All about hyenas. The complex and interesting life of hyenas. Hyena habitats

In addition to deserts, Africa has numerous savannahs. It was they who stretched across the entire continent from the south of the Sahara to Kenya itself. An endless sea of ​​grass, also called the savannah belt.

All vegetation in these regions is represented by shrubs and small thickets. The harsh subequatorial climate divides the whole year into 2 seasons - these are dry months of heat, and then long torrential rains.

In such conditions, wildlife is very dependent on the weather, since the conditions here are not the most comfortable.

Due to constant winds and a small amount of vegetation, these areas can only be inhabited by those species that are able to adapt well.

One of these representatives are hyenas. They settle in flocks both in open spaces and on the edges of small forests. Quite often, they choose paths and roads as their habitat, where they can profit from something.

Life and habits of hyenas

Many people identify these animals with cunning and evil scavengers who can easily deal with innocent victims.

This is far from the case; such categories cannot be distinguished among animals. Hyenas are predators like any other, only they have a different approach to getting prey.

Previously, they were attributed to the canine family, apparently due to the fact that their habits were largely similar.

However, these animals are more like cats, such as mongooses or wyveres. Hyenas are differentiated into several breeds:

• spotted;
• Brown;
• striped;
• Aardwolf;

The spotted hyena is the largest and ranks 3rd among the most dangerous predators of the African continent.

Of course, in such harsh living conditions, skirmishes between species often occur. Conflicts arise in the struggle for food and habitat. The main rivals of hyenas are hyena dogs. Both species live in packs and in battles between them, those who have numerical superiority win.

Distinctive feature hyenas can be called their shrill voice, which frightens people even today. AT old times for this reason, hyenas were called servants of hell and were considered demonic creatures.

All due to the fact that they can, as it were, imitate evil human laughter. Most often this happens when the whole flock has a hearty dinner or lunch. One can imagine the horror that could come from what he heard - even if a small flock begins to "laugh" ominously.

The most unpleasant neighbors for these animals are larger predators. They can take prey from hyenas and drive them out of good areas. However, spotted felines can themselves profit from other people's "fruits" of hunting, but as a rule, these are just leftovers or carrion.

Like other predators, hyenas mark their territory. They do this with feces and secretions. This is done so that other animals or foreign flocks do not wander into their territory. In addition, one of the representatives of the clan remains to guard the borders.

It often happens that animals move to other places. This happens in order to find more food and Better conditions. They usually lead night image life, and during the day they just rest and gain strength after night outings.

Despite the clumsy appearance - the front legs of hyenas are noticeably longer than the hind legs, they are able to develop great speed and maintain it at fairly large distances.

This makes them one of the most efficient hunters in the world. African savannah. Contrary to prevailing stereotypes, it should be noted that they eat carrion only in 20% of cases. They are excellent hunters, besides working together and performing sanitary functions for the areas in which they live.

How do hyenas reproduce?

Female hyenas may mate every couple of weeks. This makes conception more likely. In males, the period of activity is distributed over the seasons.

There is a whole fertilization ritual. First, males fight each other for females, who have a dominant position and the highest status in the pack. After one of the males wins, he must get the permission of the female to fertilize her, and only after that he can get down to business.

The period after conception and before birth is up to 14 weeks. A female can give birth to up to 3 puppies at a time. Mothers give birth in burrows specially equipped for this, which they can dig themselves or take away from other animals.

Hyena cubs are much more adapted to life than, for example, dogs or cats. They are born fully sighted and weigh up to a couple of kilograms. However, this does not prevent females from feeding their children with their milk up to 1.5 years.

Each mother exclusively feeds her puppies. With age, the cubs change color, acquiring colors close to their appearance. They receive the same status in the pack as their parents.

On average, hyenas live 10-13 years. They are trainable and easy to work with in zoos and in captivity.

Photo of a hyena in the wild

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 struggle for the 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

Length adult from head to tail, on average, is 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. Under natural conditions, 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 to 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. It is a fairly frequent visitor to the 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, lions, it keeps 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 love 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 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.

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 ​​in any way.

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. The hierarchy is built according to the 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, they start eating in the second turn, 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 winner is the family in which large quantity animals. In addition to dog hyenas in wild nature not a few other enemies. 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 can have a different color. It varies from light sand to brown shade. 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 largest member of its family. The body length is from 100 to 166 centimeters, and the average weight is 75 kilograms.

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

The striped hyena is a rather large subspecies of the family, the weight of an adult individual is about 60 kilograms. Males are always much larger than females. Top part 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. Jaw equipped sharp teeth which 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. A 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 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. The maximum age for hyenas is about twelve years.

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 she goes to look for a plant. 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 have a unique digestive system. 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 as a country house. 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:

• 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;

A hyena is a wild mammal that belongs to the placental infraclass, the predatory order, the feline suborder, the hyena family (lat. Hyaenidae).

The Latin name of the family was formed from two words ancient Greek"ὕαινα" and "ὗς", meaning or wild boar. This is probably due to the unpleasant smell emanating from the hyena, and its bristly back, resembling the withers of a wild boar. The word "hyena" entered the Russian language as a free reading of the international name of the family. It is noteworthy that the same name is applied to both male and female specimens, referring to singular female.

Hyena - description, structure, characteristics. What does a hyena look like?

Despite the fact that hyenas belong to the cat-like suborder, according to appearance they are more like . These are rather large animals, the body length of which, together with the tail, can reach 190 cm. The maximum weight of a hyena does not exceed 80 kg. The body of the predator is powerful and muscular, significantly expanded in the thoracic region and more narrowed in the sacral part. Due to the fact that the hind, slightly curved limbs are somewhat shorter than the front ones, the back of the hyenas is sloping, descending from scapular region to the sacrum. The hind legs look thin and rather weak, especially in the thigh area. Almost all species (except the earthwolf) have 4 fingers on the front and hind legs with blunt, long, non-retractable claws. The front limbs of earthen wolves are five-fingered. Under the fingers of hyenas are convex finger pads, which the animal steps on when walking. The fingers themselves are connected by a dense, thick and elastic membrane that reaches to the pads.

In addition to the sloping back, hallmark hyena is a massive, thick head with a short thickened muzzle. The neck of the animals is quite short and wide.

Powerful jaws allow you to crush the thickest bones of the victim thanks to special structure hyena skull and large teeth of a special shape.

The hyena's body is covered with shaggy coarse hair, dyed yellowish-gray or brown. The undercoat is poorly developed or absent. On the neck and on the ridge, almost along the entire back, the hair is longer and looks like a mane.

The color of the fur is heterogeneous: often the skin of a hyena is covered with blurry spots or fairly clear dark stripes, both throughout the body and only on the paws. The hyena's tail is quite short and shaggy.

Animals communicate with each other using squealing, barking, growling or "laughing" sounds.

By the way, hyenas laugh very unusually: their laughter, or laughter, is very similar to human. Basically, laughing sounds are characteristic of spotted hyenas.

hyena lifespan

In nature, the hyena lives for about 12-15 years, the life expectancy in the zoo is about 24 years.

Where do hyenas live?

All hyenas live in savannas, desert, semi-desert regions and foothill regions of the African continent. The distribution range of species sometimes overlaps, so they often coexist in the same area. The exception is the striped hyena, which is found in Northwest India, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Turkey and Iran. Populations of these hyenas are noted in the territory of the countries of the former Soviet Union: Armenia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The rest of the hyenas live in Sudan and Kenya, Namibia and Botswana, South Africa, as well as in other countries of East, Northeast and South Africa.

What do hyenas eat?

Brown and striped hyenas usually hunt alone and are primarily scavengers, occasionally feeding on eggs, invertebrates, or small vertebrates. Spotted hyenas often go out in search of prey in small groups and take prey from,. Often they themselves arrange hunting for rodents, birds, young, and even. In addition, these predators are not averse to eating pets (for example,). Sometimes spotted hyenas attack buffaloes, and having strayed into a large flock, they are able to kill this large animal. In the hungry season, spotted hyenas can be content with carrion: the corpses of small and large animals, including marine ones, as well as food waste. In addition, the menu of all members of the family, except for earthen wolves, also includes plant foods. Hyenas willingly eat nuts and seeds of plants, as well as gourds - watermelons, melons, fruits from the pumpkin family.

Unlike other species, the earthwolf never feeds on the corpses of dead animals. The basis of its diet is termites, dead-eating beetles, insect larvae. When the opportunity arises, he catches small rodents, destroys bird nests and eats not only eggs, but also the birds themselves.

How do hyenas hunt?

Not so long ago, hyenas were considered exclusively scavengers, but, as it turned out, erroneously. As a result of numerous observations of these animals, it was found that in almost 90% of cases, predators kill their prey. This is especially true for spotted hyenas, which drive the selected prey in a flock, reaching speeds of up to 65 kilometers per hour and keeping this figure at a distance of up to 5 kilometers. Such sprinting abilities make hyenas very dexterous and successful hunters, so almost all chases end successfully. A flock of hyenas can easily catch any animal - from a small wildebeest to a large buffalo and a young giraffe. For comparison: maximum speed the lion reaches 80 kilometers per hour, but he develops it very rarely, with great difficulty and not for long. On average, the running speed of a lion is 50 km / h.

Contrary to popular belief, very often not only hyenas try to take prey from lions, but the lions themselves are not averse to feasting on an already defeated and caught victim. True, in a lone lion, such attempts usually end in complete failure, especially if there are a lot of hyenas. They boldly attack the lion when he tries to take possession of their prey. By the way, among all predators, only a flock of hyenas can give a worthy rebuff to the formidable king of beasts. Old or sick lions often become victims of hyenas: in a matter of minutes, a dozen hyenas tear the lion apart, eating it along with the skin and bones. However, there are times when several lionesses or a large male lion drive away a whole clan of hyenas from prey, and sometimes kill them or helpless cubs.

Hyena classification, list and names

Today from the once great species diversity only 4 species remained of the hyena family, the differences between which made it possible to divide the family into 3 genera. Two of them were combined into the Hyaeninae subfamily of striped hyenas, and the earthen wolves were identified into the Protelinae subfamily.

The hyena family (lat. Hyaenidae) includes:

1. Genus Hyaena (Brisson, 1762)
   • View Hyaena brunnea(Thunberg, 1820) – Brown hyena
   • View Hyaena hyaena(Linnaeus, 1758) - Striped hyena
2. Genus Crocuta (Kaup, 1828)
   • View Crocuta crocuta(Erxleben, 1777) - Spotted hyena
3. Genus Proteles (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1824)
   • View Proteles cristata(Sparrman, 1783) - Dirtwolf

Types of hyenas, photos and names

Below is short description varieties of hyenas.

• striped hyena ( Hyaena hyaena)

A rather large animal with a body length of 0.9 to 1.2-1.5 meters and a height at the withers up to 0.8 m. The tail is about 30 cm long. Males are much larger than females, therefore, depending on gender, the 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 is about 7 cm long, dirty gray or brown-yellow in color with black or brown stripes running across the body. The characteristic structure of the paws of the striped hyena becomes especially noticeable while walking, which makes it seem that the animal is dragging the back of the body. The fingers on the front and hind limbs are tightly connected. The head of the striped hyena 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 comes out in search of prey at night and twilight hours, and during the day it sits in crevices, abandoned burrows or caves. Striped hyenas are the only members of the family that can live in territories that are not located on African continent. The habitat of this species includes the countries of North Africa, as well as spaces 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 ( 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. A light mane up to 30 cm long, hanging from the neck along the entire spine of these hyenas, looks in contrast to the shaggy, monophonic, brown-brown coat, which is slightly longer than that of the striped relatives. characteristic feature of this species is the gray color of the head and legs, and horizontal stripes of a whitish color are clearly visible on the legs. The neck and shoulders are painted white. The size of the skull of brown hyenas is larger than the skull of striped hyenas, and the teeth are more durable. Below the base of the tail in these animals is the anal gland, which produces secretions of black and white color. With its help, the animal marks the boundaries of its territory. Brown hyenas live in desert and semi-desert areas, are found in savannahs and forests, but most of populations are tied to coastal areas. The habitat of the brown hyena includes Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia and Mozambique, Tanzania and Somalia, as well as other African countries located south of the Zambezi River along the coast of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. These animals come out in search of food after dark.

• spotted hyena ( Crocuta crocuta)

Wild animal of the genus Crocuta. Spotted hyenas are the most typical representatives of the entire family. This is expressed in characteristic structure animal body and habits. The body length 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. Yellowish-gray or sandy coat, decorated with rounded dark brown or black spots on the sides, back and limbs, shorter than that of relatives. Depending on the habitat, the color of the body can change from lighter to darker tones. The coat on the head is brown, with a reddish tinge on the cheeks and nape. On a rather short tail with a dark tip, brown rings are clearly visible. On the front and hind limbs of a mammal there may be light "socks". 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. Spotted hyenas live in the savannahs and on the elevated plateaus of Sudan, Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana and other countries of South or East Africa. Spotted hyenas are most active at night, although they can prowl in search of prey during the day. social organization clans in spotted hyenas is based on the dominance of females, so even high-ranking males obey low-ranking females.

• Earthwolf (Proteles cristatus )

The smallest species of the hyena family. Unlike spotted and striped hyenas, earthwolves have a more delicate physique. 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 the earthen wolves are shorter than the front ones, but the slope of the back is not so pronounced. The head of these animals is slightly elongated and resembles a dog in appearance. On the coat, which is colored yellowish-gray or reddish, black transverse stripes are clearly visible. The same stripes are visible on the legs of the animal. A 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 earthwolves are much weaker than those of other species, which is due to the diet of the wolf, which feeds on termites and other insects and their larvae, such as dead beetles. In these representatives of the hyenas, the only ones from the whole family, the forelimbs have five fingers. Earthwolves live in most countries of East, Northeast and South Africa, absent only in tropical forests Tanzania and Zambia, which makes the distribution area of ​​this species broken. These predators prefer to settle in places where there are open sandy plains and thickets of bushes. In search of food, they go at twilight and night hours, and during the day they sit out in abandoned burrows, although they are able to dig their own shelters.

An extinct species of hyena

Pachycrocuta brevirostris is an extinct species of hyena. Judging by those found in Eurasia, eastern and South Africa fossil bones, these hyenas were real giants. The average weight of the predator was about 110 kg, and the size of the animal can be compared with the size of a modern lioness. Perhaps the representatives of the species were scavengers, since with such impressive dimensions it was not easy to develop high speed for hunting.

Hyena breeding

Depending on the species, there are some differences in the reproduction of hyenas.

At striped hyenas living in the northern part of the range and on the Eurasian continent, the mating season lasts from January to the end of February, and in populations living in Africa, it has no seasonal reference. Hyenas form stable pairs that can exist for quite some time. long time. The hyena's gestation period lasts 3 months, after which from 1 to 4 blind and toothless cubs are born. Babies' eyes open on the seventh or eighth day of life. Not only the mother, but also the father is engaged in the upbringing of the younger generation. The family usually consists of a pair of adults and grown offspring, which remain with their parents until the age of one. Such families live both in isolation from relatives and form communities of several groups. Striped hyenas reach puberty by 2-3, and sometimes only by the 4th year of life.

females brown hyenas able to produce offspring already in the 2nd or 3rd year of life. Their mating season begins in May and ends at the end of July. Due to the peculiarities of the clan structure, only dominant females mate with the leader of the clan or with lone males in the pack, however, if several females become pregnant in the pack, they will help each other in nursing offspring. Around the ninetieth day of pregnancy, females are allowed to litter. It can have from 1 to 5 puppies, whose weight reaches 1 kg. Their fur is gray in color with dark stripes. In the first few days, newborn hyenas are blind and open their eyes only after a week. The mother is mainly engaged in the upbringing of the growing offspring, although all members of the flock bring food to the babies. Breastfeeding lasts up to 12 months.

Unlike other types, the device ancestral clan at spotted hyenas based on the dominance of the dominant female. Males act as guards of the flock boundaries, serve for fertilization and food production. Females are able to breed throughout the year. After 14-15 weeks of pregnancy, the female hyena brings offspring, which can be from 1-3 to 7 babies. The weight of puppies sometimes exceeds 1.5 kilograms. It is noteworthy that newborn spotted hyenas are born fully sighted and with rather sharp teeth. The fur cover of babies is monophonic, devoid of characteristic spots. Mother's milk is very nutritious, so after one feeding, the cubs do not feel hunger for a week. Unlike brown hyenas, this species supplies food only to its offspring.

earth wolves, like striped hyenas, create stable monogamous pairs. In rare cases, when the male is not able to defend the territory in which the family lives, the female earthwolf may mate with a stronger individual, although the offspring will be raised by the main partner. The mating season lasts from late June to early July. Pregnancy lasts about 90 days, after which the female is allowed 2-4 puppies.

Baby earthwolves are born sighted but toothless. For the first three months, the father of the family carefully guards his territory from predators. Puppies, whose age has reached 12 weeks, begin to accompany their parents in search of food. Upon reaching the age of four months, the cubs are weaned from breastfeeding and switch to self-catering, although they continue to stay with their parents throughout the year. These animals reach puberty in the second year of life.

Regardless of the species, the birth of a hyena is quite difficult, which is due to the peculiarities anatomical structure their genitals, and last about 12 hours. There are frequent cases of the death of a mother weakened by childbirth, which can be attacked. Most cubs die immediately after birth. The fact is that due to the increase in testosterone in pregnant females, the cubs receive a very large dose of this male hormone and become extremely aggressive immediately after birth. They fight, bite and very often kill each other. After a while, the puppies' testosterone levels decrease and they become more peaceful.

By the way, hyenas are extremely caring mothers, which feed the cubs with milk from 4 months (in earthen wolves) to 12-16 months (in other species). Moreover, unlike lion prides, in clans and families of hyenas, females make sure that babies are fed up with prey first, and only then they let adult males approach it. Scientists believe that it is for this reason that females are more aggressive than males, because they have to take care of their offspring.

Hyenas- it's a small group predatory mammals, there are 4 species in it: brown, spotted and striped hyenas, as well as an earthen wolf.
Outwardly, hyenas resemble dogs, once they were even considered their relatives. The body length of these animals is from 50 cm to 1.5 meters, weight is from 10 to 80 kg. They have a large head and a wide mouth with jaws that create tremendous pressure. Short hind legs, in contrast to the front legs, when moving, create the appearance of constant squats. strong paws with blunt claws, short and shaggy tail. And with their tail they show their social status: raised up means high, but if it is lowered, it means low. The spotted hyena has short hair, while others have long hair. Also, hyenas have a rather specific bad smell.
Their coloration is also different: in a striped hyena, the color can vary from light to gray-brown, with black stripes, spotted - brownish-yellow with black spots, an earthen wolf and a brown hyena of a single-color brown color.

Male hyenas are smaller than females. Hyenas are also the most caring mothers among predators, they feed their cub with milk right up to 20 months. Pregnancy in hyenas lasts about 100 days and 1-3 cubs are born. Cubs are born with open eyes, one-color - black and live in a den, which their mother independently equips, up to 1 year, and then they go hunting with their mother.

It is the females who dominate in the flocks of hyenas and it is they who decide from whom they will have offspring, and they choose those who are higher in status. And the one who is lower in status has months or even years to wait for the favor of the female, but in the case when he still gets it, his importance in the pack will also increase. When the female walks past the male, the male lowers his head and ears, as if bowing to her.

All species are found in Africa, but the striped one can also be encountered in Asia. As a habitat, they choose open areas (steppes, etc.).
In packs (6-100 individuals), only brown and spotted hyenas live, and striped and earthen wolves choose loneliness. In their packs there is a distinct hierarchy, where each has its own position, females have the most high status than males. An experienced female rules. They contact each other with the help of various sounds, not very pleasant, a combination of howling, roaring and laughter. They prefer to hunt at night, but spotted hyenas are also active during the day.
Hyenas are very cheeky, but at the same time very cowardly. Everyone thinks that they are scavengers, but this is also not entirely true. They hunt in packs and eat carrion only in times of famine. Moreover, if any of the animals tries to take their prey from them, they will all fight back together. Spotted hyenas are one of the strongest predators in Africa, they are able to reach speeds of up to 61 km/h. In a flock, they are able to cope with such large animals as: zebra, giraffe, antelope, buffalo, but also, on occasion, they can kill a lion if it is young (inexperienced), wounded or old. Another bad quality of hyenas is that during the eating period they do not kill their prey, but eat it alive.