Hyenas are Africa’s most common carnivores. They live primarily in dry, scrubby savannas and deserts and range from North Africa to the continent’s very southern tip.
Brown, spotted, striped, and the smaller and lesser-known aardwolf are the four types of hyenas. Hyenas have large heads, powerful jaws, and long front legs, with spotted hyenas being the largest.
Hyenas are best known for their “laugh,” which has been depicted in a variety of media. While some people do laugh, they are unlikely to join villainous cartoon characters in maniacal laughter.
Aside from the amusement, there’s a lot more to learn about these fascinating and often maligned mammals.
How Much Does A Hyena Weigh?
Striped hyenas range in size from 57 to 90 pounds (26 to 41 kg). A brown hyena, on the other hand, will weigh between 75 and 160 pounds (34 and 72.6 kg). Spotted hyenas are the largest and heaviest of the species, weighing an average of 88 to 190 pounds (40–86 kg).
Spotted females are typically heavier than males, which is unusual in the animal world. They can reach a length of 5.9 feet (1.8 meters).
Hyenas, which have been around for more than 24 million years, can be found all over Africa and Asia, in a variety of habitats ranging from grasslands, woodlands, and savannahs to deserts, forests, and even mountains.
Spotted hyenas are social animals who live in large clans of up to 80 individuals. Striped and brown hyenas, on the other hand, live in much smaller groups and are frequently seen foraging alone.
Because they are nocturnal animals, you will be extremely fortunate to see many of them during the day.
Hyenas enjoy scavenging from other predators’ kills. Wildebeest, antelope, birds, lizards, and snakes are among the prey they hunt, and they frequently fight over the same territories as lions.
How much does a Hyena Eat a day?
The amount of food consumed by a clan of spotted hyaenas in the Namib desert was measured gravimetrically over the course of 19 nights, and the amount consumed by each individual was calculated based on its feeding time budget.
Except for the lowest-ranking male, who only got half that amount per night from large, fleshy ungulate carcasses, each adult clan member ate about 8.7kg per night from large, fleshy ungulate carcasses.
Skin and bone marrow were consumed at a slower rate of 2kg per hyena per night. Medium-sized ungulates were quickly devoured, resulting in more food for each hyaena during such feeding nights than at large carcasses.
A hyaena clan consumed five carcasses at a rate of 4.0kg/hyaena/day over a 29-day period, which was consistent with previous estimates of average daily consumption in large social carnivores.
Each year, sixteen Namib hyaenas consumed 4.8 percent of the ungulate biomass, eradicating 14.3 percent of the gemsbok and 2.2 percent of the mountain zebra. These populations did not appear to be harmed as a result of the depletion.
Type of Hyena
Hyenas are often mistakenly compared to dogs, but they are more closely related to cats. According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System, they are members of the suborder Feliformia, which is a classification for cat-like carnivores. The hyena family consists of four species that vary in size.
Spotted hyena
The spotted hyena is the largest of the species, growing to a length of 4 to 5.9 feet (1.2 to 1.8 meters) and a height of 2.5 to 2.6 feet (77 to 81 centimeters) from paw to shoulder.
They range in weight from 88 to 190 pounds (40 to 86 kg). According to the San Diego Zoo, spotted females are 10% heavier than males in comparison to other species.
According to the Animal Diversity Web, the spotted hyena’s coat is sandy, yellowish, or gray (ADW). The majority of its body is covered in dark brown or black spots.
Brown hyena
According to ADW, brown hyenas are the second largest, measuring 51 to 63 inches (130 to 160 cm) in length and weighing 75 to 160 lbs. (34 to 72.6 kg). Brown hyenas have long, shaggy hair that is dark brown or black on the body and tan on the shoulders and neck, distinguishing them from other hyenas. In contrast to the short hair on the legs, face, and ears, the hair on the neck grows to about 12 inches (30.5 cm). The tail is bushy and short. The brown hyena’s horizontally striped forelegs are much longer and more massively constructed than the hind legs, giving the impression that it is always climbing a hill.
Striped hyena
According to the San Diego Zoo, the striped hyena is 39 to 45 inches (100 to 115 cm) long and 26 to 30 inches (66 to 75 cm) tall from paw to shoulder. Their tails are 12 to 16 inches (30 to 40 cm) long, and they weigh 57 to 90 pounds (26 to 41 kg). Hyenas with stripes have long gray to straw-colored hair. Their muzzle is black, and their head, torso, and legs have black stripes.
Some different facts about Hyena
Adult males are the last to eat.
Female hyenas are larger, stronger, and more resilient than male hyenas. Hyenas live in large clans, and females and cubs eat first when food is available. Male cubs are thrown out of their clan when they are old enough to manage on their own (around the age of two or three) and must find a new one. The females have complete control over whether or not to accept a new male into their group.
Hyenas are thought to be as intelligent as monkeys.
Researchers studying hyena intelligence are still trying to figure out how far they can push it. Hyenas live in complex societies with complex social structures. When it comes to food and sex, they can use distraction and deception to get what they want. They can even solve complex puzzles (often faster than primates), unlatch lunchboxes, and outsmart the humans who are studying them.
In the media, their hostility is exaggerated.
Children are eaten by them. They go around robbing graves. They are nefarious swindlers and obedient followers. Hyenas have always been associated with negative stereotypes. Hyenas are carnivores and carrion eaters, and they have been known to steal food from other predators, but they are no more likely to attack humans than any other mammal.
They’re all from different parts of Africa.
Different hyena species live in different parts of Africa. Brown and spotted hyenas live in Sub-Saharan Africa, while striped hyenas prefer the dry, rocky lands of northern Africa. Aardwolves prefer the bushlands of Africa’s southern and eastern regions.
To keep cool, spotted hyenas sleep in water.
Spotted hyenas live in Sub-Saharan Africa, one of the world’s hottest regions. Spotted hyenas sleep in pools of water at watering holes or under bushes, while other animals may seek refuge in dens to stay cool. They have the option of hunting at night, but they usually do so in the evening to cool off.
They’ve been known to go head-to-head with lions on occasion.
Because lions and hyenas both hunt for the same food, it’s not surprising that they sometimes compete for the same meal. A fight may erupt as a result of this. The lion usually wins, injuring or killing the hyena — but when threatened, hyenas can call for help. If the hyena is accompanied by a group of friends, the lion may be chased away.
They’ll eat just about anything.
Hyenas have strong jaws and teeth, allowing them to consume carrion (dead mammals), including their bones, horns, and teeth. Horns, hair, and hooves are regurgitated later. Hyenas are also willing to scavenge crops from nearby farms, particularly fruit, and they don’t mind eating frogs, beetles, or grasshoppers.
Pseudopenises are found in female spotted hyenas.
It’s difficult to tell the difference between a male and a female just by looking at them. This is because female spotted hyenas have genitalia that are nearly identical to the male penis in appearance and function. These structures are known as penile-clitorises, and they are accompanied by a pseudoscrotum structure. Female hyenas use their penile-clitorises to mate, urinate, and even give birth. (Unfortunately, many female hyenas die during the birthing process, and cubs caught in the very long birth canal can suffocate.)
