| Hyaenidae | ||||||||||
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Spotted Hyena | ||||||||||
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| Subfamilies | ||||||||||
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Hyaeninae Protelinae |
In ancient times large hyenas ranged over much of Europe and Asia, but they are much reduced in range and diversity today.Only four species survive: the Spotted, Brown, and Striped Hyenas (which togather make up the subfamily Hyaeninae), and the Aardwolf, which is the only member of the subfamily Protelinae.
| Table of contents |
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2 Brown Hyena 3 Striped Hyena 4 Aardwolf |
The largest and best-known member of the hyena family, the Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is primarily a predator, not a scavenger. Individuals have been clocked at over 55 kilometres per hour, and when hunting in packs are capable of taking down the largest of prey. Spotted Hyenas have such strong jaws and teeth that they devour even the bones of their kill. This, combined with their very strong stomach acid, results in them having crusty white droppings (from all the bone meal). The hyena's distinctive laughing call, used to disorient prey and gather the pack, has resulted in their nickname "laughing hyena".
Spotted Hyenas live in the savannas and deserts of Africa, in clans numbering 40 individuals on average - and as large as 100. Female Spotted Hyenas are much larger than their male counterparts, and have a long, dangling, penis-like clitoris. While Spotted Hyenas have no real predators (besides man), they are on occasion killed by Lions, which eat the same foods and will often clash with hyena over kills. Although Lion are much larger, hyenas will defend their kills if possible, and hyena packs have been known to kill Lions if they outnumber them signifigantly.
The Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea, formerly Hynaea brunnea) lives mainly in the Kalahari and Namib deserts of southern Africa. It is smaller than its spotted cousin, and unlike the Spotted Hyena is largely a scavenger. It is, in fact, the largest land animal to derives the majority of its diet from scavenging. Because of the scarcity of food in the desert, they supplement their diet with fruit and vegetables.
Also unlike the Spotted Hyena, the males and females of this species are practically indistinguishable. Their clans are also smaller, ranging between 4 to 15 members. Besides man, Brown Hyenas are commonly killed by Lions and Spotted Hyenas.
Striped Hyenas (Hyaena hyaena) are closely related to Brown Hyenas, but live in northern Africa, the Middle East, and western India. Like their brown cousins, Striped Hyenas are largely scavengers, and will also eat fruit and even insects.
The Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus) is a small hyena that feeds exclusively on termites. It has become so specialized for this diet that its teeth have shrunk to near insignificance. Unlike other large insect eating mammals like Aardvarks and anteaters, Aardwolves can't dig, and so have to wait outside the termite mound to lick up the termites when they come out. An Aardwolf can lick up over 30 000 termites in a single day.
Spotted Hyena
Brown Hyena
Striped Hyena
Aardwolf
