Tricky and hardy, hyenas rarely risk attacking their prey if there is a risk that it will give a serious rebuff. But if they get together in a large flock, which they usually do, they begin to constitute a formidable force even for stronger animals, and they can tear to pieces the victim in a matter of seconds.
Despite the resemblance to dogs, they belong to the cat-like order. Hyenas live only in Africa and Eurasia. Until the last ice age, they were found in Europe, but there they all became extinct. There are four different types of hyenas in the world now. The hyena that lived on the Iberian Peninsula, which died about 800 thousand years ago, was the largest scavenger among all mammals that ever existed on Earth. Adults reached a weight of 100-110 kg. Despite the fact that hyenas are happy to eat carrion, it makes up no more than 20-30% of their diet. Mostly they get food by hunting. The spotted hyena is the largest of all. In length, it has up to 130 cm, and its weight is up to 80 kg. Female hyenas are almost always larger than males, and they surpass them in aggressiveness. These animals are also found in the mountains, at an altitude of 4 km above sea level. In females, testosterone levels are higher than in males, because of which amateurs can even confuse their genitals with males – because of their impressive size.
Hyena is able to reach speeds of up to 60 km / h and maintain it at a distance of 4-5 kilometers. The litter of these animals looks like chalk, and it almost entirely consists of calcium phosphate. In all species of hyenas, except striped, the head of the flock is always the female. Newborn puppies of these predators already have sharp teeth. The hierarchy in their flocks is very strong. Puppies born from the main female receive her high status by inheritance, at least as long as she remains the leader. Hyenas respond well to training.
The howl of spotted hyenas really resembles laughter; this is not a myth. By the position of the tail of these animals, one can determine their status in the pack. If the tail is pulled up, they occupy a high position, and if lowered, it is low. Hyena puppies begin to hunt around the age of one year. Before that, they spend most of their time in their mother’s den. Striped hyenas prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle, rather than stray in flocks. Both the hyenas themselves and their lair usually smell very strong and very unpleasant. In their lair there are usually many leftovers of food, bones and other waste. They even eat bones, and their digestive system allows them to digest. Battles for the status of the head of the pack in hyenas usually end in the death of a weaker rival. On particularly hot days, well-fed hyenas often wallow in shallow water, waiting for evening coolness. Often for lunch they go leftovers from a meal of lions. By the sound of howling hyenas, one can quite accurately determine their age, and by the sequence of sounds in it – their social position in the pack. The ancient Greeks believed that these animals can change sex. Each pack has its own territory, which is actively marks and protects from other people’s attacks.
