Hands Down Animals · Printable fact sheet
Hyena
Hyaenidae
Quick facts
| Scientific name | Hyaenidae |
|---|---|
| Size | 90 cm – 180 cm (adult length, varies by species) |
| Weight | 27 kg – 86 kg (adult weight range) |
| Lifespan | 12-25 years (wild), up to 25 years (captivity) |
| Diet | Opportunistic carnivores: mostly large mammals but also carrion, bones, and in the case of aardwolves… |
| Habitat | Savanna grasslands, Arid and semi-arid scrubland, Open woodlands |
| Where it lives | East Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa, Central Africa |
| IUCN status | Varies by species: Least Concern (spotted, aardwolf), Near Threatened (brown, striped) |
| Population | Approximately 87,000 - 110,000 (all species combined) |
| Top speed | 60 km/h |
| Family | Hyaenidae |
About the hyena
Hyenas are dog-like carnivores of Africa and parts of Asia, but they are more closely related to cats and mongooses than to dogs, and the four species range from the aardwolf, which eats termites, to the spotted hyena, Africa's most numerous large carnivore. Spotted hyenas live in female-led clans of up to about 80, hunt most of their own food rather than simply scavenging, and have jaws strong enough to crack bones. The spotted hyena is Least Concern; the striped and brown hyenas are both Near Threatened.
Five things to know
- Hyenas are Africa and Asia’s most important carnivorous scavenger mammals.
- Spotted hyenas have the most complex social structure of any carnivore except primates.
- Despite myth, hyenas are skilled hunters — up to 70% of their diet is acquired by hunting.
- Aardwolves, the smallest hyenas, eat mainly insects and not large animals.
- Hyena jaws are among the most powerful in the animal kingdom, able to crush bones.
Homeschool unit: Animals homeschool guide — Habitats, adaptations and food chains as a graded unit, with the hyena as one of its worked examples.