In this article, I will take you through 50 Important Questions on Hyenas that you should definitely know about. Hyenas are one of the few species which are sometimes known as Lion predators. They mostly hunt down old and sick lions as well as the Lions cubs. When they have to attack an adult Lion then they will attack in a pack of atleast 20 Hyenas.

Many times they come on head to head, sometimes because of food and sometimes without any reason. They are not just predators but also play a very important role in disposing wastes and carcasses from the ecosystem they live in. They regularly clean up the area from any potential disease that may cause from dead animal carcasses.

50 Important Questions on Hyenas You Should Know About

Also Read: 50 Important Questions on Elephants You Should Know About

1. What is a Hyena ?

Ans. Hyenas, or hyaenas, are feliform carnivoran mammals of the family Hyaenidae.

2. Do Hyenas eat lions ?

Ans. Hyenas prey on lion cubs and are known to eat dead lions.

3. Are Hyenas canines ?

Ans. Hyenas are not members of the dog or cat families. They are member of their own family called Hyaenidae.

4. How do Hyenas give birth ? 

Ans. Female hyenas give birth through their clitoris, also called a pseudo-penis. The birth canal of a hyena is only about one inch across, and consequently, many hyena babies do not survive

5. What do Hyenas eat ?

Ans. hyenas are famed scavengers and often dine on the leftovers of other predators. But these hardy beasts are also skilled hunters that will take down wildebeest or antelope. They also kill and eat birds, lizards, snakes, and insects. More on National Geographic.

6. How big are Hyenas ?

Ans. Depending on species, hyenas can weigh anywhere between 15 and 155 pounds.

7. Why do Hyenas laugh ?

Ans. The “laughter” vocalization for which they are known is a high-pitched series of short giggle like sounds. These sounds, rather than being associated with hyenas having a good time, are generally made when they are threatened or under attack. A hyena may also produce a laughter like sound when it is frustrated.

8. Where do Hyenas live ?

Ans. They live throughout much of Africa and eastwards through Arabia to India.

9. How do Hyenas mate ?

Ans. To mate, a male must angle his penis up and backward to get it into the female's pseudopenis, which is angled forward - a feat that can only be accomplished with acquiescence from the female, making forced sex physically impossible.

10. What is a group of Hyenas called ?

Ans. Hyenas are highly social animals, forming large groups called clans, which range from 6 to over 100 members.

11. How strong is a Hyena's bite force ?

Ans. Hyenas have a bite force of around 1,100 psi.

12. Are Hyenas endangered ?

Ans. They are not an endangered species yet. Spotted hyenas are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN (International Union of Conservation Nature).

13. What family is the Hyena in ?

Ans. Hyenas belongs to Hyaenidae family.

14. Are Hyenas hermaphrodites ?

Ans. Female hyenas have a genital structure called a “pseudopenis” which are paired with "testicles" - actually fused labia filled with fatty tissue.. This creates a difficulty in identifying male and female hyenas. But this does not mean they are Hermaphrodites. This is an incorrect notion about this animal.

15. Are Hyenas matriarchal ?

Ans. Yes, Spotted hyena clans are matriarchies, led by females. This is partly due to a phenomenon called male dispersal. After puberty, males leave the clan into which they were born. When they join a new clan, these “immigrant” male hyenas become the lowest-ranking members of their new clan.

16. How long do Hyenas live ?

Ans. Hyenas tend to live anywhere from 10 to 12 years in the wild.

17. How fast is a Hyena ?

Ans. Spotted hyenas can reach at least 60 km/h (37 mph).

18. Are Hyenas dogs ?

Ans. Hyenas does look like dogs but they are not related at all.

19. What species are Hyenas related to ?

Ans. Although hyenas appear similar to dogs, they are actually more closely related to cats.

20. Which are the smallest species of Hyenas ?

Ans. Aardwolves are the smallest species of hyenas.

21. Where do Brown Hyenas live ?

Ans. Brown hyenas have a very limited range and live only in Southern Africa, including the Kalahari and Namib deserts.

22. How does Stripped Hyenas communicate ?

Ans. Striped Hyenas communicates with body movements.

23. How many Hyenas are left in the world ?

Ans. There are around 10,000 mature Adult Hyenas left in the World.

24. How many Hyenas are in a pack ?

Ans. There could be around 6 to over 100 members in a pack.

25. How many Hyenas can kill a lion ?

Ans. Since lions are large and heavy, it is essential for an entire pack of around 20 hyenas to tackle a single lion.

26. How many different types of hyenas are there ?

Ans. There are basically four types of Hyenas species :-

• Brown Hyena (Hyaena Brunnea)
• Spotted Hyena (Crocuta Crocuta)
• Striped Hyena (Hyaena Hyaena)
• Aardwolf (Proteles Cristata)

27. How many brown Hyenas are left in the world ?

Ans. The global brown hyena population is estimated to comprise 4,000 to 10,000 individuals.

28. How many teeth do hyenas have ?

Ans. Hyenas usually have 32-34 teeth.

29. Do hyenas have predators ?

Ans. Yes, the hyena's only predator is humans.

30. When did Hyenas originated ?

Ans. According to some research, Hyenas originated in the jungles of Miocene Eurasia 22 million years ago, when most early feliform species were still largely arboreal.

31. Are Hyenas nocturnal animals ?

Ans. Yes, Hyenas are primarily nocturnal animals, but sometimes venture from their lairs in the early-morning hours.

32. What color are Hyenas ?

Ans. Hyenas skin color are usually pale gray with black throat fur and stripes on the body and legs. The fur of the spotted hyena coats vary from dark brown to amber.

33. How smart are Hyenas ?

Ans. Hyenas are known to be very smart in hunting their prey. They live in societies as complex as those of some primates and seem to show as much social intelligence.

34. What are the different sounds Spotted Hyena produce ?

Ans. Spotted Hyenas produce number of different sounds consisting of whoops, grunts, groans, lows, giggles, yells, growls, laughs and whines.

35. How many Trinervitermes an Aardwolf can eat on a single outing ?

Ans. An aardwolf can eat 300,000 Trinervitermes on a single outing.

36. Are Hyenas scavengers ?

Ans. There is a common myth that Hyenas are only scavengers but this is not completely true. Some of the Hyenas species like Stripped Hyenas are mostly scavengers but other species like Spotted Hyenas are excellent hunters and may kill as many as 95% of the animals they eat.

37. Why Hyenas are known as one of the best mothers of all the territorial animals ?

Ans. This is simply because they invest more energy per cub than any other territorial animals.

38. For how long Hyena cubs are completely dependent on mother's milk ?

Ans. Hyena cubs are completely dependent on milk for the first six months of their lives and will continue to nurse for up to another year.

39. Can Hyenas count ?

Ans. Studies have shown that Hyenas can count. They are able to determine the number of other hyenas in a rival clan and decide their best course of action.

40. Are Hyenas hermaphrodites ?

Ans. There is a common notion that Hyenas are hermaphrodites. But in reality this is not true.

41. Does Female Hyenas are stronger than males ?

Ans. Yes, Female Hyenas are bigger, stronger and tougher than their male counterparts. In a clan, female and cubs eat first and male eat at the last.

42. Which Hyena species has the shortest lifespan ?

Ans. Brown Hyenas has the shortest lifespan.

43. Which is the largest species of Hyena ?

Ans. The spotted hyena is the largest species of hyena.

44. Which Hyenas species can double their size when scared ?

Ans. Striped Hyenas can raise the hair along their backs and nearly double in size when scared.

45. Why does Spotted Hyenas sleep in water ?

Ans. As Spotted Hyenas are usually found in Sub Saharan Africa which is one of the hottest place on earth so they sleep in pools of water to stay cool.

46. Which Hyena species has the shortest lifespan ?

Ans. Brown hyenas have the shortest lifespan of all hyena species.

47. Which Hyena species has the longest lifespan ?

Ans. Spotted hyenas have the longest lifespan of all hyena species.

48. What is the strategy hyenas uses when escape from Predator becomes impossible ?

Ans. The effective strategy hyenas uses to escape from predator is to play dead. Brown and Striped hyenas can feign death when they are under attack. It is because of the fact that sometimes predators do not consume on dead prey.

49. Which hyena species can be tamed to form bonds with humans ?

Ans. Striped Hyenas can be easily tamed and trained to form affectionate bonds with humans.

50. How does hyenas survive the attack of deadly diseases ?

Ans. Hyenas immune protection is so strong that they rarely ever die from any deadly diseases. Scientists know very little of this and still trying to find out more.