genital organs of the hyena are unique in their structure. An inexperienced person will not be able to distinguish between a female hyena in front of him or a male. In the female hyena, the clitoris, under which the scrotum is located, is identical to the penis of the male. Mating of two individuals occurs by penetration of the penis through the clitoris into the urogenital canal.

Male hyenas for breeding, fighting in front of the female. The winner, lowering his head and tail, approaches the female, and with her permission, offspring are conceived.

Hyena cubs

The first hyena cub is born one hundred and ten days after conception. At the same time, up to three puppies can give birth to an animal at a time. The representative of the cats, in order to continue the family, equips a separate hole.

Hyenas are born immediately with their eyes open and weighing about two kilograms. The creature feeds its offspring for a year and a half with breast milk.

The color of the cub is brown. With age, the color changes and becomes darker. An interesting feature in the life of a hyena is that children occupy the status in the pack on which their parents were. Such a kind of legacy. Maximum age hyenas are about twelve years old.

What age the beast has reached can be determined based on color. The darker the color, the older the animal. Basically, the color of the coat is yellowish brown with dark gray spots like a leopard. The hyena's head is solid brown, but the muzzle is clearly black. In addition, a burgundy shade is observed on the occipital side.

Hunting

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

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

Hearing, smell and vision they actually high level. For example, they smell carrion at a distance of more than four kilometers.

What does a hyena eat?

The animal feeds mainly on animals that it catches on the hunt. At the same time, the size of the prey can be many times greater than the size of the hunter himself. Although from such food the body receives much more nutrients and useful substances, but the predator does not disdain and regales on carrion.

If the flock did not find animal food, then it goes to look for vegetable food. Individuals with great pleasure can eat juicy grass and even fruits. This way, the hyena will never go hungry!

It is not strange, but alone hyenas are very cowardly. Therefore, hyenas are often hunted in a pack, thanks to which it is very difficult to defeat them for another beast.

Hyenas unique system digestion. Thanks to her, these creatures easily absorb bone, horns, hooves and wool. During the day, the stomach of these animals is able to digest everything eaten.

Domestic hyena, how to keep a hyena at home?

If a person decides to have such an exotic animal as a hyena at home, then first you need to take care of safety. It is not recommended to have such an animal in the apartment, the best option will serve Vacation home. In this case, it is necessary to build an aviary from strong metal rods. When determining the site for the enclosure, the habitat of the hyenas must be taken into account. They love the cool, but not the cold.

It is best to opt for a baby, not an adult. Since, the cubs are more amenable to training and have not yet had time to get used to wild environment a habitat. As mentioned earlier, hyenas easily make contact with a person, but only if they gain trust. In order for a predator to recognize a friend in a person, you do not need to constantly keep it in an aviary. Still, this is a wild animal and he needs freedom.

It is advised to feed this cat dry food. Meat should be given very rarely and in small portions. It is worth noting that after eating meat food, an animal, even grown at home, instinctively becomes aggressive. As often as possible, the pet should include vegetables and fruits in the diet. They will fill the body with vitamins and minerals, make the coat thicker.

It is necessary to treat such a pet with affection and love, and then he will reciprocate.

Given all the diversity of the flora and fauna of Africa, hyenas do not stand out for their appearance. But it is worth paying attention to a few facts:

• The females of this family are the most caring mothers of all predators. All the prey first goes to the kids, and then the adults eat it;
• By their nature, single individuals are shy and can cling to stronger predators;

For a long time no one could find a kind word for hyenas. They are treacherous and cowardly; they greedily torment carrion, laugh like demons, and they also know how to change sex, becoming either females or males.

Ernest Hemingway, who traveled a lot in Africa and was well versed in the habits of animals, knew about hyenas only that they are "hermaphrodites that defile the dead."

From ancient times to the present day, the same chilling stories have been told about hyenas. They were copied from book to book, but no one bothered to check them. Hyenas have not really interested anyone for a long time.

Only in 1984, at the University of Berkeley (California), a center for the study of individuals was opened. Now there lives a colony of forty spotted hyenas(Crocuta crocuta), the most misunderstood animal in the world.

Who eats a lion for dinner?

Indeed, spotted hyenas are very different from other predatory animals. For example, only in hyenas, females are larger and more massive than males. Their constitution determines the life of the pack: matriarchy reigns here. In this feminist world, it makes no sense for males to bicker, life partners are much stronger and angrier than them, but you can’t call them insidious.

“Hyenas are the most caring mothers among predators,” says Professor Stephen Glickman, who initiated the study of hyenas at Berkeley.

Unlike lionesses, hyenas drive males away from their prey, allowing only babies to approach it at first. In addition, these quivering mothers feed their cubs with milk for almost 20 months.

Many myths will be dispelled by impartial observation of hyenas. Have the Death Eaters fallen? Just not enterprising hunters, driving large prey with the whole flock. They eat carrion only when they are hungry.

Cowardly? Among predators, only hyenas are ready to fight back the "king of beasts". With devilish laughter, they attack the lions if they are going to take their prey from them, for example, a defeated zebra, which the pack did not get easily.

Hyenas themselves attack old lions, finishing with them in a matter of minutes. A coward dares to attack only a hare.

As for their hermaphrodism, this is one of the most common ridiculous myths. Hyenas are bisexual, although it is really difficult to determine their gender. This is due to the fact that the genitals of females outwardly almost do not differ from male ones. Their labia form a sac-like fold resembling the scrotum, the clitoris is similar in size to the penis, only by examining its structure, one can understand that this is a female organ.

Why are hyenas so unusual? At first, Glickman and his colleagues suggested that the blood of females is very high in testosterone, a male sex hormone that helps form muscle and hair in males, and also encourages them to aggressive behavior. However, with this hormone in hyenas, everything was normal. But in pregnant females, its content suddenly increased.

The reason for the unusual structure of the hyena (the size of females and morphological and sexual similarity with males) turned out to be a hormone called androstenedione, which, under the influence of an enzyme, is able to turn into a female hormone - estrogen - or testosterone, a male hormone.

As Glickman found, in pregnant hyenas, androstenedione, penetrating the placenta, is converted into testosterone. In all other mammals, including humans, on the contrary, in estrogen.

A special enzyme stimulates the appearance of estrogen, which is not very active in the body of hyenas. Thus, so much testosterone is produced in the placenta that the fetus is formed with pronounced masculine (male) characteristics, regardless of gender.

bloodthirsty kids

Because of their strange anatomy, childbirth in hyenas is very difficult and often ends in the death of the cubs. At the University of Berkeley, out of every seven cubs, only three survive; the rest die from lack of oxygen. In the wild, the mother herself often does not survive. Female hyenas most often die because lions attack them during childbirth.

striped hyena

Two, and sometimes more babies are born, weighing up to two kilograms. The appearance of the crumbs is charming: button eyes and black fluffy fur. But more furious little ones are hard to imagine. A few minutes after their birth, tiny hyenas are already rushing at each other, trying to kill their brothers.

"It - the only mammals, which are born with sharp fangs and incisors, notes Glickman. “In addition, unlike cats, hyenas are born sighted - and immediately see only enemies around them.”

They bite, dodge, gnaw and tear each other's backs. Their contractions are not at all like the hustle and bustle of kittens trying to get to their mother's nipples first. Hyena cubs want to be not the first, but the only ones, and the struggle between them is not for life, but for death. About a quarter of the cubs die as soon as they are born.

But the passion for murderous fights gradually disappears from them. In the first weeks of life, the content of testosterone in the blood of young animals is steadily declining. The survivors of these feuds reconcile with each other. It is curious that all their lives female hyenas behave more aggressively than males. Why did nature turn these spotted beauties into some kind of "superman"?

Lawrence Frank proposed a hypothesis. Throughout their history - and it has 25 million years - hyenas have learned to eat prey together - the whole flock. For kids, such a division of carcasses is discrimination. While the adults, pushing them back, tormented the meat, the little hyenas were left with only leftovers, mostly gnawed bones.

From such a meager diet, they starved and soon died. Nature favored those females who, throwing themselves at other hyenas, cleared a place near the prey for their babies. The more aggressive the hyena behaved, the more chances her offspring had to survive. Warlike hyena cubs could eat meat along with adults.

The ancient world of hyenas

In ancient times, two types of hyenas were known: striped and spotted, and the first, an inhabitant of North Africa and Western Asia, was, of course, more familiar to people than the spotted one living south of the Sahara. However, ancient writers did not distinguish between types of hyenas. So, Aristotle, as well as Arnobius and Cassius Felix, Latin writers, natives of Africa, mention the hyena without touching on its species differences.

Since ancient times, people have been amazed by the dexterity and perseverance with which hyenas tore up graves, so they were afraid of them, like evil demons. They were considered werewolves. A hyena seen in a dream meant a witch. In various parts of Africa, it was believed that sorcerers turn into hyenas at night. Until recently, the Arabs buried the head of a killed hyena, fearing it.

In Egypt, hyenas were hated and persecuted. This "devourer of carrion" to the depths of her soul insulted the inhabitants of the Nile valley, who were accustomed to honor the bodies of the dead. On the Theban frescoes you can see scenes of hunting with dogs for animals that lived in the wastewater treatment deserts: gazelles, hares, hyenas.

The Talmud described the outflow of an evil spirit from a hyena as follows: “When the male hyena is seven years old, he takes on the appearance bat; after another seven years, it turns into another bat called arpad; after another seven years, it sprouts nettles; after another seven years, thorns, and, finally, an evil spirit emerges from it.

One of the church fathers, Jerome, who lived for a long time in Palestine, writes about it with obvious hostility, recalling how hyenas and jackals scurry in hordes on the ruins of ancient cities, instilling fear in the souls of random travelers.

Since time immemorial, many different legends have been composed about hyenas. As already mentioned, they were credited with hermaphrodism and the ability to change their gender. It was said with a shudder that the hyena, imitating the voice of a person, lures children out and then tears them apart. It was said that the hyena exterminates dogs. The Libyans put prickly collars on dogs to protect them from hyenas.

In Africa, the hyena can be a common pet like a dog

Pliny wrote that the hyena looks like a cross between a dog and a wolf and will gnaw through any object with its teeth, and immediately digest the swallowed food in the womb. In addition, Pliny gave an extensive one - a whole page! - a list of potions that can be prepared from the skin, liver, brain and other organs of the hyena. So, the liver helped with eye diseases. Galen, Caelius, Oribasius, Alexander of Trallsky, Theodore Prisk also wrote about this.

Hyena skin has long been credited with magical properties. Going to sow, the peasants often wrapped a basket of seeds with a piece of this skin. It was believed that this protects the crop from hail.

“At the full moon, the hyena turns its back to the light, so that its shadow falls on the dogs. Bewitched by the shadow, they become numb, unable to utter a sound; the hyenas carry them off and devour them.”

The special dislike of hyenas for dogs was noted by Aristotle and Pliny. Many authors also assured that any person, whether a child, a woman or a man, easily becomes the prey of a hyena if she manages to catch him sleeping.

The heroine of our today's article can hardly be called a charming animal. For many, the striped hyena causes unpleasant associations. This is due to both the appearance of the animal and the way it obtains food. But not everyone knows that the striped hyena is listed in the Red Book as an animal whose numbers are sharply declining.

In this article, we will tell you what hyenas really are, what features they have and how they differ from other fanged ones.

Distribution of the striped hyena

it bright representative a small family of hyenas. The only species in the family that is found outside of Africa. Distributed in North Africa, Asia from mediterranean sea to the Bay of Bengal. It is believed that the striped hyena in Asia is a competitor of the tiger in the fight for main resource- meat. It occurs in Central and North-Western India, to the south the population decreases and is practically absent in Ceylon, however, as in countries lying to the east.

In Africa, south of the Sahara, such a hyena is also found, but towards the south of the region, the number of animals is declining. It inhabits eastern and southern Turkey, Pakistan, Iran, Nepal, Afghanistan, the Arabian Peninsula, reaching Dzungaria and Tibet. Northern regions its habitats are the Kopetdag mountains (Turkmenistan) and the foothills of the Greater Caucasus. The striped hyena of the Caucasus in Russia is occasionally found only in the southern limits of Dagestan. However, she does not live there permanently, but only occasionally crosses the Terek from Azerbaijan.

External Features

The description of the striped hyena, which can be found in many publications for animal lovers, indicates that it is a large, long-haired animal with a shortened body, slightly curved and strong limbs. The hind legs are more powerful and shorter. The tail is shaggy and shortened. The coat is sparse, hard and coarse.

The head is massive and rather wide, the muzzle is slightly elongated, the ears are large, slightly pointed at the ends. Striped hyenas are the owners of the most powerful jaws among mammals - their pressure is up to fifty kilograms per square centimeter.

On the back of the hyena is a vertical, darker crest, which consists of bristly long hair. In case of danger, it rises on the mane and at the same time the predator seems to be much taller than its height.

Color

The striped hyena can have a different color: from gray to straw or from brown-gray to dirty yellow. Dark and sometimes black stripes are clearly visible on the head, legs and torso. Sometimes they are replaced by dark spots. The underside of the neck and throat are black. On the muzzle, the “mask” is almost black.

Dimensions and weight

The length of an adult from head to tail is on average one hundred and twenty centimeters. The tail is thirty-five centimeters long, about ninety centimeters tall, and weighs between twenty-five and forty-five kilograms. Interestingly, these animals practically do not differ in gender either in height or in length, however, males can be a little heavier. AT vivo the striped hyena lives no more than 12 years, and in zoos - up to 25 years.

Voice

Vocal communication is practically undeveloped, as a rule, it consists of barely audible growls and a few more sounds that hyenas make during clashes with fellow tribesmen. The loudest sound made by this animal, which can be heard quite rarely, is a “clucking” howl. The predator makes the same sounds when it is excited.

Habitat

The striped hyena prefers clay deserts, but is often found in rocky foothills. It inhabits the most barren lands, often covered with thorny bushes. The hyena is found among rocky hills and gorges, as well as on open savannahs with dense herbage. He tries not to settle in deserts, he needs free access to water. The body of water must be within a radius of no more than ten kilometers.

Food

It is a scavenger by way of feeding. The diet of the animal consists of various carrion and food waste. It does not refuse to eat the corpses of both large and medium-sized mammals, such as gazelles, impalas, zebras. If the soft tissues have already been eaten by someone, the hyenas also gnaw the bones.

The striped hyena replenishes its diet with seeds, fruits, seeds, fish, insects, and occasionally kills small animals: rodents, hares, birds, reptiles. Researchers have identified fifteen species of mammals that may be prey for the striped hyena. Some individuals have learned to hunt domestic animals (goats, sheep, dogs). A large proportion of the remains of domestic animals and even human remains in the diet of these animals in some regions of the range proves the dependence of the hyena on the customs and lifestyle of the local population. For example, in the Middle East, tombstones, in addition to their traditional function, are an obstacle for hyenas: they do not allow them to dig up graves and eat the remains of people.

Striped hyena lifestyle

This animal is predominantly active at night. At night, the hyena travels around its site alone, although it prefers to relax in the company of several relatives. During the day, she hides in dense vegetation or in crevices among stones. It builds its burrows in dry waterholes, caves or settles in old burrows of badgers, porcupines and other animals.

The hyena moves completely silently, at a trot or step, and can go unnoticed even when living very close to a person. Its speed does not exceed eight kilometers per hour. To determine the direction of the search for food, the hyena does not use the direction of the wind, while it acutely feels the smell of carrion brought by its gusts. He is a fairly frequent visitor to garbage dumps located around settlements, in gardens during mass fruiting.

The striped hyena is very cautious. She has excellent hearing and sense of smell: these animals can hear sounds that are inaccessible to the human ear. They pick up sounds from other predators at a great distance. Often they lead hyenas to prey, which can be at a considerable distance. In addition, striped hyenas are animals with an odor communication system. They have an odorous anal gland, with the secret of which they mark the boundaries of their territory. Interestingly, each animal has a unique smell.

social device

The striped hyena is considered to be a loner, since it obtains food individually. Recent studies have shown that often striped hyenas live in small groups led by a dominant female. These groups are characterized by a certain social organization. Young members of the family help to feed younger individuals, bringing prey to the den.

Although territorial relations are not characteristic of the behavior of the striped hyena, they nevertheless exist. Burrows, as a rule, are used for a short time and therefore practically do not protect them. Juveniles demonstrate their obedience to adults. Fights in a group are usually a ritual fight during which the hyenas try to grab each other by the cheek. The loser of the fight demonstrates submission by showing the anal gland.

The striped hyena quite often uses the prey of other animals. From large predators, for example, she keeps the lions at a respectful distance (about fifty meters). For unknown reasons, striped hyenas behave submissively towards Crocuta crocuta (spotted hyena) and allow it to take prey. Adult females are quite aggressive towards each other, and they are dominant to males.

• Immature individuals like to eat cultivated plants, including gourds.
• The name of the animal comes from Greek word hus, which translates as "pig".
• Not the most attractive appearance and the cowardly behavior of this animal gave rise to many legends and superstitions. The ancient Greeks believed that hyenas were able to change sex.
• If these scavengers settle near the cemetery, people are forced to put large stones on the graves, since hyenas can tear the ground to get to human remains.