Hyenas are carnivores in the African savanna, often seen as both diligent scavengers and capable hunters. Despite their strength and resilience, even these powerful animals can become prey within their complex ecosystems.
Hyenas’ Role in the Food Web
Hyenas function as both opportunistic scavengers and skilled hunters within the African food web. Their powerful jaws can crush bone, allowing them to process nearly all parts of a carcass and act as the ecosystem’s clean-up crew. This helps prevent the spread of diseases by disposing of carrion.
While often stereotyped as mere scavengers, spotted hyenas are highly effective pack hunters, with up to 95% of their diet coming from animals they kill themselves. They possess remarkable stamina, allowing them to pursue prey over long distances. This dual role in the ecosystem helps regulate herbivore populations and contributes to nutrient cycling.
Apex Predators of Hyenas
Lions are the primary natural predators of hyenas, with interactions characterized by intense competition and aggression. They frequently kill hyenas to eliminate competition for shared prey and territory, and to assert dominance. While lions rarely consume hyenas due to their unappetizing taste and low nutritional value, consumption can occur during periods of extreme food scarcity. Male lions, being larger and more powerful, are particularly effective at killing hyenas, often targeting cubs to reduce future rivalry.
African wild dogs can occasionally prey on single hyenas, especially if isolated. Conflicts between wild dog packs and hyena clans are common, often arising over food, but these clashes are risky for both sides. Leopards, while smaller than lions, are stealthy predators that primarily target young hyenas. Large Nile crocodiles pose a threat to hyenas near water sources, ambushing them when they come to drink.
Other Factors Leading to Hyena Mortality
Beyond direct predation, several other factors contribute to hyena mortality. Individuals that are young, old, injured, or isolated are more vulnerable. Young hyena cubs can be susceptible to threats from large birds of prey near their dens. Within hyena clans, internal conflicts, such as infanticide by dominant females, also lead to mortality. A significant and increasing cause of hyena deaths is human impact.
Human activities like poaching, habitat loss, and retaliatory killings by livestock owners account for a substantial portion of hyena mortality. As human populations expand into hyena habitats, competition for resources intensifies, leading to conflicts where hyenas may prey on livestock. This often results in lethal control measures, including poisoning and snaring, which are significant threats to hyena populations.