Hyenas are usually mistaken for their goulish laugh and believed nature. Many people think that hyenas steal from other animals and laugh all night. Actually, the hyenas are great at hunting and have one of the most powerful jaws in the world. They are nocturnal and hunt in groups just like lions. They are sociable and have groups of males and females, not like lions where the male is temporary. And in it all, the cubs. Hyenas and lions do fight. When hyenas see a lone lioness with a kill, they will attack, but when the whole pride moves in, they will try to get away as fast as they can.

Hyenas, not like lions, are lead by females. They decide when to mate and who to mate with. Also, the female is stronger and bigger than the male. But the weird thing is, the hyenas don’t know who is a male and who is a female! Their genetalia look the same but the female only has skin. They don’t care really much about remembering so they lick and smell each other to find out what each other’s sex is. Their life is only food, sex and politics. The older females get to boast and ignore the younger males. When they do give birth, they have about 5 cubs and they are cared by the whole group. Sometimes, they have sex for no reason! Even cubs start the act to mimick their parents when there just a few months old. People think that hyenas are related to dogs, because of their paws, tail, jaws, face, and hunched back. They’re really cats.

Hyenas hunt a broad range of animals, from zebra to the Thompson’s gazelle. Since they are smaller in size, hunting zebras will take a longer time and they also have to watch out for their powerful kicks. So they co-operate with each other and drive the sick and young away from the herd so they have a better chance of getting a meal. When an animal is taken down, a feeding frenzy occurs! Everyone gets in and tries to stuff themselves. If you don’t get in on time, too bad for you! They will eat anything, from intestines, to fur, to bones, whatever they can get at. After the meal, their faces become bloody red and they give a bad character to what these astonishing animals are like.

Return to my homepage

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page