Picture the plains of Africa and you might envision lions and rhinos. But did you know that hyenas are actually the most common large carnivores in Africa? Their scrappy nature makes them able to live in virtually every habitat in Africa, including savannas, grasslands, woodlands, deserts and even 13,000 ft high in mountains.
These animals have gotten a pretty negative reputation as scavenger animals. But that’s not really true. While the striped hyena is primarily a scavenger, the spotted hyena is actually a skilled hunter. It hunts as a pack and is capable of taking down large prey. The hyena wears down its prey and utilizes its speed to take down the animal, where it will then dismember its victim.
But make no mistake, hyenas are not picky eaters. They are known to eat everything from other animals feces, bones and leftover plant matter. Their digestive system is adapted to handle this.
The spotted hyena is a skillful hunter but also an opportunistic scavenger. It consumes animals of various types and sizes, carrion, bones, vegetable matter, and other animals’ droppings.
The most famous (or infamous) characteristic thing about hyenas is their “laugh”. Their wailing calls and screams can be heard up to three miles away and are used to alert others to a nearby meal.
And they can even be pretty cute!
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