Spotted Hyena
(Crocuta crocuta)
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
Description
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
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