Hyenas are unique carnivorous mammals belonging to the family Hyaenidae. They are often mistakenly associated with canids, but hyenas are phylogenetically closer to felines, mongooses, and civets, belonging to the suborder Feliformia. They are found across Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia, occupying various habitats from grasslands to deserts. The family possesses powerful physical adaptations, including specialized teeth and bone-crushing jaws, making them a significant presence in their ecosystems.
The Four Members of the Hyena Family
The family Hyaenidae comprises four distinct species, each representing its own genus: the Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta), the Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea), the Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena), and the Aardwolf (Proteles cristata). A common trait across the family is a distinctive body structure where the forelegs are longer and more robust than the hind legs, giving the animal a pronounced, sloping back. Hyenas possess blunt, non-retractable claws on their four-toed paws, and while they all share a large head and powerful neck, the jaw and dental structure vary significantly, reflecting their specialized feeding habits.
The Spotted Hyena
The Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) is the largest and most widely recognized species, known for its complex social organization. These animals live in large, structured groups called clans, which can number up to 80 individuals in areas with abundant prey. Their society is strictly matriarchal, where females dominate all males.
Spotted hyenas are effective apex predators, acquiring between 50% and 90% of their diet from their own kills. They use cooperative hunting strategies to take down large prey, such as zebras and wildebeest, often pursuing them at speeds up to 37 miles per hour. The species is famous for its distinctive “giggle” or “laughing” vocalization, which is generally a sign of submission or excitement.
The Brown and Striped Hyenas
The Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) and the Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena) are more solitary than their spotted relatives. The Brown Hyena is confined to Southern Africa, primarily inhabiting the Kalahari and Namib deserts. Characterized by a long, shaggy, dark brown coat and striped legs, Brown hyenas are dedicated scavengers, utilizing their acute sense of smell to locate carrion and often traveling up to 25 miles in a single night.
The Striped Hyena has a broader geographic distribution, extending from North and East Africa into the Middle East and parts of Asia. It is distinguished by a coat of pale gray or brown fur covered in vertical black stripes and a prominent dorsal mane. Striped hyenas are opportunistic scavengers that also consume insects, fruit, and smaller vertebrates. Both species possess specialized teeth that allow them to crush bones, gaining access to nutrient-rich marrow.
The Specialized Aardwolf
The Aardwolf (Proteles cristata) is a remarkable outlier within the Hyaenidae family, earning it the nickname “termite-eating hyena.” This small species, whose name means “earth-wolf” in Afrikaans, is an insectivore, feeding almost exclusively on termites and consuming up to 300,000 in a single night. Unlike its relatives, the Aardwolf has very small cheek teeth. It uses a long, sticky tongue to lap up surface-foraging termites without destroying the entire colony. Aardwolves are solitary and nocturnal, inhabiting open dry plains across East and Southern Africa. Despite its divergence in feeding habits and size, the Aardwolf is classified as a hyena due to shared anatomical features like the sloping back and the presence of an anal scent gland.