Hyenas are not native to Mexico, nor are they found anywhere in the Americas today. These distinctive carnivores belong exclusively to the family Hyaenidae, and their natural distribution is confined to the Old World. While they once had a presence in North America millions of years ago, their current habitat is restricted to Africa and parts of Asia.
Global Distribution of Hyenas
The Hyaenidae family contains four extant species, all of which thrive across a vast geographical area outside of the New World. The Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is the largest and most well-known, ranging widely across sub-Saharan Africa. The Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) and the Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus) are also endemic to the African continent, with the Aardwolf specializing in a diet of termites.
The fourth species, the Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena), has the widest distribution, extending from North and East Africa across the Middle East, into Central Asia, and as far east as the Indian subcontinent. This current distribution emphasizes the immense geographical barrier, primarily the Atlantic Ocean, that separates the hyena’s habitat from the Western Hemisphere, preventing any modern species from naturally reaching Mexico.
North American Carnivores Often Confused with Hyenas
Questions about hyenas in Mexico often arise from the confusion between the appearance and behavior of various native carnivores and the African species. The most likely source of misidentification is the Coyote (Canis latrans), a highly adaptable and widespread canid found throughout Mexico. Coyotes are opportunistic scavengers, often feeding on carrion, which mimics the well-known scavenging behavior of hyenas. Furthermore, large feral dogs, which are common in many regions, can also resemble hyenas from a distance, particularly if they have a shaggy coat or a slightly sloped posture.
However, hyenas possess a unique, powerful build, characterized by forelegs that are longer than their hind legs, creating a distinctly hunched profile. They also have specialized bone-crushing teeth, a feature absent in all New World canids, which are built for endurance running.
The Biogeographical Divide
The scientific reason for the hyena’s modern absence lies in the field of biogeography, which studies the distribution of species across continents. Hyenas evolved in the Old World, and for the vast majority of their history, the continents were separated by oceanic barriers. However, one genus of hyena, the running hyena (Chasmaporthetes), did manage to cross into North America from Eurasia.
This migration occurred between five and three million years ago via the Bering Land Bridge, which connected Asia and North America during periods of low sea level. Fossil evidence of Chasmaporthetes has been discovered as far south as Mexico and Florida, confirming a temporary New World presence. This unique hyena was not a bone-crushing scavenger like some modern species, but rather a swift hunter with long, slender limbs. The American hyena, however, went extinct on the continent approximately 800,000 to one million years ago. Its disappearance is attributed to a combination of intense competition from newly arriving New World carnivores, such as the ancestors of modern wolves and saber-toothed cats, and significant climatic changes during the Pleistocene glacial cycles.