What Do Hyenas Eat? A Guide to Their Diet

Hyenas are one of the most misunderstood mammals in the wild. They are often seen as dim-witted scavengers who feast only on the carcasses left over by other predators. But in reality, these dog-like creatures have so much to offer behind their menacing laughter, especially when it comes to hunting for prey.

Hyenas may possess an appearance that looks like that of wolves and dogs, but these carnivorous mammals are actually much closer to felines than they are to canines. Hyenas belong to their own family, Hyaenidae, which consists of four different species: the brown hyena, striped hyena, spotted hyena, and the aardwolf.

Contrary to popular belief, hyenas are highly skilled hunters who can take down prey that is larger than them, such as wildebeests, antelopes, and sometimes even lions. Below, let’s explore what food hyenas like to eat and how they thrive in the wild.

What Do Hyenas Eat?

Hyenas are carnivores that eat a diet that consists of other animals like zebras, gazelles, giraffes, birds, rabbits, warthogs, snakes, wildebeests, antelopes, wild dogs, and others. They are also known scavengers who feed on leftover carcasses from other predators in the wild.

Hyenas are not choosy when it comes to food and are, in fact, well-known to have a big appetite. They also have really powerful jaws and teeth that can crush their victims’ flesh and bones. Hyenas are said to be clean eaters, as they often do not leave any edible parts of their prey for other predators to feast on. A whole clan of hyenas can eat the entire body of their prey, including the skeleton, bones, teeth, and horns, savoring every last bite.

Hyenas have been stereotyped to be lazy wild animals because they often feed on the carrion of animals left over by lions and other predators, but the truth is these mammals eat a wide variety of animals by hunting them down themselves. 

A Complete List of Food Hyenas Like to Eat

Hyenas are voracious feeders, and they can hunt a wide and diverse array of animals, ranging from small mammals and insects to animals bigger than themselves. Below is a complete list of animals that hyenas often include in their diet.

Medium to large-sized animals:

• Antelope
• Wildebeest
• Lions (isolated, weak, or cubs)
• Zebra
• Gazelle
• Giraffe
• Impala
• Elephants (young or sick individuals)
• Hippo calves

Smaller animals:

• Birds
• Warthogs
• Rabbits
• Goats
• Cattle
• Sheep
• Monkeys
• Donkeys
• Wild dogs
• Wild boars
• Porcupines
• Springhare
• Lizards
• Jackals
• Fish
• Snakes
• Foxes
• Tortoises
• Insects
• Termites

As well as preying on live animals, hyenas also like scavenging carrion meat left by larger predators such as lions. 

When there is an extreme scarcity of food, hyenas can dig up junk from garbage, or even steal and eat crops, fruits, vegetables, and even grass and grasshoppers, which are outside their typical diet.

Do Hyenas Eat Lions?

Hyenas rarely eat lions, as these beautiful beasts are much bigger and heavier than they are. However, when hyenas find a lion that is weak and isolated from its pride, they may attempt to kill and eat it, especially when food is scarce. Hyenas usually hunt in groups, so when they come across unprotected lion cubs or small lions, they may attack and eat them.

What Do Different Species of Hyenas Eat?

Different species of hyenas have different preferences when it comes to their diet. The spotted hyenas, for instance, love to hunt small to average-sized animals for their food and are always on the lookout for easier ways to take down their prey.

Striped and brown hyenas, on the other hand, prefer eating the carcasses of other animals’ kills, sucking out decaying bones and bone marrow from the carrion. Since they have powerful teeth and jaws, their food of choice is tortoises and wild boars. The aardwolf is an insectivore and it loves to eat a diet that is exclusively insects, such as termites, as it has a specially-designed flat, sticky tongue that helps trap them. Aardwolves are estimated to eat around 250,000 to 300,000 termites in just one night.

Spotted hyenas are the most common species and a common large carnivore in Africa. They often look for easier prey when hunting, so they prefer calves, cubs, or young mammals, as these require less effort to catch. They are estimated to eat more than 30 pounds of meat in a meal.

Spotted hyenas who frequent residential neighborhoods in semi-urban and rural areas can also catch domestic animals such as cats and dogs to eat them. The increasing population in Africa brings hyenas into close proximity to human residential settlements, thereby increasing the chances of hyenas preying upon domestic animals and other pets.

How Do Hyenas Hunt for Food?

Hyenas typically hunt in packs, which makes them powerful predators. They live in clans, led by an alpha female, that usually consist of 20 to 30 hyenas, but can consist of up to 100 individuals. Hyenas possess a sharp sense of smell that can track prey, and as they hunt in large groups, they can often outrun other predators when chasing victims.

Hyenas also target weakened or isolated members of animal herds. They often use this strategy to easily kill their prey without the need to fight the herd. Hyenas also eat in social packs. They will bite their prey and drag them down, and then all clan members will enclose the victim and feast on it.