Spotted Hyena
(Crocuta crocuta)
Classification
and Range
Spotted hyenas are the largest member of the
family Hyaenidae. This family also includes three other
hyena species, the aardwolf (found in south, east and
northeast Africa); the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena),
found in northern Africa, southwest Asia and India; and
the brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea), which is found
in limited areas of southern Africa, except most of South
Africa. Many researchers consider hyenas the evolutionary
'link' between dogs and cats but more closely related
to cats.Spotted hyenas range throughout most of Africa
south of the Sahara, except for the rain forests and
most of South Africa. They once lived in South Africa
but were eliminated in much of that region. Hyena populations
have also been severely reduced in some savanna plains
areas.
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Habitat
Spotted hyenas prefer
open country, even semi-desert, but they are rarely found in forested
areas. They range from sea level up to 13,200 feet (4,023 m).
Physical
Characteristics
Adults have a body length of 22-66 inches (56-168 cm) and have a height of 28-37
inches (71-94 cm) at the shoulder. Adults weigh 120-189 pounds (54-86 kg); females
are larger than males.
Life
Span
In the wild, about 20 years; up to 41 years in captivity.
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Range
Map
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Diet
In
the wild: Hyenas normally hunt alone and usually at night but
will hunt in packs to catch large prey. Spotted hyenas kill about 95% of
their prey but will also scavenge. Primary prey include wildebeest, gazelles,
zebra, buffalo, topi and most species of ungulates.
At the zoo: Whole chickens, mutton, and commercially prepared
horse meat diet
Reproduction
Spotted
hyena become sexually mature at about 3 years of age; females later than
males. They lack a definite breeding season, but after a gestation period
of about 110 days, one to four (usually two) offspring are born. Females
give birth in an isolated area away from the group. Newborns are black
and weigh about 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg). Unlike most carnivores, hyenas are
born in an advanced state of development. Their eyes are open, many of
their teeth are fully formed, and they can even pull themselves along
the ground with their front paws. Within hours after birth, same-sex
siblings begin to battle for dominance. After two to four weeks, the
mother brings her offspring to the clan. The clan carefully nurtures
and cares for the young, although males participate in parental care
less than females.
Life Cycle
The spotted hyena normally lives in a clan, which can number as many as 80
individuals. A clan is under the leadership of dominant (alpha) female. Large
clans are especially common where there are large populations of ungulates.
A clan marks its territory by scent-marking. Hyenas rest during the day in
thick bush or tall grass, in holes dug by other animals, or in a den among
rocky boulders. Where there are no natural cavities, hyenas dig out huge burrows
2-3 feet (61-91 cm) below the soil surface. In the late afternoon, they begin
their daily search for food, sometimes running down their prey with speeds
up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h).
Hunter or Scavenger?
Spotted hyenas hunt prey to a greater degree than the other two species of
hyena, but they will scavenge if the opportunity presents itself. This is not
so much a difference between species as a reflection of their range. For example,
where populations of ungulates are high (such as in the Ngorongoro Crater and
the Serengeti), spotted hyenas hunt for prey significantly more than they scavenge.
In a group effort, hyenas can subdue prey as large as a wildebeest (three times
a hyena's own weight).
In areas where prey is not so abundant, hyenas primarily scavenge. Their diet
often consists of what other carnivores (such as lions) leave behind. The result
is often an antagonistic but mutually respectful, and sometimes symbiotic relationship.
Lions often drive hyenas away from a kill made by hyenas, thus becoming the
scavengers themselves.
Crunch Time
Spotted hyenas have probably the most powerful jaws in the animal
kingdom. This enables them to crush even the largest bones like twigs. They
are such proficient eaters that they can even digest the bones, horns and teeth
of their prey. Interestingly, their excrement comes in two colors, white and
brown. White excrement is the result of eating bone, brown is waste material
of the remainder of the hyena's diet.
Conservation
Connection
Spotted hyenas are not immediately threatened or endangered. However, their
continued existence, as is true with all predators, depends upon the availability
of prey. As human expansion continues to demand more space, there is inevitably
less space left for prey animals. Since the number of predators is strictly
dependent on the number of prey available, the long-range consequence will
be a reduction in the numbers of all animals.
The hyena has not been considered beautiful (like the leopard) nor regal (like
the lion), but it is one of nature's most successful creatures. It has survived
in something similar to its present form for over 20 million years. It plays
a critical role in the grand scheme of nature and is an extremely fascinating
animal in its own right.
Although researchers conduct in-situ work to assess hyena numbers
in the wild, scientists learn much of what we know about hyenas by studying
them in captivity. For example, the University of California-Berkeley has a
facility to house ongoing reproductive studies.
Woodland Park Zoo is Helping-With Your Support!
For
many animals, flexible and sustainable conservation programs are essential.
Partnerships with other zoos can support healthy captive populations, while in-situ field
work can provide successful on-ground solutions for helping the hyena.
Each in-situ project supported by the zoo aims to provide a broad, holistic
approach to conservation, encompassing research, education, habitat and species
preservation. This includes comprehensive, cooperative strategies to link the
needs of animals with the people who share their ecosystems.
Hyenas are not currently exhibited at Woodland Park Zoo.
How You Can Help!
Woodland Park Zoo contributes information to the captive husbandry and public
awareness of this intriguing native species. The effort to save endangered
species requires cooperation and support at the international, national, regional
and individual levels. You can help in this cause. Join and become
active in Woodland Park Zoo and other conservation organizations of your choice.
Let your elected representatives know your views on protecting endangered species
and wild habitats. Please do not buy products made from wild animal parts.
Contact
Woodland Park Zoo at webkeeper@zoo.org to
find out how you can support conservation efforts at the zoo. Learn
other ways you can help conserve wildlife and the habitats they require
for survival by visiting our How
You Can Help page .
Sources
and Suggested Reading
Kruuk, Hans. 1972. The Spotted Hyena: A Study of Predation and Social Behavior.
The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. 335 p.
Nowak, Ronald M. ed. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World. 5th
Edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore and London. 1629
p.
Other Resources
Seaworld
(spotted
hyena fact sheet)
Spook's Photography Page (spotted hyena fact sheet): sailfish.exis.net/~spook/hyenatxt.html
Law, J. 2004. "Crocuta
crocuta" (On-line),
Animal Diversity Web. Accessed January 06, 2005 at
Woodland
Park Zoo Animal Management Staff: Personal Correspondence
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