What are Hyenas?

About Hyenas:

• Hyenas are doglike carnivores found in Asia and Africa and are noted for their scavenging habits.
• Family: Hyaenidae
• There are three hyena species — spotted (Crocuta crocuta), brown (Arahyaena brunnea), and striped (Hyaena hyaena). Spotted hyenas are the largest of the three.
• Habitat: Forest edges, grasslands, savannas, sub-deserts, and even mountains at an elevation of about 13,000 feet.
• Distribution: These animals live throughout Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia.
• Features:
  • They are four-legged animals with scraggly fur and large ears. 
  • They have long forelegs and a powerful neck and shoulders for dismembering and carrying prey. 
  • They are tireless trotters with excellent sight, hearing, and smell for locating carrion, and they are proficient hunters as well. 
  • All hyenas are more or less nocturnal.
  • These animals usually live for about 12 years, but they can live up to 25 years. Brown hyenas, however, typically have shorter lives.
• Conservation Status: According to IUCN, spotted hyenas have populations of least concern. However, brown and striped hyenas are classified as near threatened.

Q1) What is a Carnivore?

A carnivore is an organism, in most cases an animal, that eats meat. A carnivorous animal that hunts other animals is called a predator; an animal that is hunted is called prey.

Source: Hyenas inherit power from moms, but it’s a privilege they pay dearly for: Study

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