Hyenas are often misunderstood, frequently seen as mere scavengers. However, their feeding habits are more complex than commonly perceived. Understanding their consumer classification reveals their adaptability and ecological contributions.
Hyenas as Carnivores and Scavengers
Hyenas are classified as carnivores, primarily consuming meat. However, their diet also includes substantial carrion, classifying them as scavengers. This dual nature reflects their opportunistic feeding, enabling them to thrive in diverse environments. Spotted hyenas are primarily hunters, while other species like striped and brown hyenas rely more on scavenging. Regardless of their food source, hyenas are not particular eaters, efficiently utilizing animal matter including flesh, skin, and bone.
Hunting and Scavenging Strategies
Spotted hyenas exhibit sophisticated hunting techniques, often working in groups. While individual hyenas can hunt, larger groups of three or more achieve a hunting success rate of up to 74% when targeting sizable prey like zebra or wildebeest. Their physical adaptations, including large hearts and lungs, allow them to maintain a trot for extended periods, wearing down prey over long distances. They select young or old individuals within a herd, and do not show a strong preference for specific prey species.
When scavenging, hyenas leverage their powerful jaws and robust digestive systems. Spotted hyenas possess one of the strongest bite forces among mammals, capable of exerting over 1,100 pounds per square inch, allowing them to crush large bones. Their digestive tract can process nearly all parts of an animal, including skin and bone; only hair, horns, and hooves are regurgitated as pellets. This ability to break down bones provides access to nutrients like calcium and phosphorus, and helps redistribute these elements into the ecosystem. Hyenas also employ a keen sense of smell, excellent night vision, and acute hearing to locate carcasses from considerable distances.
Dietary Differences Among Hyena Species
The four hyena species display distinct dietary preferences. Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are primarily predators, actively hunting and killing between 60% and 95% of their food. They are skilled at taking down medium to large ungulates.
In contrast, the striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is predominantly a scavenger, relying on carrion and human refuse, though it also consumes fruits, insects, and small animals. Similarly, the brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) is largely a scavenger, feeding on carcasses while supplementing its diet with small prey, insects, and plant matter. The aardwolf (Proteles cristata) stands apart as a specialized insectivore, with termites forming over 90% of its diet. An aardwolf consumes up to 300,000 termites using its long, sticky tongue.