Striped Hyena

Quick Take

• Striped hyenas can drink something most animals can't tolerate, which is not what you'd expect from a desert scavenger. Water and diet flexibility →
• The name 'hyena' traces back to an unlikely animal, and the connection reveals something odd about how ancient Greeks saw these creatures. Trace the name's origins →
• Striped hyena cubs are born with a hidden survival trait that disappears within days, which hints at how vulnerable they truly are at birth. Cub development details →
• Striped hyenas have a threat-response trick that makes them appear far more dangerous than they actually are, and predators consistently fall for it. Threat-response behaviors →

The Striped Hyena is a medium-sized mammal. It is a scavenging animal that is found in North and East Africa, the Middle East, the Arabian Peninsula, Central Asia, and the Indian subcontinent.

There are several interesting facts about striped hyenas. Both the male and female striped hyenas are very similar in appearance. However, males are known to be a little larger. They usually have light gray to beige coats and have a black patch on their throat.

Striped Hyena vs. Spotted Hyena

Although both are varieties of the same animal, the striped hyenas are a bit smaller than the spotted hyenas. Striped hyenas, as the name suggests, have stripes all over their bodies. Meanwhile, spotted hyenas have spots. Also, the striped hyenas are gray to beige, and the spotted ones are tan to brownish with distinctive spots. The striped hyenas are less vocal than the spotted hyenas. The home range of the striped hyena is smaller than that of a spotted hyena. The face of a striped hyena is usually covered in thick black hair. The tails of the striped hyenas are longer than the tails of the spotted hyenas, and their ears are also larger and more pointed.

There are also some behavioral differences. The striped hyenas like to live alone or in pairs. The striped hyenas are quieter and are also known to be less aggressive. Also, unlike spotted hyenas, the striped hyenas are known to scavenge more than they hunt for food.

Classification and Scientific Name

These animals go by the scientific name Hyaena hyaena. They belong to the kingdom Animalia and phylum Chordata. Their class is called Mammalia, and the order is Carnivora. The suborder is known to be Feliformia, and the family is Hyaenidae. The genus is Hyaena.

The word “Hyaena” comes from a Greek word – “huaina.” The term is derived from the word for pig, suggesting a connection between the animal’s bristly mane and the pig’s bristles. The spelling of “hyaena” is Latin, but the English modified the spelling, making it the word “hyena” that is commonly used today.

Appearance

These animals come in gray and beige shades of coat or fur and have vertical stripes on their flanks and black vertical stripes on their legs. However, these stripes are more prominent in summer and less visible in winter. Their faces are generally covered in thick black hair.

They have a downward-sloping back, as with all hyena species. When they are threatened, the manes on their backs can become erect, making them look much larger than usual to potential predators.

The male and the female striped hyenas are known to be remarkably similar in appearance. However, the males are known to be slightly larger than the females. In size, these animals usually are about 2.8 to 4.3 feet (85 to 130 centimeters) in length. Their tail measures about 9.8 to 15.7 inches (25 to 40 cm). Females usually weigh about 57 to 75 pounds, while the males weigh about 57 to 90 pounds.

These animals have a thick black-haired face and long tails that are covered in thick hair or fur. The tails are usually black and white. Their paws also have four short, blunt, non-retractable claws.

The front legs of the striped hyenas are longer than their hind legs, giving their back a distinctive sloping appearance.

Behavior

These animals are scavengers. They are nomadic, moving from one water hole to another, yet they tend to stay within six miles of a water source.

They are solitary hunters, which means they usually hunt when they are alone. However, they are also known to sometimes form small family groups while scavenging dead animals. They also live in dens in family groups. However, the home range of the striped hyenas is smaller than that of the spotted and brown hyenas.

They usually mark their territories using scent gland secretions from their anal pouch. They are less vocal than spotted hyenas. The striped hyenas scavenge more than they hunt.

Habitat

These animals are typically found in deserts, semi-deserts, woodlands, scrub forests, acacia bushlands, grasslands, tropical savannas, and rocky terrains.

These scavenging animals are usually found in Africa, West India, the Middle East, and the Arabian Peninsula.

The family groups are known to reside in dens that are usually caves that have narrow entrances. These caves also have large boulders. The dens where these animals live with their family groups can span over a distance of 13 to 16.4 feet (4 to 5 meters).

Diet

These animals are known to be nocturnal omnivores and usually feed on fruits, melons, dates, small insects, and small animals. They usually are scavengers and feed on the remains of whatever other animals kill. Their powerful jaws allow them to crush bones and gnaw. The striped hyenas are known to be active scavengers, and they scavenge more than they hunt for food.

Notably, they can tolerate several types of water. They do well with salt water, fresh water, and even soda water (if it is provided to them). If available, striped hyenas drink water every night. However, they can also survive for long periods without water if needed.

Predators and Threats

While lions probably sometimes kill these animals, striped hyenas do not have any major predators. They do compete with the big cats for prey. In this fight, the big cats are likely to win.

However, humans pose a major threat to them. This is because humans are known to poison and/or hunt these animals. Apart from that, habitat loss because of human activities like industrialization and urbanization is also a threat to the existence of the striped hyenas.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

These animals do not have a specific breeding season. A litter of 1 to 4 cubs is born after a gestation period of 90 to 91 days. The cubs are born in nesting dens.

When cubs are born, they have no eyesight — they are born blind, and their ear canals are also closed. At that time, their coats are white to gray, and they have clear black stripes on their bodies. The cubs can open their eyes after about 7 to 8 days, and their teeth develop after about three weeks.

They can eat solid food after a month. Weaning, however, can vary from eight to twelve months. Both parents care for the young. The lifespan of these animals is about 24 years when they live in captivity.

Population

Because there are different varieties of hyenas, it is difficult to determine the exact population. However, the Striped Hyena has been classified as ‘Near Threatened’ by the IUCN.

It is now extinct in Europe but can still be spotted in Anatolia, Turkey, on rare occasions.