The Spotted Hyena
By Kansas Watts
The Spotted Hyena
Type: Mammal
Diet: Omnivore (eat wildebeest, antelope, birds, lizards, snakes, insects, etc...)
- often dine on leftovers of other predators
Size: Head and body, 34 to 59 in (86 to 150 cm); tail, 10 to 14 in (25 to 36 cm)
Weight: 110 to 190 lbs (50 to 86 kg)
Predators: lions, hunting dogs and strange hyenas are among the species that prey on hyenas.
Interesting Facts
- jaws are most powerful in proportion to their size of any mammal.
- can eat up to 35 pounds of meat at a single feeding.
- sometimes called "laughing hyenas" due to the unusual "cackle" sound.
Classification Order (kingdom/species) and Evolutionary Relationships
Classification
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Hyaenidae
Genus: Crocuta
Species: crouta
Out of the three hyena species the spotted hyenas are the largest. Hyenas are actually related to cats rather than dogs.Habitat
Live in areas where large numbers of prey are found such as, semi-desert or grasslands and brush. Also can be found in open terrain. In sub-Saharan Africa and the forests of the Congo Basin is where they can be found.
Social Interactions
Spotted hyenas live in groups called clans. They in in females dominated groups consisting of 30-40 individuals. The ones that stay with their natal clan for life are the females. When reaching adulthood the males join nomadic groups before settling in with a new clan. Highest ranking female and descendants are dominant over all other members of the group. At around three years of age spotted hyenas are sexually mature. Females mature later than males. Breeding occurs throughout the year.
How they move
Hyenas are fast and can run long distances without tiring. Spotted hyenas can run at speeds up to 37 mph.