Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta) lives in savannah, grassland, semi-desert across Sub-Saharan Africa. It feeds on carrion & scraps. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Spotted Hyena
- Between 27,000 and 47,000 spotted hyenas roam sub-Saharan Africa, enough to earn them a "least concern" rating on the IUCN Red List. Their numbers are still falling outside protected zones, where habitat loss and poaching bite away at populations. This contrast shows that even a species once thought abundant can slip toward trouble if safe space shrinks, underscoring the need for continued habitat protection.
- The spotted hyena can generate a bite pressure of 80 kgf/cm², about 40 % more force than a leopard, and one study recorded a single individual delivering 4,500 newtons of force. Such crushing power lets them split giraffe leg bones up to 7 cm thick, turning even the toughest carcass parts into a meal.
- Hyena clans range from 3 to 80 members, with territories as small as 40 km² in the Ngorongoro crater and as large as 1,000 km² in the Kalahari. They travel an average of 80 km on hunting trips, and lactating females may make 40-50 trips a year, covering 2,800-3,600 km annually. This "commuting" lifestyle lets dense populations persist far beyond what a static territory could support.
- Spotted hyenas thrive up to 4,000 m in East Africa, occupying savannahs, semi-deserts, and mountain forests, but they avoid dense tropical rainforests. Historically they roamed across Eurasia for at least one million years, disappearing only at the end of the Late Pleistocene.
- Spotted hyenas run at up to 60 km/h (37 mph) and once chased an eland for 24 km before the kill. Their heart makes up close to 1 % of body weight, giving them the stamina for such marathon hunts.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeSub-Saharan Africa
HabitatSavannah, grassland, semi-desert
DietCarrion & scraps
About the Spotted Hyena
In the golden light of the savannah, the spotted hyena emerges as a paradox of power and stealth, its rugged, spotted coat blending seamlessly into the shadows as it pads silently across the grasslands. With an air of quiet confidence, it moves through the world, its eyes gleaming with a sharp intelligence as it navigates the intricate social hierarchies of its clan. As it runs, its long, powerful legs devour the distance, a testament to its remarkable adaptability and cunning, a true apex scavenger in a realm of fierce predators.
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