Spotted hyena what do they eat

When living in an unprotected area, the Spotted Hyena is targeted by hunting, trapping, and poisoning. This is because of concern that they can kill livestock, although the actual level of predation is thought to be low.

Drought and deforestation may also be affecting the Spotted Hyena by reducing available habitat and altering the food chain. Increasing the extent of protected areas within the hyena range and improving the level of protection and enforcement will be key to sustaining a healthy population of hyenas in the long-term. Equally important, however, is working with local people within to address their negative perceptions and to resolve any conflicts that may arise.

Various anti-predation farming methods have been trialled since its launch, and visiting tourists are also now engaged with Spotted Hyena conservation. Facebook Twitter Instagram. Animal A-Z. Next ». India is a beautiful home to diverse wildlife.

Its rich heritage of forests, grasslands, ecosystems thrive…. Tags: Hyena. Waleed Khalid A professional writer and a passionate wildlife enthusiast, who is mostly found hooked to his laptop or in libraries researching about the wildlife. Express yourself about the animals Cancel reply. You might be interested in.

February 6, January 30, April 12, Latest from Carnivora Meat Eating Mammals. Dogs see the world with their noses. But is that a fair description? It may look like a dog, but the spotted hyena is more closely related to cats, civets, and genets.

Also called the laughing hyena, the spotted hyena is a strong, capable hunter. It is the largest member of the hyena family other members are the striped hyena, brown hyena, and aardwolf. Female spotted hyenas are a bit larger than the males, but otherwise they look exactly the same. The spotted hyena may look unusual, at first sight.

It has a large head with a long, thick, muscular neck and powerful jaws that give the hyena the strongest bite of any mammal. Its front legs are longer than its back legs, giving the hyena a profile somewhat like that of a wildebeest or bison. The spotted hyena's paws have four toes with non-retractable claws. The short, coarse fur has a yellow or gray tint covered in spots, which differ among individuals.

Its ears are more rounded than that of the other hyenas. A short mane of hair along its back stands upright. Its only true predators are lions and humans. Staying cool: These interesting carnivores live in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. They are able to survive in savannas and swamps, as well as semi-arid regions, and even mountainous forest areas.

Rather than resting in dens, adult spotted hyenas sleep in holes or shallow pools or under bushes or scrubs—anywhere they can find shade during the heat of the day. Hyenas use watering holes as places to cool off or to hide extra food. Spotted hyenas can be active both day and night, depending on their needs and whether there are humans around, but they are generally nocturnal. Lions and hyenas compete over the same food in overlapping territories.

Sometimes the hyenas do the work of organizing, chasing down, and killing prey only to have lions steal it. Lions often injure or kill hyenas as they fight over a carcass. Both hyenas and lions mark and establish territories, and both species are always on guard.

When confronted by a lion, the spotted hyena calls for help from other hyenas. Spotted hyenas are adept hunters in their own right, preying on reptiles, birds and even wee bugs. They prefer going after mammals that exceed 40 pounds in weight, according to the Zoological Society of Milwaukee.

Some of the larger animals that spotted hyenas prey on include wildebeests, zebras and antelope. They generally hunt in units of between two and five individuals, although sometimes more -- especially when it comes to big prey. Striped hyenas, like spotted hyenas, are frequent scavengers, with particular penchants for impalas, gazelles, wildebeests and zebras.

They too have the ability to hunt, and often go after goats, sheep, horses and donkeys. Other common components of the striped hyena diet are bugs, fruit, birds, reptiles, mice and hares.