Mammals · Carnivora · Hyaenidae

Striped Hyaena

Hyaena hyaena

Near Threatened

It could become endangered in the near future if current threats go unchecked. See full glossary

The striped hyena is the most widely distributed hyena and the only one that reaches Asia, from the Caucasus and Turkey to India. It is smaller than the spotted hyena and far more unobtrusive: solitary, nocturnal and mainly a scavenger. Its jaws and premolars are adapted to crushing bones that no other predator can use, which makes it a keystone in the recycling of organic matter in arid ecosystems. It suffers direct persecution and poisoning over much of its range.

Weight

25 kg – 45 kg

Size

1 m – 1.2 m

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Nocturnal

Active mainly at night.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Moderate

SavannaDesertMountainGrasslandCarnivore Nocturnal Solitary Near Threatened Savanna Desert Mountain Grassland Mammal

76countries 16parks3same family

Fun facts

fisiologíaUnlike the spotted hyena it is largely solitary and a scavenger, and its bite is among the most powerful for its size of any land carnivore.
Its droppings are white: feeding on bones, it takes in so much calcium that it excretes them that colour, an unmistakable sign for trackers.
When it feels threatened it raises a mane running the length of its back that makes it look up to a third larger than it is.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Arid savannah, thorn scrub, semi-desert and mountainous areas of Africa and Asia
Sexual maturity: 2.2 years
Gestation / incubation: 3 months
Litter / clutch size: 2.5 (average)

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/