The Hyena Fact File

Wandering in packs called clans, hyenas are not afraid of taking on animals much
larger than themselves! Their aggressive nature and well-coordinated teamwork are
so forceful that they can even drive away hungry lions.

Although the spotted hyena is the most familiar to us, there are two other hyena
species - the striped and the brown hyenas.

Why is the spotted hyena so famous? Well, the spotted hyena is a very vocal animal.
When a spotted hyena wants to show its respect to a more senior clan member, it
makes a sound that resembles our laughter. Because its "laughs" are so noticeable,
we often nickname the animal the laughing hyena.

While both the spotted and the brown hyenas live in African savannahs, the striped
hyena has lives in Africa, the Middle East, and India.

The Hyena weighs approx 50 kilograms, is stocky and has extremely powerful jaws,
especially in relation to its size. Hyenas are found spread over the African Savannah
south of the Sahara Desert.

They have many amazing traits, one of them being the laughing type sounds they
make. They laugh this sound when they are defending their territory. Hyenas are
curious animals, and have many myths. One such long standing myth is Hyenas were
scavengers. This is incorrect; they can in fact bring down prey as large as a Zebra.
They hunt their own food, but they will also feed on carrion.

They live in dens or dips in the ground with shelter. They are pack animals, and hunt
in packs during the night. They choose their prey and will chase it until it is
exhausted. Once it is exhausted the pack of Hyenas will attack the animal and feed.

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 The Hyena Fact File
Spotted Hyenas and, to a lesser extent,
Striped and Brown Hyenas, have
powerful carnassials teeth adapted for
cutting flesh and premolars for crushing
bone. Spotted hyenas have a strong bite
proportional to their size, but the view
that they have the strongest bite is a
myth; and a number of other animals
(including the Tasmanian devil) are
proportionately stronger.

All species have a distinctly bear-like gait

due to their front legs being longer than
their back legs. The Aardwolf, Striped
Hyena and Brown Hyena have striped
pelts and manes lining the top of their
necks which erect when frightened. The
Spotted Hyena's fur is considerably
shorter and spotted rather than striped.
Unlike other species, its mane is
reversed forwards.

Hyenas, in particular the spotted hyena, are

highly intelligent animals with some studies
suggesting convergent evolution in hyena and
primate intelligence. Spotted hyena pakcs or
“societies” are more complex than those of
other carnivorous mammals and have been
reported to be very similar to those
cercopithecine primates in respect to group
size, structure, competition and cooperation.
One indication of hyena intelligence is that
they will move their killed prey closer together
to protect them from scavengers. Another
indication is their very precise hunting
methods.

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 The Hyena Fact File

Did you Know………..

• The spotted female hyena is larger than the spotted male
hyena

• Hyenas have powerful teeth for crushing bone.

• Hyenas are mammals. This means they are warm-blooded

and give birth to live young.

• Hyenas are carnivores. This means they eat meat.

• Hyenas have been around for 26 million years.

• Except for the aardwolf, all living hyena species are hunters
and scavengers

• The Bouda is a mythical tribe reputed to be able to transform

into hyenas.

• Hyenas (usually "Laughing Hyenas") have been used in

animated movies many times. Examples include Shenzi,
Banzai and Ed from the Disney animated film The Lion King,
one ball-playing individual in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, and
the Joker's pets, Bud and Lou.

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 The Hyena Fact File

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 The Hyena Fact File

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 The Hyena Fact File

Print on Cardstock and

laminate for protection. Cut
the square puzzle pieces out
and put together to match
the picture ☺

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 The Hyena Fact File
SOURCES:
www.africanfauna.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyena

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© 2009 St Aiden’s Homeschool, Republic of South Africa
Date of first publication: December 2008
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