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Spotted hyena
Crocuta crocuta
-19.0189, 16.3464
Field Notes
Description:
Hyenas are the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora (consisting of four species). Both hyenas and canines are non-arboreal, cursorial hunters that catch prey with their teeth rather than claws. Both eat food quickly and may store it, and their calloused feet with large, blunt, non-retractible nails are adapted for running and making sharp turns. However, the hyenas' grooming, scent marking, defecating habits, mating and parental behaviour are consistent with the behaviour of other feliforms. Although long reputed to be cowardly scavengers, hyenas, especially spotted hyenas, kill as much as 95% of the food they eat and have been known to drive off leopards or lionesses from their kills.
Habitat:
They are native to Sub-Saharan Africa and listed as Least Concern by the IUCN on account of their widespread range and large numbers estimated at 10,000 individuals. The species is experiencing declines outside of protected areas due to habitat loss and poaching.
Notes:
These babies were seen by the side of the road just outside Etosha National Park.
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