How to draw a hyena with a pencil step by step. Spotted hyena: photo, description, habitat, reproduction. Hyena breeding in nature

Today we have a burning question on the agenda: how to draw a hyena.

What do we all know about hyenas? Well, for example, what they laugh at. In ancient bestiaries, hyenas were described as terrible androgynous tomb-robbers and corpse-eaters. Since ancient times, the hyena has been considered the receptacle of various base vices. Cowardice, stupidity, meanness, betrayal - these are its attributes. Of course, to a real hyena, an animal of a certain species, these definitions are irrelevant. In reality, hyenas are still a little better. They are spotted and striped. Today we will depict a striped hyena: its range (habitat) is wider, it is more famous and, most importantly, safer.

The spotted hyena, huge and very scary, lives only in Africa, we will draw it the next time we have the courage.

What can be said about the striped hyena? It is found in Africa, and in Arabia, and in India.

The hyena is a formidable predator, with its powerful jaws it creates such pressure that it gnaws even the thickest and strongest bones, and, of course, does not disdain carrion. But the hyena should not be considered a sort of vulture on four legs: carrion is not the only component of its diet. Basically, hyenas hunt small prey. For a person, a hyena is practically not dangerous, even rumors about a hyena attacking children are not confirmed.

Let's take a look at a striped hyena using two images: a drawing and a photograph. Yes, pictures are made from pictures. The reference drawing shows a very large copy and the pose is extremely expressive: the artist approached the image of the hyena in a very emotional way.

In fact, the hyena is somewhat reminiscent of, say, a sheepdog. The body is powerful and short.

Yesterday we drew a badger. The rear part of the body prevailed in him, in the hyena - the front. The withers are not only much higher than the croup. It is also higher than the head, that is, it forms a kind of hump.

A special mane stretches along the back, which neither wolves nor dogs have. The front legs are longer and perhaps more powerful than the hind legs. The tail is small, does not reach the ground. The neck of the beast is long and very strong.

The profile resembles a dog's, large (even lop-sided) erect ears. The body is streaked with unsystematic stripes - how did she get such a color - . The beast is what you need - impressive.

Nevertheless - and loneliness would be painful for her, so we have a second lesson - how to draw a hyena.

First, of course, we will make a schematic sketch with a pencil.

We start drawing from the body:

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. 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, in nature there are much more dangerous creatures, 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, 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 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, weight adult about 60 kilograms. Males are always much larger than females. Top part covered in hard long hair that form 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.

Externally 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. 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 open eyes 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 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 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 Vacation home. In this case, it is necessary to build an aviary from strong metal rods. When determining the site for the enclosure, the habitat of the hyenas must be taken into account. They love the cool, but not the cold.

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

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

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

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

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

In our article, we want to talk about the most unusual and mysterious predator, around which there are always many secrets. The spotted hyena is the most ferocious animal in Africa, it belongs to the hyena family and is a unique creature of its kind. Of the entire group of hyenas, it is the spotted variety that boasts the most powerful jaw among mammalian predators.

Mysterious Creatures

It's no secret that no other animal causes such hostility in people as the hyena. Appearance and demeanor - all this does not cause positive emotions. An interesting fact is that long time these animals were considered almost the most mysterious because of their little study. The banal ignorance of many facts from the lifestyle of hyenas has led people to believe in the most incredible rumors about these creatures, based on fear.

So, for example, residents African continent frightened by the persistence with which hyenas sometimes tear up graves. Therefore, they believed that animals are connected with the other world and evil spirits. But the Arabs also did not favor hyenas. When killing them, they tried to bury their heads as deep as possible so that the creatures could not return and take revenge.

The mystical horror of these animals led many people to believe that medications, prepared from the organs of hyenas, have incredible power.

Description of the spotted hyena

Hyenas belong to the cat-like suborder. Once they were considered relatives of dogs, but recently scientists nevertheless came to the conclusion that this classification is not true. Therefore, at present, hyenas are attached to the cat family. And yet, outwardly, the spotted hyena is very reminiscent of a dog. The animal has enough large sizes, the length of the body together with the tail reaches 190 centimeters. The largest individuals weigh up to 80 kilograms. The predator has a very muscular and powerful body, with a greatly expanded thoracic region. Hyenas have slightly curved hind limbs, which are shorter than the front ones, which is why their backs are sloping. The front paws have five toes, while the hind paws have only four. Under the fingers are convex pads, which are the main emphasis when running and walking.

Hyenas are characterized by a thick and massive head, as well as a short and wide neck. Powerful jaws ferocious predator give them the ability to crush the largest bones of the victim.

The body of the animal is covered with coarse shaggy brown or yellowish-gray hair. Hyenas have almost no undercoat. On the back along the ridge, the hairline is elongated, which is why it looks like a mane.

The color of the animal's fur is heterogeneous. The spotted hyena has slightly blurred spots all over its body and on its paws. The tail of the animal is shaggy and short.

animal voice

The spotted hyena, like other members of this family, makes many sounds. Their language is so diverse that they can perfectly communicate with relatives. Probably, every reader knows that these animals emit a cry that is characteristic only for them, which is more like an unpleasant laugh. It is because of him that people have long disliked hyenas. In fact, it is a mixture of roar, scream, howl and the likeness of a terrible laugh. As a result, we hear this sound later as an unpleasant laugh.

With their voice, animals control the order of the meal. The main female of the flock reports that she has already eaten, and representatives of the next hierarchy can start eating. It's no secret that spotted hyenas (photos are given in the article) are incredibly warlike and pugnacious creatures. But thanks to the sound commands of the main female, the whole family remains calm.

In total, hyenas make 11 sounds. They chat with each other with laughter. And during a fight for prey, they growl, “giggle” and howl. But squeals and groans are a sign of welcome.

A flock of animals quickly responds to the sound signals of only females, and does not respond at all to the cries of males or responds with a delay. Grunting sounds and low growl are a manifestation of predator aggression. But the hyena “laughs” in case of danger. Before attacking the victim, the animal growls loudly and menacingly. Hyenas are afraid of lions, and therefore they warn their brothers with a growl about the approach of the enemy. In general, in the arsenal of predators there are sounds for all occasions.

pack hierarchy

A herd of spotted hyenas (photos are given in the article) is characterized by a clear hierarchy. Their clans live in a matriarchy. Females dominate males and occupy a higher position in society. In addition, the pack also has additional divisions into levels. Adults are the main ones. They have the privilege of being the first to eat and rest at the very entrance to the lair. They are faced with the task of raising large offspring.

Females at a lower level of the hierarchy do not have such greater privileges. As for the males, they occupy the lowest place in the pack, but there is also a division between them. All males express incredible obedience to the opposite sex. For breeding, males often join other people's flocks.

An interesting fact is that between the clans of African spotted hyenas there are constant wars for habitat. Predators constantly patrol the borders of their possessions, marked by their feces. A flock can number from ten to 100 individuals.

Habitat

The habitat of the spotted hyena is quite wide. Animals are found in the semi-desert, desert and foothill regions of Africa, as well as in the savannas. But striped hyenas also live in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and India.

The habitat of spotted individuals extends from the Sahara to the Cape Good Hope. Predators live in Kenya, Botswana, Congo, Namibia, in the Ngorongoro crater. In the eastern regions of Sudan and Ethiopia, hyenas are found even at an altitude of more than 4000 above sea level.

A dangerous predator - the spotted hyena - prefers savannahs for a reason, because they are always full of all kinds of animals that are included in the animal's diet. But in dense tropical forests predators feel uncomfortable.

What do predators eat?

The main diet for predators is meat. Long time people believed that hyenas pick up only carrion, taking prey from other predators. But recent studies have shown that 90% of all food animals get on their own while hunting.

Hyenas are not particularly picky about their diet, so they do not disdain any meat that comes their way. They do not care what to eat: it can be a rotten elephant carcass or a live antelope. Of course, most their diet is made up of ungulates. Since predators lead a pack lifestyle, they all hunt together. So it’s easier for them to cope with the victim, although alone a hyena can also catch a small gazelle or antelope.

Spotted hyena lifestyle

The head of the community, the alpha female, leads her pack to hunt. Having found a suitable victim, the hyenas simply drive it and try to knock it down. As soon as the prey falls, they immediately begin to eat it. It is hard to imagine, but the powerful jaws of the animal cope with the tibia of a bull.

Alone, a hyena can kill an antelope that is three times its own size. And the herd is capable of slaughtering a buffalo or a baby elephant.

Hyenas are called the main scavengers for a reason. Their stomachs digest any food they eat, even hooves and horns. The main enemy for the predator is the lion. It is he who takes their prey from them. An adult lion can easily disperse a whole flock and appropriate all the meat.

How do individuals reproduce?

The first experts who studied hyenas mistakenly considered them to be hermaphrodites. These conclusions were based on the fact that animals have unique structure reproductive system. This is what led to such a deep delusion. Female spotted hyenas and males have incredibly similar sex organs. In the first few years of their life, it is generally impossible to determine the sex. And only in the sixties of the twentieth century, scientists proved that predators have a certain gender, like all mammals.

Hyenas have no specific mating season They can mate at any time of the year. Very often the breeding season coincides with the start of the rains.

The breeding process of the spotted hyena has its own characteristics. It is the males who begin their courtship first. They smell when the females are ready to mate. If the female is supportive, then the male bows his head low, thus expressing humility. He must be approved, otherwise the female may choose a representative of another tribe. This happens quite often.

The appearance of babies

Pregnancy lasts about four months. Offspring are born in a hole. As a rule, no more than three babies are born. Cubs are born with a well-developed jaw, they see and hear. Their weight is from 1 to 1.6 kilograms. If a female has two girls in one litter, then a fierce struggle immediately begins between them. Three months later, the babies already weigh 14 kilograms. The reason for this rapid growth is incredibly rich hyena milk. Females can go hunting for seven days and at the same time do not worry at all that their children will be hungry. At the age of three months, the young are already eating meat. Hyenas become adults by the age of two.

In conditions wildlife predators live 20-25 years, and in captivity - up to 40 years.

Hyena enemies

Despite the fact that hyenas themselves are serious predators, in the wild they have enemies. These are lions and leopards, which often attack them in search of food. With a flock of hyenas predators can not cope. But they are capable of killing a pregnant female and young animals.

Some hyenas die from their relatives. The reason for this is gregariousness, which leads to war between certain groups.

At one time, a prejudiced attitude towards these animals led to the fact that they were massively destroyed. This caused a decrease in the number of spotted hyenas on earth. Currently, hyenas are under the protection of almost all states in whose territory they live.

Are hyenas helpful?

Despite the general hostile attitude towards predators, they are still beneficial. Hyenas are the main helpers that keep the shroud ecosystem in good condition. No wonder they are also called natural "nurses". In addition, predators annually destroy up to 12% of wildebeests, preventing their populations from growing uncontrollably. As a rule, sick and old animals fall into the claws of hyenas, therefore it is believed that they clear territories of excess individuals, thus maintaining balance.

Hyenas are quite interesting creatures, their mental level is at the level of primates, which means they are far from stupid.

We would like to bring a few startling facts about these unusual animals:

1. Predators greet each other just like dogs do. It was this fact that at one time served as the reason that hyenas were classified as dogs.
2. AT Ancient Egypt domesticated such predators. They were bred for later use as food.
3. Young hyenas are born with open eyes, unlike all other animals. Babies live in the den only up to a year, after which they begin to hunt with their mother.
4. The female hyenas have elevated level testosterone (male hormone) compared to males. Perhaps this is the reason why matriarchy reigns in the tribe.
5. Hyenas often steal food from other carnivores. This behavior is not liked by their neighbors.
6. Despite the fact that the predator is not very large, the animal is a thunderstorm of the savannas. Developed jaws allow you to attack the victim, clinging to it with a stranglehold. Hyenas never kill prey, but devour it alive on the go. Their stomach is designed in such a way that it is able to digest any food, even bones and skins.
7. The enemies of hyenas include not only leopards and lions, but also crocodiles and hunting dogs.
8. It is believed that predators are incredibly cowardly, but this is not so. Hyenas can take prey from a lioness or a lion. And sometimes old weakened lions can be attacked by them.
9. In the folklore of many countries, hyenas have become a real symbol of betrayal, greed, deceit and baseness. African legends endow animals with all sorts of terrible qualities. However, there is no scientific evidence that hyenas attack people. Although a hunted animal is certainly capable of biting a person. Most likely, the stereotype of an animal that has been formed over the centuries, whose inexplicable behavior has frightened a person at all times, influences the consciousness of people. And what we do not understand causes fear.
10. In eastern Africa, there are tribes that revere the predator. They believe that hyenas are the messengers of the Sun, who are sent to Earth to warm it. And such a nation as the vaniki still reveres the predator more than its own leader. And the death of an animal for them is an incredible loss.

Instead of an afterword

Despite the general dislike, hyenas are ordinary, but still dangerous predators that have instilled fear in people for many centuries. However, the studies of modern scientists have made it possible to dispel the halo of mystery around this creature and show that all those extraordinary properties that people endowed them with are nothing more than fiction.

About the hyena.

For some time now, it has been considered that hyenas are carrion animals that feed exclusively on the corpses of animals, but scientists have proven that this saying is fundamentally erroneous, proving the participation of these animals in the list of the most perfect and dangerous predators that exist on earth.

The hyena has excellent hearing and sense of smell, which helps the animal to track down the prey, and the hunting tactic is to corner the prey without losing.

An adult is capable of speeds up to 60 - 65 km / h, so a predator can catch up with an antelope or a zebra.

Hyenas are fairly large animals. The weight of an adult reaches 75 kilograms, and the length is 2 meters.

Night is the time for hunting, although during the daytime predators are also able to go in search of prey. Most often during daylight hours they rest in burrows or rocky caves.

Hyenas are tied to a habitat, the boundaries of which are marked with a special secret. Most often, predators live in packs of 4 to 7 individuals, but they hunt only alone.

Hyenas transmit information to other members of the species with the help of screams, as well as sounds that are elusive to the human ear. Their barking is more like laughter and can be heard within a radius of 2 kilometers.

Predators breed during all year round, but the peak falls on the period from September to January. The female's pregnancy lasts a little over 3 months.

At a time, a hyena gives birth to no more than 2 puppies. Unlike other mammals, babies are born with open eyes, and in case of danger they can run almost immediately after birth.

The birth of several females takes place in a hole or pit overgrown with grass, from where the cubs do not leave until they reach the age of 8 months. Puppies remain under the supervision of one female, while the rest go hunting, returning every 2 hours to feed their cubs with milk.

Females never bring prey into the burrow, excluding the possibility of other predators sniffing out the place where the pups hide – easy prey.

Hyena Jaws - dangerous weapon. A stranglehold, as well as strong pressure, block the victim almost immediately. With the help of sharp fangs, a predator is able to gnaw even the hip bone of a bison.

Hyenas love to escape from the scorching heat by taking baths in a pond or river.

Recently, scientists have learned that hyenas are not only predators, but also herbivores. Animals love to eat the pulp of melon or watermelon, as well as nuts or various seeds.

Over the past hundred years, the population and number of hyenas has declined sharply. The reason for this was the mass destruction of individuals due to their systematic raids on pastures of farmers. The development of new territories by humans also affected the massive decline in the number of predators.