Survival of the Fittest on the Serengeti

In many African societies, the hyena is regarded as a witch or evil spirit. It's not difficult to see why - with its fearsome appearance, eerie laugh, relentless hunger, and aggressive nature, the spotted hyena is one of the most formidable animals in the Serengeti. And, despite its reputation among humans as a despicable, cowardly killer, the hyena is one of the most efficient carnivores in the world, with a social structure more complex than any other non-primate species.

Social but Competitive

In the hyena's world, you have to be strong to survive. A visitor to a hyena's den is quickly able to identify the clan's leader - the biggest, fattest animal present. And even though both male and female hyenas appear to have male genitalia, it's a sure bet that the dominant hyena is a female. Only female hyenas lead these clans of 30 to 40 animals, and they are aggressive and strong enough to keep it that way. In fact, in the hyena's social structure, even the highest-ranking male is subordinate to the lowest female.

Life is not easy, however, even for female hyenas. Females compete with each other for rank and food and endure considerable pain in bearing their young. Because many hyenas die giving birth, the dominant female in a clan is often the one that is also the most successful in delivering and rearing young.

Only the strongest hyenas will make it to adulthood. Hyena cubs are cared for in communal dens by their mothers, but adults rarely guard them or bring them meat. Females will not suckle another's offspring, and males play no role in parenting. The cubs have to battle for survival from the start: only hours after birth, siblings of the same sex fight for dominance. The stronger cub keeps the other from nursing until it weakens and dies.

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Article by Valerie Deveraux
Photographs by $PLAYER

After smelling each other's head and neck, hyenas greet each other by sniffing between the other's hind legs. The lower-ranking animal typically takes the initiative in greeting, but adult males rarely greet with females.

A hyena typically bears a litter of two cubs. Cubs of a dominant female begin eating meat earlier than other cubs and are likely to become clan leaders as adults.

Hyenas often look to circling vultures to point the way to a fresh carcass.

Killing, Eating Machines If life is tough for hyenas, it's even tougher for any animals that get in their way. The second-biggest carnivore in Africa, a hyena will do just about anything for food, even eat its own kind. Typically, however, a hyena will go after whatever food is most easily available. Hyenas will gladly feed on carrion and steal kills from other animals. They will also kill ruthlessly, tirelessly running down prey such as antelope, zebra, and wildebeest until they become too exhausted to escape. A single adult hyena can chase down and kill a bull wildebeest three times its size.

Hyenas are amazingly efficient at devouring and digesting their food. Unlike other carnivores that leave up to 40 percent of a kill uneaten, the hyena eats nearly every part of an animal. The hyena's effective digestive system can process an entire meal - including bones, horns, hooves, and teeth - within 24 hours.

Rivalry on the Serengeti

The lion is the hyena's main enemy on the savanna. Although no predators actually eat hyenas, lions account for half of all hyena deaths and will occasionally hunt down clan matriarchs and other hyenas that prey on lion cubs. Lions will steal hyena kills, and hyenas in turn will intermittently chase lions away from their food.

Humans are the other principal rival of the spotted hyena. In areas where humans have settled in regions populated by hyenas, hyenas have developed a reputation as skulking scavengers and cowardly killers of domestic livestock. Though not widely sought after as trophies, hyenas are occasionally hunted by humans or killed out of fear. When confronted by humans, however, hyenas are usually shy and run away. Though hyenas are quite common in Africa, conservation efforts protect them from becoming a threatened species.

Hyenas will steal a cheetah's kill whenever they get the chance.

A hungry hyena will run down a large, healthy animal only if it can't find other food more easily.

A male lion will walk right up to feeding hyenas and take the carcass from them.

For more information, visit: African Wildlife Foundation - Hyena Animal Diversity Web BBC - Spotted Hyena
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