While we research assistants here at the Mara Hyena
Project consider the spotted hyena to be the best of all hyenas, did you know
that there are other members of the hyena family? Keep reading to learn all
about them!
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| You can guess where the striped hyena got it's name |
First we have the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena). Striped hyenas are found commonly in arid regions,
like deserts, scrublands, and grasslands. They are much more nomadic than
spotted hyenas, and will generally hunt and forage alone, occasionally in
pairs. It does have some social organization though, and maintains small family
groups at communal dens. Striped hyenas are also more omnivorous than their
spotted cousins, consuming not only meat but also some fruits and melons. They
are more strictly nocturnal, and are rarely seen during the day.
Conservation-wise the striped hyena is classified as “near threatened”, and its
most present concern is habitat destruction.
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| A brown hyena standing tall |
We also have the brown hyena (Hyaena brunnea). It is also found in drier climates, in many
regions of southern Africa. The brown hyena is primarily a scavenger, feeding
on the carcasses of large herbivores occasionally killing small animals for
itself. It is arguably more social than the striped hyena, but still lives in
small family groups with group sizes ranging from 4-14 individuals. Though they
live together a den they scavenge solo. These hyenas have a “near threatened”
conservation status, mostly stemming from local farmers blaming them for depredation
of livestock despite the fact that they rarely kill anything themselves.
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| The might termite-eating tongue of the aardwolf |
Lastly there is the most unique member of the hyena
family, the aardwolf (Proteles cristata).
It is the smallest of all the hyenas, and has a diet made up of chiefly
termites. The aardwolf can consume up to 200,000 termites in a single night,
and is so highly adapted to its diet that its teeth resemble pegs more so than
sharp carnivore teeth. Aardwolves have been seen to track termite locations by
sound, having very acute hearing to do so. It is also the least social of the
hyenas, foraging alone and only interacting with a mate otherwise. Aardwolves
are currently ranked “least concern” by the IUCN List of Threatened Species. Go
aardwolves!
These three animals, along with the spotted hyena,
make up the four species of the hyena family! I hope you enjoyed this little
look at them all, and if you want more information about them be sure to check
out the links below!
Sources and Further Reading:
Estes, R. D., 2012, The Behavior Guide to African Mammals, University of California
Press, Berkeley, 611 p.
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