Hyaena hyaena

Striped hyena


Classification

Geographic Range

Ethiopian: Hyaena hyaena can be found all around the Sahara, both north and south and as far east as the red sea. It reaches parts of southwest Asia and India (Dorst and Dandelot 1970).

Physical Characteristics

Mass: 35 to 45 kg

Except for the aardwolf, the striped hyena is the smallest member of the family, standing about 720 mm at the shoulder. The pelage is coarse and very long, which gives it a shaggy look. A well-developed mane occurs from the neck to the rump and is erectile. The color of the coat varies from region to region. The background color grades from pale grey to yellowish-buff. On top of this are the stripes, which contribute to its common name. These usually number from 6 to 8, are dark brown to black, run transversely across the back, and occur in irregular patterns. The legs bear similar dark transverse stripes. The throat and part of the chest are black. The front legs are longer than the back legs, and a sloping back is very noticeable. Although more closely related to felids than canids, in general appearance it resembles a dog. It has pointed ears and a shortened muzzle. Anal scent glands are found on either side of the rectum. The skull has large conical premolars, particularly the third, and other adaptations for a powerful bite.

Natural History

Food Habits

Although primarily carnivorous, H. hyaena will eat just about anything that is edible. Among the things found in their diet are zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, hares, rodents, shrews, lizards, tortoises, beetles, termites, fruit, dung, and garbage. The striped hyena is exclusively nocturnal and solitary, and their foraging is usually random across the home range. A hyaena uses its head to poke around in thick brush and will eat any food item it comes across. The striped hyena is more adapted for small food items than the spotted hyena, obtaining them from the denser part of the vegetation, catching insects and smaller vertebrates. They usually capture these smaller animals by chasing them down, although some striped hyenas have shown stalking behavior. These prey are killed by shaking them in the hyena's jaws. For the most part, the striped hyena ignores larger mammals and only feeds on them when found as carcasses for scavenging. Like the spotted hyena, the striped hyena uses its large premolars to crack the limb bones of large prey in order to get to the marrow inside. They also eat bone chips, which is evidenced by their chalky, calcium-rich feces.

Reproduction

Because of their solitary behavior and inhospitable (to humans) habitat, very little is known about the breeding habits of H. hyaena. The females are capable of breeding all year. Gestation is approximately 3 months, and the litter usually consists of 2 to 4 young. Breeding takes place in shelters, and striped hyaenas breed readily in captivity. The young differ from those of the spotted hyena in that they born with their eyes closed and their ears sealed down. The young have a recognizable adult pelage pattern, which is alsodifferent from the young of spotted hyenas. There may be some parental care with the mothers bringing or regurgitating food for the young.

Behavior

The striped hyenas are solitary foragers and only rarely seen together. They do not show the complex social behaviors of the spotted hyena. They do show some of the vocalizations but not the complete repertoire of their close relatives. Cubs whine during suckling. Giggling and yelling occur when a striped hyena is frightened or being chased by another predator. A long-drawn lowing sound accompanies the defensive posture, and growling occurs during play-fighting with conspecifics. The striped hyena also shows a series of visual displays, the most striking of which is the erection of the mane during aggression. The tail is used during hunting and playing and when fleeing. When members of the same family do meet they engage in what is called a "meeting ceremony", which consists of sniffing each others' face and neck followed by sniffing each others' anal region. Unfamiliar striped hyenas are aggressive when they meet. The home ranges of striped hyenas are about 70 km sq. for males and 40 kmsq for females . There is very little evidence that these home ranges are actually defended territories.

Habitat

The striped hyena is mostly associated with open, dry areas. The are commonly found in ravines and rock deserts in Asia and India. In East Africa they are mostly observed in acacia savannah with little scrub and trees. They are normally associated with ravines and hilly rocks here, as well, where lairs can be located within the crevices and clefts in the rocks. Where the ranges overlap with spotted hyenas, the striped hyena is forced into habitats with denser vegetation.