While hyenas are commonly associated with the African savanna, India is home to a member of the Hyaenidae family: the Striped Hyena. This species is the sole representative of the hyena family in Asia, occupying an ecological niche distinct from the larger, more social spotted hyenas of Africa. The Striped Hyena has established a significant presence across the subcontinent, playing a unique role within India’s diverse carnivore landscape.
Confirmation of Presence and Physical Traits
The Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is the only hyena species found in the Indian subcontinent. This medium-sized carnivore is distinguished by a pronounced body slope, as its forelimbs are significantly longer than its hind limbs. Its coat is typically a grey or beige base color marked by vertical black stripes, providing effective camouflage in scrubland habitats.
A prominent feature is the long, coarse mane running along its back, which can be raised when the hyena feels threatened to make it appear larger. It possesses a robust skull and powerful jaw muscles specialized for crushing and consuming thick bones left behind by other predators. Adults typically weigh between 25 and 40 kilograms and measure 100 to 120 centimeters in length, making them considerably smaller than their spotted relatives.
Geographic Range and Preferred Habitats
The Striped Hyena is distributed across a large, though fragmented, range throughout India. Populations span from the Terai belt in the north to significant portions of Peninsular India, where the species remains a persistent, if elusive, presence. This species exhibits adaptability, thriving in arid and semi-arid environments that often lack the dense forest cover preferred by larger felids.
Hyenas are commonly found in dry deciduous forests, open scrublands, rocky hills, and ravines, which offer suitable denning sites and shelter during the day. Significant populations exist in states such as Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, particularly in the Deccan Plateau. Their preference for areas near human-dominated agro-pastoral landscapes highlights their opportunistic nature in securing food resources.
Diet and Distinct Behavioral Patterns
The Striped Hyena functions primarily as a scavenger, relying heavily on carrion. Its diet includes the remains of domestic livestock and wild ungulates like chital and sambar. The hyena’s powerful jaws allow it to access nutritious bone marrow, and studies confirm that large to medium-sized mammals constitute a substantial part of their food intake, whether scavenged or occasionally predated.
Beyond scavenging, the hyena is an opportunistic feeder that hunts smaller prey, such as hares, rodents, and birds, and consumes vegetative matter like fruits and melons. This varied diet allows it to survive in diverse and resource-scarce environments. Behaviorally, the species is predominantly solitary and strictly nocturnal, spending daylight hours resting in dens or natural rocky crevices.
Their secretive, reclusive nature means they are rarely sighted, making population assessment difficult. While generally solitary, they sometimes form small family groups and utilize communal den sites for raising young. Dependence on human-modified landscapes for scavenging livestock carcasses brings them into frequent contact with villages, contributing to human-wildlife conflict.
Conservation Status and Threats
Globally, the Striped Hyena is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List, reflecting a declining population trend due to various pressures. In India, the species faces threats stemming from habitat fragmentation and direct persecution outside protected reserves. The greatest danger is retaliatory killing by livestock owners, who often poison carcasses to target the hyenas that scavenge them.
The species is legally protected under India’s Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which prohibits hunting or killing. However, their survival is compromised by increasing road accidents and the continued demand for their body parts in traditional medicine. Since the hyena uses human-modified areas for foraging, its long-term conservation hinges on reducing conflict and increasing awareness about its ecological role.