African Dogs: Hyaena

The Hyaena is probably the most synonymous dog associated with Africa. This canine has distinctive pointed ears and striped legs with a dark brown or black coat, white shoulders and a long creamy coloured mane. It stands at an impressive 800mm at the shoulder and weighs in at 40kg. The Brown Hyena is a carnivore and leads a scavenger lifestyle feeding on the carcasses of large herbivores which have been killed by other animals such as Lions. However, they will often supplement this with insects, birds eggs and from time to time other small animals. They have powerful jaws that allow for breaking bones and then they will feed on the marrow inside. They are non seasonal breeders who give birth to 1 to 4 pups after a gestation period of 90 days. After being born they are suckled for around a year and a half in their den and reach their full size after 30 months. They are generally solitary and tend to live in thick bush and abandoned Aardvark burrows, where they will sleep in during the day. However, they will also live in small clans which range from breeding pairs and their litter to groups consisting of up to 7 males and 7 females. They will cooperate as a clan to defend territorial boundaries but they do not forage together. They are found in South Africa, Botswana as well as on the Skeleton Coast in Namibia. They can survive in a wide variety of habitats such as savannahs, grasslands and deserts.