Inviting applications for Residential Batch FRC-6 Click Here to know more and Entrance Test Registration
News: The four extant species of hyena or hyaenids found on the African continent are facing increasing threats, leading to population declines, according to conservation organisation, Wild Africa.
About African Hyena
- They belong to the Hyaenidae family of Hyaena genus.
- They are hunters and catch their prey using their teeth instead of claws.
There are four distinct species of hyena found in African continent –
- Spotted hyena (Crocutta crocutta)
- Striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), also found in the Middle East and Asia
- Brown hyena (Parahyaena brunnea)
- Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus)
About Spotted hyena
- It is the most widespread of the four species, found throughout sub-Saharan Africa.
- It is also known as the ‘laughing hyena’.
- It is among the continent’s most skilled predators.
- It can hunt up to 90 per cent of their food using strategy, teamwork and endurance.
- IUCN Status: ‘Least Concern’ but population is declining, with fewer than 50,000 estimated left across the African continent.
About Striped hyenas
- It is found in North and East Africa.
- It is primarily nocturnal and solitary.
- It is omnivores and feed on small animals, fruits and vegetables.
- They are also the biggest carcass-scavengers of the family.
- It uses “natural lavatories” to communicate via scent—sharing information about their territory, reproductive status, and group presence.
- IUCN Status: ‘Nearly Threatened’ with less than 10,000 mature individuals left in the wild.
About Brown hyena
- It is found mainly in southern Africa’s arid deserts and savannas.
- It is predominantly a scavenger, but also supplements its diet with fruits and vegetables, insects, birds’ eggs, and occasionally small animal prey.
- It lives in small clans, typically consisting of related females and their cubs, while males may remain in their natal clan, become nomadic, or join new groups.
- One fascinating adaptation is its incredibly powerful sense of smell, used to locate carcasses over long distances.
- IUCN Status: ‘Near Threatened’, population with just over 10,000 left in Africa.
About Aardwolf
- It is the smallest and most specialized
- It is not wolves or related to them. It simply shares the name due to similar size and shape.
- It feeds almost exclusively on termites.
- They are socially monogamous, and typically live alone or in pairs.
- Threat: As they feed mostly on insects, one of the biggest threats to aardwolves is pesticide use, aimed at controlling locusts and termites.
- IUCN Status: ‘Least Concern’, indicating they are not threatened, but their exact numbers are unknown due to their shy nature.
Discover more from Free UPSC IAS Preparation Syllabus and Materials For Aspirants
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
