SPOTTED HYEANA – SCAVENGER AND HUNTER
There are two sounds in Africa that belongs and always will be part of Africa. The one is the sound of a
lion roaring and the other is the sound of a Spotted
Hyeana cackling. The Spotted Hyeana, Crocuta crocuta, is not a beautiful animal, but extremely
useful in nature.
Spotted and other Hyenas like the Brown Hyena forms part of the dog family. They
have non retractable claws and huge paws made for running over the grass veldt which they inhabit. The coat of the
Spotted Hyena is greyish yellow with dark brown spots and stripes. It is a huge
animal and stands as high as a grown man’s upper thigh. It can weigh anything from 50 to 80 kilogram. It has a big
head with exceptional strong jaws. This is their primary weapon as well. The jaws have a bone crushing biting
pressure of up to 800kg/square centimetre. This is just awesome and brutal power. Along with this the Spotted hyena
have and acid bath for a stomach. It can digest bones and skin with ease, thus making it a highly adaptable
predator on the African Savannah.
Contact us today to arrange your Namibia safari where you can see these animals in the wild.
The Spotted Hyena has a wide range of habitat. It lives mainly in the African savannah, but performs just as
well in woodland and sub tropic conditions. The main factor linking habitat and the Hyena will be availability of
food. If there is food, there will be Spotted Hyenas. The Spotted Hyena is nocturnal, but is very often seen during
the day as well. In places like Etosha National Park, where there is no human interference this is very obvious. In
commercial and communal farmland, Hyenas will be much slyer and more active during the night. The hyena is not only
a scavenger; it can actively hunt as well. Since they are pack animals, blessed with great stamina they can bring
down big prey if need be. A pack will select a victim and then starts chasing it. Once the victim starts tiring one
hyena will grab its nose, while the rest will attack from behind. It is a gruesome way to kill, but very effective
if done well and in conjunction with the other members of the pack. This seldom happens, as hyenas will usually
take calves and other smaller game. They are very opportunistic, and will eat anything around, from flamingos to
porcupines. Their main prey is Blue wildebeest, warthogs and Zebra.
It has one main enemy and that is the African Lion. The two species just absolutely hate each other, and will
try and kill each other if the chance is there. They also tend to actively seek out each others cubs and will kill
the cubs if found. Man is only an enemy in areas where Spotted Hyenas are responsible for livestock loss. There
they will be actively hunted and killed.
For such a savage predator, the social structure is unusually complex and tight knit. Females rule in a clan.
Due to high levels of male hormones the females are as big as the males and as aggressive. This ensures that they
get enough food off a kill to raise their cubs, and also ensures they are the leaders of a pack. The lone female
that leads a clan is known as a matriarch.
Spotted Hyenas will have a den in the area where they live. This den is also the place where the females give birth
to their pups. There is no well defined breeding season, and once again this might rely on the availability of food
in the area. Gestation is about 110 days. After birth the pups will stay around the den for another 12 months,
interacting and building the bond between them and the adults in the group.
Spotted hyenas use communication on a grand scale. They can make 10 different vocal noises, have facial expressions
and use scent marking to very good effect.
When people think of the Spotted Hyena there is sometimes revulsion, but that do not need to be the case.
Spotted Hyenas have a function to fulfil in nature and they do it very well. They hunt when hungry and only kill if
need be.
|