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| SCIENTIFIC
CLASSIFICATION |
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| COMMON
NAME: |
spotted
hyena, laughing hyena |
| KINGDOM: |
Animalia |
| PHYLUM: |
Chordata |
| CLASS: |
Mammalia |
| ORDER: |
Carnivora |
| FAMILY: |
Hyaenidae |
| GENUS
SPECIES: |
Crocuta
crocuta (from crocus - the color of saffron,
and utus which means provided with) |
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| DESCRIPTION: |
Coat
is rough and short, color is reddish brown to tan,
becoming lighter and less spotted with age, tail
pompom and nose are black |
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| SIZE: |
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| MALE |
79-86 cm (32-34 in.) |
| FEMALE |
84-89 cm (34-35 in.) |
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| WEIGHT: |
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| MALE |
56-63 kg (123-138 lb.) |
| FEMALE |
67-75 kg (147-165 lb.) |
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| DIET: |
Carnivorous
- wildebeest, zebra, Thomson's gazelle, Grant's
gazelle, topi, buffalo |
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| GESTATION: |
110
days or 4 months, average 2 young per litter but
anywhere from 1-4, non-seasonal mating |
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| SEXUAL
MATURITY: |
Approximately
3 years |
| FEMALE |
Females
mature later than males |
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| LIFE
SPAN: |
Average
12 years; maximum 20-25 years |
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| RANGE: |
South
of Sahara, except through areas with extreme desert
conditions |
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| POPULATION: |
GLOBAL |
No
data |
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| STATUS: |
IUCN |
Not
listed |
| CITES |
Not
listed |
| USFWS |
Not
listed; most abundant of hyenas |
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| 1. |
Hyenas
live in territorial social groups called clans.
Clans are dominated by females and can reach up
to 70 members. |
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| 2. |
The
spotted hyena is the largest species of hyena. The
other species are the brown hyena and the striped
hyena. |
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| 3. |
Female
hyenas possess similar looking reproductive organs
to males therefore accurate sexing can be difficult. |
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| 4. |
The
hyena is more closely related to the mongoose and
cat than the dog. |
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| 5. |
The
hyena is primarily a hunter, not a scavenger. They
usually hunt alone however clans will hunt together
in order to catch larger prey. They are also good
opportunistic hunters. |
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| 6. |
Additional
Information - Large
Carnivore Field Project - Dr. Laurence Frank |
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| Hyenas,
like several other African carnivores, are important
for the health of hoofed animal populations by weeding
out the weak and sick as prey items. Their predation
helps to keep the balance between these herds and
their food resources. Hyenas are particularly efficient
predators since they are capable of digesting bones,
horns and even the teeth of their prey. Hyenas are
also important to the study of the evolution of
carnivores. |
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| Berger,
Diana M.P., D.V.M., M.S., Frank, Lawrence G., Ph.D.,
Glickman, Stephan E., Ph.D.. Unraveling Ancient
Mysteries: Biology and Captive Management of the
Spotted Hyena, Crocuta crocuta. |
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| Frank,
L.G., Glickman, S.E., Powch, Irene. Sexual Dimorphism
In the Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta). |
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|
Estes,
Richard D. The Safari Companion. Post Mills:
Chelsea Green Publishing Co., 1993.
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| Kruuk,
Hans. The Spotted Hyena, A Study of Predation
and Social Behavior. Chicago: The University
of Chicago Press, 1972. |
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| Parker,
Sybil P. Grzimek's Encyclopedia Mammals. Vol.
III. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1990. |
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| Stevens,
Jan E., Secrets of the Spotted Hyena. San
Francisco Examiner Image. Aug. 8, 1993. |
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