For many, hyenas cause ambiguous feelings and are more often associated with vile and cowardly animals. A similar opinion has been formed in the minds of people because of the manner of subsistence and the appearance of these animals. But few people know that the striped hyena in the Red Book takes a place in the lists of those animals whose numbers are sharply declining. Therefore, it is worth learning about what these predators really are, and what features they stand out from other fanged ones?
Varieties of hyenas
In nature, there are four types of hyenas. These include spotted, brown, striped hyenas and the earthwolf.
Usually, the first two species of these predators are known to many, as they make chuckling sounds and roam in packs. Striped hyenas, despite significant similarities with other species, are still different from them.
Size of striped hyena
This species can rightly be called a large predator. The largest individuals can grow up to 90 cm at the withers, and on average their height is about 80cm. The length of the body is approximately 115 cm. Some males can weigh 50-60 kg, females are less than 45 kg, although outwardly they almost do not differ. Tail length is about 25-35 cm.
Appearance
Outwardly, the hyena's body seems to be shortened. Their paws are slightly curved, although this does not prevent them from being strong. Each foot has four toes. Also, the front legs are longer than the hind legs, which adds visual imbalance to the body. The predator has a massive and short neck, and its muzzle is slightly elongated. The lower jaw is heavy. The ears are large and slightly pointed.
At the withers there is a dark mane of long (about 30 cm) and hard hair, which makes the front of the beast even higher. When moving, striped hyenas seem to squat and drag their ass, which makes them look even more disproportionate. The straight and coarse coat of the animal, not counting the mane, has a length of no more than 7 cm. In the cold season, a soft and dense undercoat grows. Outwardly, it differs from other members of the family by stripes in color.
The base color of the coat varies from straw to brown-grey. The muzzle is black in almost all individuals. The stripes are usually black.
Despite the fact that striped hyenas have fewer teeth (34) than canines (42), their jaws are considered very powerful, and fangs are large. They are capable of chewing through huge bones.
Lifestyle
Striped hyenas are nocturnal animals and enjoy a solitary life. They don't have clans. In the wild, these predators live up to 12 years, but in the zoo they live up to 23.
This type of hyena prefers to eat the carrion of mammals. They can even eat the bones of a zebra or a gazelle. If they find edible waste thrown away by a person, they do not disdain them. Their diet may include insects, fish, all kinds of seeds and fruits. Sometimes the hyena attacks birds, rodents or reptiles. It often feeds in its lair, which is why an unpleasant smell can be heard from afar. Also, this animal itself exudes repulsive odors.
Among them, polygamous relationships are accepted. The male can fertilize several females in a row. Within 90 days, the female bears offspring. At two years, male hyenas become sexually mature, females a year later.
These hyenas rarely make sounds. Their voice can be expressed in grunts, hoarse howls or growls. They don't "laugh".
Habitats
In the wild, meeting this predator is a rarity, as they choose hard-to-reach places for their lairs. They are also quite careful. For their settlement, they choose clay deserts with little vegetation. They may also prefer rocky foothills or gorges. At the same time, they try to settle near the water, because they constantly need moisture.
Today, the striped hyena lives in most of the Asian territory, in North Africa, in some regions of India. Closer to the eastern side, this species is less common. Also, these predators are in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan andTranscaucasia, although today the striped hyena becomes a rather rare inhabitant in these parts.
Wildlife: Red Book of Endangered Species
Today, many animals are on the list of rare and endangered species. Often this is due to ecology, deforestation, lack of food. But this kind of animal does not cause pleasant feelings for many, therefore they are ruthlessly hunted and very soon the striped hyena may disappear forever. The Red Book of Russia encourages people to think that people should stop destroying wildlife, even if some of its representatives do not cause tenderness in them.
Cub in captivity
In the Krasnodar "Safari Park" on April 9, 2013, a rather rare incident occurred. Within the park, in captivity, a female striped hyena brought a baby. But the mother refused to take care of her offspring. The tiny hyena was taken care of by the zoo staff. For feeding, a mixture of dog milk was prepared. The baby needed to eat five times a day. The grown-up crumbs began to be given meat. After the young hyena got stronger, he was released on "free bread".
Interesting information
Every animal stands out with something special and this predator is no exception. Listed below are some interesting facts about the striped hyena.
- Not yet mature hyenas love to eat gourds and other cultivated plants, causing damage to agriculture.
- The name "hyena" came from the Greek language, where it was called"hus", which translates to "pig".
- The striped hyena is not aggressive at all, so the poor animal is often attacked by ordinary dogs. Hyenas flee from them without attempting self-defense.
- This species hunts very rarely, so it has to eat carrion. But this does not matter, since the jaws of the striped hyena are considered the most powerful among mammals, they easily crumble bones that other predators could not eat. The jaw pressure is approximately 50 kg per square centimeter.
- The unsightly appearance and cowardly behavior of the striped hyena influenced the fact that many legends and superstitions developed in ancient Greece. Previously, the Greeks believed that these animals were able to change sex.
- If striped hyenas settled near the cemetery, people have to put large stones on the graves, because these "scavengers" can tear the ground to get the bones.
