Brown hyena. Brief description and her life in the wild. Where does the hyena live? Nutrition of brown hyenas

The brown hyena belongs to the hyena family. She, like most of her relatives, lives on the African continent. The main difference between the brown hyena and other representatives of the hyenas is the color and long, coarse, monochromatic brown mane.

Unlike spotted hyenas, brown ones are slightly smaller, and males and females do not have significant differences. The family structure of brown hyenas is also different - the alpha male is considered the leader of the clan.

If we talk about the nutrition of the brown hyena, then it is she who is the biggest scavenger. In her diet, about 95% percent of marine debris and carrion.

Description of the brown hyena

The size of the brown hyena is quite large. Body length - from 86 to 150 cm, without a tail. The tail is from 25 to 35 cm. The height at the withers is approximately from 70 to 90 cm. Sexual dimorphism is weakly expressed, sometimes males are slightly larger than females. The weight of an adult male is from 40 to 45 kg, but there are individuals of larger sizes weighing from 65 to 73 kg. Females weigh on average 36 to 41 kg. The color of the coat is monochromatic dark brown, on the back and neck the length of the coat is about 30 cm, on the paws there are dark and horizontal stripes. Brown hyenas have strong jaws that can gnaw through the leg of an African antelope. Although with age, the jaw of a hyena wears out a lot and the animal is no longer so good at cracking bones.

Brown hyenas have an anal gland, which is located below the base of the tail, from which the hyena secretes a black and white secret, with which the animal often marks its possessions. In general, the selections are applied to grass stalks along the territorial boundaries of the clan.

Where does the brown hyena live?

The brown hyena is common in central Africa. Its habitat extends from the south of the Sahara to the western coast of South Africa. Countries where the brown hyena is found: Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa. Most often, this animal is found in the Namib and Kalahari deserts near the ocean coasts.

What does the brown hyena eat?

The diet of the brown hyena mainly consists of carrion. If there is no carrion, for some time the animal can eat fruits, fruits, vegetables, small rodents, insects, marine animals, small birds and their eggs, ostrich eggs. Occasionally hunts African antelope. But only 6% of all food is obtained by the brown hyena on its own.

In the dry season, the brown hyena feeds mainly on carrion and vegetables. Also during this period, she eats a large number of cucumbers and melons, as this is the only source of moisture. Hyenas that live along the coast of the ocean in the Namib Desert often eat marine life washed ashore: fish, shellfish and even whales. Occasionally, the brown hyena even preys on the seal pups living in this region.

With the onset of the rainy season, brown hyenas mainly feed on the remains of the meals of big cats, lions, leopards and cheetahs.

Lifestyle and reproduction of brown hyenas

Brown hyenas live in family groups. Each group has a hierarchy. The head of the clan is an alpha male and an alpha female. Dominance is demonstrated by a display of strength and aggression. Most of the group consists of relatives and cubs of leaders, but strangers can also join the family. More often this happens during the mating season, when young males leave their clan in search of a female.

Brown hyenas hunt alone and mainly at night. An acute sense of smell and hearing helps the hyena to get food. The brown hyena is capable of smelling prey or carrion at a fairly large distance. In one night, in search of carrion, the animal is able to overcome from 30 to 50 km. You can see several brown hyenas feeding only near a large carcass. Upon returning from hunting, members of the pack sniff each other, thus they greet their relatives.

The territory where brown hyenas live is actively guarded and marked with a secret from the anal glands. Markings are made to prevent other clans from encroaching on their territory.

The mating season for brown hyenas is from May to August. For the first time, the female is ready for mating at the age of 2 years, and the male at 2.5 years. Often, the females of the clan mate with the alpha male or with emigrant males who came from other clans. After mating, the female brings offspring after 97 days. Just like earthen wolves, males of the brown hyena clan raise offspring along with females. The offspring are born in burrows hiding in the sand dunes, where their sworn enemies, lions, spotted hyenas and hyena dogs, do not have access. Babies are born weighing up to 1 kg with their eyes closed. In the litter, most often from 1 to 5 babies. Up to 3 months, the cubs remain in the hole and do not go outside. After 3 months of age, the babies begin to leave the lair. At the same age, parents begin to feed their offspring with meat, bringing the remnants of their meal to the hole. Until the age of 14 months, the cubs continue to feed on their mother's milk. At 2.5 years old, young males leave their clan. Females often remain in their clan, although occasionally they leave their family. The life expectancy of brown hyenas is 20-25 years.

The hyena genus includes 4 species, one of them is the brown hyena. It lives in southern Africa. These are the territories of Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, South Africa. The largest populations live in the Kalahari Desert and in the coastal strip of South West Africa. The habitat is deserts, semi-deserts, open forest savannahs. Also, these animals can be found in rocky mountainous areas. They do not depend on rivers and large reservoirs, as they drink little and rarely. This species is not numerous (habitat area is not more than 470 sq. km) and is on the verge of extinction.

Description

Representatives of the species differ from other hyenas in long and shaggy hair, sharp ears, and dark brown color. The head is grey. The limbs are covered with gray and brown stripes. The neck is covered with long cream-colored hair. The hair on the neck and back may stand on end.

The length of the body varies from 110 to 160 cm. The height at the withers is 70-85 cm. The tail is 25-35 cm long. There is no conspicuous difference between males and females, the only thing is that males are somewhat larger. The average weight of males reaches 40-44 kg, and females weigh 38-40 kg. The maximum weight does not exceed 55 kg.

The jaws of these predators are powerful. Young brown hyenas easily crush the bones of prey, but with age, the teeth wear out and the jaws weaken. These animals live in clans, each of which has its own territory. It is marked with a special secret secreted by the anal gland. It is under the tail.

Reproduction and lifespan

The clan usually has from 4 to 12 individuals. As a rule, the dominant female mates with the dominant male or nomadic males. Sometimes it happens that other females become pregnant. But their broods do not kill. They feed on a par with the brood of the dominant female.

The mating season can be at any time of the year, but most often takes place from May to August. Pregnancy lasts about 3 months. The female produces her first litter at the age of 2 years. In the litter there are from 1 to 5 cubs weighing 1 kg.

Babies are born in a den, which is arranged in the sand dunes away from predators. Cubs are born with their eyes closed. They open on the 8th day of life. Dairy feeding lasts about a year. At the age of one and a half years, the cubs become independent. At two and a half years they reach the size of adults. Females give birth at intervals of 20 months. All adult predators feed the cubs, bringing them food after the hunt. In the wild, the brown hyena lives 12-15 years.

Behavior and nutrition

As already mentioned, these predators live in clans. All its members protect their territory, feed and raise offspring. The clan has a hierarchy with dominant males and females. The male raises his status, thanks to aggressive behavior. Sometimes fights occur, ending in the death of one of the males. Among the females, the oldest always occupies the leading position. Young males, as adults, usually leave their clan and join others. And among females, this behavior is rare.

The diet consists mainly of carrion. The brown hyena supplements its diet with rodents, bird eggs, mushrooms, fruits, and insects. But live prey makes up only 4.2% of the diet. The sense of smell of these animals is exceptional, so they can smell carrion for several kilometers. It should also be said that representatives of the species are quite aggressive and can take prey from jackals, cheetahs, leopards. In the Kalahari desert, this species is at the top of the food chain, as there are no lions, spotted hyenas, wild African dogs.

conservation status

The total number of this species is less than 10 thousand individuals. Therefore, brown hyenas have a threatened status. The number of these animals is decreasing mainly due to their systematic shooting by farmers. They believe that animals harm livestock. At the same time, this species is not in demand as a hunting trophy.

There are several reserves for brown hyenas. These are the National Park in Namibia, the Central Reserve in Botswana, the Natural Park in South Africa. In these places, the animals feel safe, and their number is kept at a stable level.

The brown or coastal hyena is smaller than its closest relative, the spotted hyena, and is also distinguished by the presence of a long, rough mane, painted brown without spots, which hangs from the back to the sides. The species is distributed in the deserts of southern Africa, and prefers to live in areas close to the coastline. It feeds on carrion and marine debris. This is the largest land animal, which is characterized by such a diet. The females and males of the species look the same. Brown hyenas live in groups of 4 to 15 individuals, led by males.

In length, brown hyenas reach from 86 to 150 cm, the average body length of the species is 110-125 cm. Height is 71-88 cm, tail is 25 to 35 cm long. Sexual dimorphism is generally not pronounced, sometimes males can exceed females in size . The weight of adult males is in the range of 40-44 kg, females weigh a little less - from 37 to 41 kg. Brown hyenas have long and shaggy hair, especially in the tail and back. It is painted mainly in a dark brown color of the body with a gray head. Paws are gray in color, decorated with dark horizontal stripes. The neck and back of the animal are covered with hair up to 30 cm long. The brown hyena has very powerful jaws: a young animal is able to crush the bones of the legs, but with age, the teeth noticeably wear out and this ability is lost. In addition, animals have a special anal gland, which is located at the base of their tails and secretes black and white secretions. These hyena secretions are applied to the grass to mark the boundaries of the areas on which they live.

The brown hyena in its diet is a typical scavenger. The diet of the animal includes mainly the corpses of animals that were killed by large predators, and this food is supplemented by rodents, insects, eggs and fruits. As a scavenger, the brown hyena behaves very aggressively, it often appropriates the corpses of the victims of such predators as the black-backed jackal, cheetah and leopard. This animal is recognized as the most carnivorous in the barren desert regions of the Namib and Kalahari. In the absence of a sufficient amount of carrion, the brown hyena turns to vegetables, fruits, marine organisms, ostrich eggs, insects, if necessary, it is also able to hunt birds, lizards, small mammals and even poultry. Occasionally it is able to attack such large prey as a young antelope. During the rainy season, when zebras and antelopes roam the deserts, the main source of food for the brown hyena is the remains of the prey of the leopard, lion and cheetah. During the dry season, brown hyenas get the necessary moisture from cucumbers and melons, the rest of the time they drink rainwater, which accumulates in temporary reservoirs.

The species is widely distributed in the Namib and Kalahari deserts, in the central regions of the African continent south of the Sahara, in countries such as Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana and southern Angola.

In general, sexual dimorphism in this species is not manifested in any way. Sometimes males are larger than females.

For life, the brown hyena prefers clay deserts, where there are ravines, desert foothill areas with caves and gorges, and the banks of large rivers. The animal arranges its lairs in the depths of caves under sheds, among stones, sometimes in shallow burrows of other animal species.

The brown hyena is characterized by a pronounced social hierarchy, which resembles the state of affairs among wolves. In general, this is a social animal that lives in groups that consist of adults (male and female) and young animals related to them, although families are sometimes found in which there are several adults of both sexes. In such cases, there is always one dominant male leader. Young males, upon reaching puberty, move from their native family to other clans. The brown hyena maintains the stability of such a hierarchy through various fights and displays of strength.

Brown hyenas feed mostly alone, but the hunting paths of the group are always common. In general, family groups stay together inside. Older hyenas help in guarding the younger hyenas, emitting alarms when predators approach or any other threats. Males easily leave their group and move to another. Approximately one third of all adult males lead a solitary wandering lifestyle.

At the age of about 2 years, female brown hyenas reach puberty and after the first estrus they give birth to cubs. Mating occurs mainly from May to August, and the gestation lasts about 100 days. Female brown hyenas mate either with stray lone males or with the leaders of their family groups. If there are other adult males in the clan, except for the leader, they do not take part in mating, but help to raise offspring.

Females give birth in burrows that are hidden in the sand dunes, and are far from the habitats of the spotted hyena and lion. Every 20 months, females breed offspring. If two broods are born in one group at the same time, then the mothers raise each other's cubs. There are usually 1 to 5 babies in a litter, which weigh about 1 kg. They are born, unlike the cubs of the spotted hyena, with their eyes closed, which open after 8 days. At the age of three months, the young go out of the holes. Until this time, babies are fed by all members of the flock. Up to 14 months, young individuals remain close to their mother in their group, after which they can leave her.

The brown hyena population is currently stable. Its main natural enemies are the lion and the common hyena. And the main threat is persecution by people, as farmers often classify the species as a pest due to attacks on livestock and destroy it for this reason, although in fact such a hunt is not typical for a hyena. They contain and preserve the species in many reserves and reserves.

• The brown hyena leads a rather secluded lifestyle, the period of animal activity falls at night. Despite having very keen vision and hearing, the animal is much more inclined to navigate in the environment by smell.
• Brown hyenas make a wide variety of sounds. Most often their voices are heard in the deserts at dusk and at night. When hyenas quarrel with each other, for example, over food, you can hear how they whine, growl and howl.

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 of the ancient Greek language "ὕαινα" and "ὗς", meaning either wild boar. This is probably due to the unpleasant smell emanating from the hyena and its bristly back, which resembles 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 used for both male and female individuals, referring to the singular feminine.

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

Despite the hyenas belonging to the feline suborder, in appearance they are more reminiscent. 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 the scapular region to the sacral part. 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, a characteristic feature of the hyena is a massive, thick head with a short thickened muzzle. The neck of the animals is quite short and wide.

Powerful jaws allow crushing the thickest bones of the victim due to the special structure of the hyena's 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 have been recorded in 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 intended 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: the maximum speed of a lion reaches 80 kilometers per hour, but it 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 prey. 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, out of the once large species diversity of the hyena family, only 4 species remain, 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 a brief description of the 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 of up to 0.8 m. The length of the tail is about 30 cm. Males are much larger than females, therefore, depending on gender, 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 of large 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 areas that are not on the 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. A characteristic feature of this species is the gray color of the head and legs, with horizontal whitish stripes 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. 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 the 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 the characteristic structure of the body of the animal and its 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 savannas 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. The social organization of clans in spotted hyenas is based on the dominance of females, so even high-ranking males are subordinate to 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 the tropical forests of Tanzania and Zambia, which makes the distribution area of ​​\u200b\u200bthis 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 the fossil bones found in Eurasia, eastern and southern Africa, 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 a 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 species, the device of the tribal clan in 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 independent feeding, 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, due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of their genital organs, and lasts 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 who feed their cubs with milk from 4 months (in earthen wolves) to 12-16 months (in other species). In addition, unlike lion prides, in the clans and families of hyenas, females make sure that the babies are fed up with prey first, and only then they allow adult males to 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.

African savannas are very unpredictable. In them you can meet both 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. The open area is an ideal place for a pack of hyenas to settle.

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, they become the best friend at home. 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 devilish laugh, the hyena notifies its family of the discovery of a large amount of 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.
• Low class females. 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 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 can have a different color. It varies from light sand to brown. A distinctive feature 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. 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 this predator turns gray with age.

Males and females are very similar. Outwardly, it is almost impossible to find distinguishing features. 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 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 opponent of the African hyena is the 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.

Their hearing, sense of smell and vision are at the highest 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 much more nutrients and nutrients enter the body from such food, the predator does not disdain and eats 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 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 an apartment; a country house is the best option. 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 the wild 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;