Spotted Hyena
23-01-2025
10:31 AM

Spotted Hyenalatest News
In a new study, Egyptian researchers have discovered a spotted hyena (Crocutta crocutta), one of Africa’s most abundant carnivores, appeared in southern Egypt after 5,000 years.

Spotted Hyena Overview
- It is also called the laughing hyena. It is a fascinating and intelligent creature with a very interesting social system.
- It is a carnivorous animal that hunts and scavenges.
- It is a strong and capable hunter and the largest member of the hyena fam
- They have excellent night vision, being mostly nocturnal, hunting at night, and sleeping or staying near their den in the daytime.
- They have a matriarchal social order of related individuals that are called clans.
Spotted Hyena’s Appearance
- It has a sandy, yellowish or gray coat with black or dark brown spots on the over most of the bod
- It looks like a dog but is closer related to cats, civets, and gene
- The spots are darkest in younger animals and can be almost completely absent in very old animals.
- Females and males look exactly the same except that females are a little larger.
- Habitat: It is common in many types of open, dry habitat including semi-desert, savannah, acacia bush, and mountainous forest.
- Distribution: These hyenas live throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
- Conservation Status
- IUCN: Least Concern
Spotted Hyena FAQs
Q1: Do spotted hyenas live in India?
Ans: They live throughout much of Africa and eastwards through Arabia to India
Q2: What is unique about spotted hyenas?
Ans: The spotted hyena may look unusual, at first sight. It has a large head with a long, thick, muscular neck and powerful jaws
Q3: Are hyenas friendly to humans?
Ans: Hyenas are not friendly to humans. Although humans are not the main source of their diet, they can hunt and attack humans.
Q4: What is the IUCN status of the hyena?
Ans: It is listed as being of least concern by the IUCN
Q5: Is a spotted hyena a primary consumer?
Ans: It is primarily a predator rather than a scavenger.
Source: DTE